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Remarkable Antibacterial Activity of Reduced Graphene Oxide Functionalized by Copper Ions
Author(s) -
Tu Yusong,
Li Pei,
Sun Jiajia,
Jiang Jie,
Dai Fangfang,
Li Chengzhang,
Wu Yuanyan,
Chen Liang,
Shi Guosheng,
Tan Yanwen,
Fang Haiping
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.202008018
Subject(s) - copper , antibacterial activity , graphene , ion , materials science , oxide , valence (chemistry) , inorganic chemistry , nanotechnology , chemistry , bacteria , organic chemistry , metallurgy , biology , genetics
Despite long‐term efforts for exploring antibacterial agents or drugs, potentiating antibacterial activity and meanwhile minimizing toxicity to the environment remains a challenge. Here, it is experimentally shown that the functionality of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) through copper ions displays selective antibacterial activity that is significantly stronger than that of rGO itself and no toxicity to mammalian cells. Remarkably, this antibacterial activity is two‐orders‐of‐magnitude greater than the activity of its surrounding copper ions. It is demonstrated that rGO is functionalized through the cation–π interaction to massively adsorb copper ions to form a rGO–copper composite and result in an extremely low concentration level of surrounding copper ions (less than ≈0.5 µ m ). These copper ions on rGO are positively charged and strongly interact with negatively charged bacterial cells to selectively achieve antibacterial activity, while rGO exhibits the functionality to not only actuate rapid delivery of copper ions and massive assembly onto bacterial cells but also result in the valence shift in the copper ions from Cu 2+ into Cu + , which greatly enhances the antibacterial activity. Notably, this rGO functionality through cation–π interaction with copper ions can similarly achieve algaecidal activity but does not exert cytotoxicity against neutrally charged mammalian cells.