Singlet oxygen mediated efficient photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B and disinfection by ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag2O nanocomposite under LED light.

Herein, a core-shell ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O nanocomposite with high photocatalytic efficiency was synthesized via a solvothermal method. Due to polydopamine (PDA) coating and Ag-Ag 2 O doping, ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O nanocomposite yielded a high amount of singlet oxygen (1O 2) upon visible light irradiation, compared with unmodified ZnO and ZnO@PDA nanosheets. Under LED irradiation, ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O nanocomposite with a p-n heterojunction exhibited remarkable photocatalytic efficiency for removing rhodamine B and eliminating Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Furthermore, ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O nanocomposite demonstrated high stability and photocatalytic activity after five consecutive cycles. It also effectively eliminated established biofilms and inhibited the generation of new biofilms. Wound-healing infected by S. aureus in vivo indicated that ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O nanocomposite with LED irradiation inhibited microbial infection of wound and promoted wound healing. Therefore, 1O 2 -mediated ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O nanocomposite is expected to be a promising photocatalyst in the fields of sewage treatment, antibacterial agents, and nanomedicines. • PDA coating and Ag-Ag 2 O NPs enhance the 1O 2 yields of ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O. • The nanocomposites strongly degrade RhB and kill bacteria under LED light. • ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O effectively eliminates and inhibits bacterial biofilms. • The wound-healing in vivo reveals good biocompatibility of ZnO@PDA/Ag-Ag 2 O. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]