In view of increasing drug resistance, ecofriendly photoelectrical materials are promising alternatives to antibiotics. Here we design an interfacial Schottky junction of Bi₂S₃/Ti₃C₂T_x resulting from the contact potential difference between Ti₃C₂T_x and Bi₂S₃. The different work functions induce the formation of a local electrophilic/nucleophilic region. The self-driven charge transfer across the interface increases the local electron density on Ti₃C₂T_x. The formed Schottky barrier inhibits the backflow of electrons and boosts the charge transfer and separation. The photocatalytic activity of Bi₂S₃/Ti₃C₂T_x intensively improved the amount of reactive oxygen species under 808 nm near-infrared radiation. They kill 99.86% of Staphylococcus aureus and 99.92% of Escherichia coli with the assistance of hyperthermia within 10 min. We propose the theory of interfacial engineering based on work function and accordingly design the ecofriendly photoresponsive Schottky junction using two kinds of components with different work functions to effectively eradicate bacterial infection.

The application of photothermal therapy to treat bacterial infections remains a challenge, as the high temperatures required for bacterial elimination can damage healthy tissues. Here, we develop an exogenous antibacterial agent consisting of zinc-doped Prussian blue (ZnPB) that kills methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in vitro and in a rat model of cutaneous wound infection. Local heat triggered by the photothermal effect accelerates the release and penetration of ions into the bacteria, resulting in alteration of intracellular metabolic pathways and bacterial killing without systemic toxicity. ZnPB treatment leads to the upregulation of genes involved in tissue remodeling, promotes collagen deposition and enhances wound repair. The efficient photothermal conversion of ZnPB allows the use of relatively few doses and low laser flux, making the platform a potential alternative to current antibiotic therapies against bacterial wound infections.

Some infectious or malignant diseases such as cancers are seriously threatening the health of human beings all over the world.

Scale-dependent osteo-immune regulation induced by specific TiO ₂ nanostructure accelerates implant-to-bone integration.