Fabrication of Nb2C MXene coated zinc for improved degradation, antibacterial activity, and osteogenesis for guided bone regeneration applications

Addressing the limitations of current commercial GBR membranes has driven a continued commitment to optimize materials, which integrate mechanical stability, biodegradability, antibacterial, and osteogenic functionality. Zinc (Zn) is recently considered to be a promising candidate material for GBR membranes, while the in vivo osteogenic performance and antibacterial activity of pure Zn are inadequate. In this study, we developed MXene-coated Zn using an in situ self-reducing/assembling strategy to optimize the degradation, and endow antibacterial activity and osteogenesis with Zn substrates. MXene coatings exhibited excellent and stable photothermal response in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) region, enabling efficient scavenging of free radicals under NIR irradiation. The uniform and dense structure of the coating effectively blocked corrosive mediators, which significantly reduced the degradation rate of Zn substrates. This also moderated Zn ion (Zn 2+ ) release, improving cytocompatibility and promoting the migration of HGF-1 cells, osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells, and the secretion of anti-inflammatory factors. Moreover, the synergistic antibacterial effect of the MXene coating, involving photothermal activity and Zn 2+ , demonstrated over 99 % antibacterial efficacy against both Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ). Remarkably, in a rat subcutaneous infection model, the MXene-coated Zn eradicated nearly all bacteria at biosafe temperatures (<50 °C). The coating also promoted in vivo expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10, creating a favorable immune microenvironment. The MXene-coated Zn membrane offers a promising strategy for simultaneously controlling Zn degradation, enhancing antibacterial activity, and promoting bone regeneration. Additionally, it shows great potential in regulating immune responses and facilitating soft tissue healing, paving the way for Zn-based materials to be applied as barrier membranes in future clinical applications.