Piezoelectric Field-Enhanced Photocatalysis in Ti 3C 2T x MXene: A Dual-Mechanism Strategy for Marine Antifouling

Piezophotocatalytic materials effectively inhibit marine microorganism attachment and growth, offering a sustainable solution to combat biofouling. Herein, Ti₃C₂T_x MXene nanosheets were synthesized via a controlled LiF/HCl etching process. Structural characterization revealed a layered morphology with surface terminations (-F, -O, -Cl). Under dark conditions, hydrodynamic stimulation induced strain-mediated polarization, achieving 50.9% inactivation of S. aureus through mechanochemical energy conversion. When coupled with visible light irradiation (λ≥420 nm), piezo-photocatalytic charge separation efficiency increased by 3.2-fold, yielding 79.8% antibacterial efficiency significantly surpassing Ti₃AlC₂ (22.3%). This enhancement stems from efficient reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation (·OH and ·O₂⁻) and a strong piezo-photocatalytic synergistic response. The dual-energy (mechanical-photonic) harvesting mechanism drives robust redox reactions, disrupting microbial membranes via lipid peroxidation and peptidoglycan degradation.