Amino-Functionalized Graphene Oxide for the Capture and Photothermal Inhibition of Bacteria

Amino-functionalized graphene oxide (GO-NH2) was prepared for enhanced antibacterial properties through excellent photothermal efficiency. This nanosheet could easily target the bacterial surface through electrostatic attraction. Upon white light irradiation, GO-NH2 with superior antibacterial efficacy could inhibit the growth of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, resulting in an increase to 32-times more than the antibacterial activity of GO alone. Through studies of the antibacterial mechanism, it was found that the nanosheets could destroy the cytomembrane of bacteria, resulting in cytoplasmic leakage. Moreover, the analysis of cell proliferation indicated that the nanosheets had good biocompatibility. This work indicates that graphene oxide could be used as a new nanostructured carbon material to construct an antimicrobial agent for photothermal therapy in the biomedical field.