A 2D nanoflower-like ordered mesoporous BiZnO catalyst with excellent photocatalytic antibacterial properties.

UNLABELLED

The ordered mesoporous ZnO was successfully synthesized using the template method in this article, and Bi ions were etched into ZnO to form two-dimensional nanoflower structures of BiZnO with NASSA as a guiding agent. The crystal structure, morphology, and optical properties of the photocatalyst were characterized by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy-dispersive spectrometer(EDS), and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectrum (UV-vis DRS). Under illumination conditions, the obtained materials exhibited excellent bactericidal ability against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as effective inhibition against fungi. Among them, the bactericidal effect of was found to be the most rapid, achieving a sterilization rate of 100% within 30 min of light irradiation. Even after three cycles of antibacterial activity testing, the BiZnO material still demonstrated good photocatalytic performance. The nanoflower-shaped materials provide an enhanced fluid adsorption capacity and more active centers for photocatalytic reactions while also improving light absorption capacity, photogenerated electron-hole separation efficiency, and electron transport efficiency. The cytotoxicity assessment of BiZnO revealed no significant toxic effects. Therefore, this study presents a nanoflower-shaped material with highly efficient photocatalytic antibacterial properties for applications in production and daily life; it holds significant importance in eliminating harmful bacteria and plays a crucial role in environmental protection.

IMPORTANCE

The flower-shaped photocatalytic material BiZnO, consisting of nanoparticles, was successfully synthesized in this study. Rigorous antibacterial experiments were conducted on various fungi using the material, yielding excellent results. Furthermore, the application of this material for antibacterial treatment of livestock and poultry manure sewage in real-life scenarios demonstrated remarkable efficacy.