Tunable phase-change materials@Prussian blue microparticles for tri-modality biofilm removal based on gas-shearing microfluidics

Abstract

Bacterial infections are rapidly evolving and are among the greatest threats to human health. Infectious diseases from antibiotic-resistant bacteria rank as the fourth leading cause of preventable death. A multi-modality antibacterial strategy has become an emerging and attractive method to deal with bacterial drug resistance. Herein, tunable phase-change materials@Prussian blue microparticles (PCM@PB MPs) were designed by gas-shearing microfluidics, which show the synergistic effect of antibiotic-, photothermal- and chemodynamic-induced antibacterial properties. MPs exhibit significant antibacterial activity and biofilm-clearing abilities against S. aureus and E. coli, which represent Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. This research explored the use of MPs as a tri-modality antibacterial agent and provided valuable insights into their mechanism against bacterial cells. Furthermore, by combining the temperature-responsive properties of PCM with the photothermal properties of PB, a reliable vehicle with triggered drug release was designed, potentially fitting a niche in many applications in the coming years.