Multifunctional MXene Nanosheets and Their Applications in Antibacterial Therapy

Bacterial infections are a great threat to human health, and the irrational use of antibiotics has largely compromised the efficacy of antibiotic therapy due to the emergence of drug-resistant pathogens. It is known that synthesizing new antibiotics is difficult and time-consuming. In this case, developing antibiotics-independent antibacterial approaches is of great importance and significance. In the past decade, various functional nanomaterials have shown great potentials in the treatment of bacterial infections. Among these nanomaterials, transition metal carbides or nitrides, namely MXene, have attracted much attention. As the novel 2D nanosheets, MXene can serve either as a direct antibacterial agent due to its intrinsic antibacterial activity and photothermal effect, or as an efficient carrier to load photosensitizers and photocatalysts for photodynamic and photocatalytic therapy. In recent few years, the number of literatures regarding MXene-based antibacterial therapy has increased rapidly. Thus, it is the time to systematically summarize the applications of MXene in the treatment of bacteria, especially those with drug resistance. Herein, it is aimed to summarize the preparation methods for MXene and provide a comprehensive understanding of its properties and applications in antibacterial therapy. Also, its use for bacterial detection and the challenges for practical use are discussed.