Bioinspired heterogeneous N, S-codoped 3D carbon- CuWO₄@Ag nano-architecture from CuWO₄-spongin scaffold for boosting photocatalytic efficiency and cell viability

This study investigated the photodegradation process of Rhodamine B (RhB) and acetaminophen (ACE) using a novel N-S-codoped carbon microporous and three-dimensional (3D) architecture (NSC) derived from a spongin scaffold of poriferan origin. For the first time NSC-CuWO₄ was synthesized by converting a ready to use 3D microfibrous spongin scaffold through co-precipitation and in-situ pyrolysis. Subsequently, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) were incorporated to create the NSC-CuWO₄@Ag hybrid material. The 3D architectural morphology and N-S-codoping of the material provided advantages in terms of high charge-separation efficiency, charge transfer, mass transfer, and optical absorption during the photoreaction. Under visible-light irradiation, NSC-CuWO₄@Ag hybrid nanomaterial demonstrated excellent photocatalytic efficiency, degrading over 91 % of ACE and 97 % of RhB within 30 minutes. The photochemical tests revealed that electrons generated by irradiated CuWO₄@Ag material transferred to the NSC microporous structure, facilitating the reduction of O₂ and the production of H₂O₂ in an aqueous environment. This process significantly boosted the photocatalytic activity of CuWO₄. The MTT assay indicated that NSC-CuWO₄@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) showed the highest cell viability. This is attributed to the silver NPs, which enhance biocompatibility and reduce the cytotoxic effects associated with carbonized spongin-derived NSC. This hybrid nanocomposite demonstrates excellent biocompatibility, making it a promising candidate for biomedical applications that require minimal cellular toxicity.