Preparation and antibacterial properties of three-dimensional nanoflower-shaped photocatalytic material Bi12TiO20

Semiconductor photocatalytic antibacterial materials, an innovative and eco-friendly antibacterial technology, have been widely studied. This approach uses indoor light or sunlight as energy sources, showing high-efficiency, broad-spectrum antibacterial properties without drug-resistance or secondary pollution risks. In this research, ordered mesoporous TiO₂ was synthesized via the template method. Then, Bi ions were doped into TiO₂ to obtain the flower-shaped Bi₁₂TiO₂₀ photocatalytic nanomaterial. This material is catalyzed by light for the first time, and its antibacterial efficacy against five bacterial strains (E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida albicans) was analyzed. The results showed excellent bactericidal activity against bacteria and effective antifungal inhibition. XRD, SEM, EDS, and UV-Vis techniques characterized the photocatalyst's crystal structure, morphology, and optical properties to confirm their validity. It was confirmed that the nano-flower morphology enhanced absorption capacity and improved electron-hole separation and electron transport efficiencies. Toxicity tests verified the material's non-toxicity. The nanoflower-shaped photocatalytic antibacterial material developed has great potential for eliminating harmful microorganisms and can be applied in various environmental protection fields.