Metal–Organic Framework (MOF)-Based Single-Atom Iron Catalysts for NIR-II Enhanced Catalytic-Photothermal Synergistic Antibacterial Therapy

Single-atom catalysts based on carbon-based materials have a high catalytic activity and excellent photothermal performance. In this article, iron single-atom catalysts loaded on C-MOF-5 carriers have been prepared for the application of photothermal catalytic antimicrobial therapy. Iron single-atom catalysts (Fe SACs) exhibit significant peroxidase-like catalytic activity and catalyze the production of large amounts of hydroxyl radicals (·OH) when hydrogen peroxide is present, which have a killing effect on bacteria. In addition, the excellent photothermal properties of the carbon material allow Fe SACs to rapidly generate a localized high temperature under NIR-II laser light (1064 nm) to kill bacteria and enhance peroxidase-like catalytic activity to produce a large number of hydroxyl radicals. In vitro bacterial assays demonstrated that the synergistic antimicrobial strategy of chemodynamic therapy (CDT) and photothermal therapy (PTT) is nearly 100% effective against E. coli and S. aureus, demonstrating greater antimicrobial efficiency than chemodynamic therapy and photothermal therapy alone. In vivo bacterial assay shows better wound healing in mice treated with CDT, PTT synergistic antimicrobial therapy. In summary, these carbon-based single-atom catalysts could be used as antimicrobial agents through the CDT and PTT synergistic antimicrobial effect.