Dual-Action Antibacterial Nanoblades for Rapid Inactivation of Bioaerosols in Personal Protective Equipment

Commercial personal protective equipment (PPE) often has limited antibacterial activity that compromises its effectiveness in preventing infections. Traditional mechano-bactericidal methods deliver suboptimal performance, while photo-bactericidal methods struggle with activation requirements and durability. In this study, a dual-action antibacterial PPE, combining mechano- and photo-bactericidal strategies, have been designed to overcome these challenges. Mg–Al layered double hydroxide nanoblades (LDH-NBs) are synthesized on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-coated polypropylene (PP) fabric. The PDMS coating plays a crucial role in enabling the formation of densely packed LDH-NBs, thereby implementing mechano-bactericidal action. Additionally, hydrophobic residues in the PDMS coating diffuse to the surface during heat treatment, converting the LDH-NB surface to hydrophobic. The Rose Bengal (RB)-adsorbed LDH-NBs (RB@LDH-NBs) become superhydrophobic after heat treatment, thereby exhibiting antifouling effects against various contaminants and bacteria. RB@LDH-NBs mechanically inactivate 99.5% of Escherichia coli and 95% of Staphylococcus aureus under typical respiratory flow rates and completely eradicate E. coli within 2 h of light exposure. Combining mechano- and photobactericidal effects, RB@LDH-NBs rapidly eradicate both E. coli and S. aureus within 15 min of light exposure. These outstanding bactericidal performances highlight the potential of this advanced PPE to provide robust protection against infectious diseases.