Synthesis of Pt Hollow Nanodendrites with Enhanced Peroxidase-Like Activity against Bacterial Infections: Implication for Wound Healing

Improving the antibacterial activity of H2O2 and reducing its usage are requirements for wound disinfection. Nanomaterials with intrinsic peroxidase-like properties are developed to enhance the antibacterial performance of H2O2 and avoid the toxicity seen with high H2O2 levels. Here, Pd-Pt core-frame nanodendrites consist of a dense array of platinum (Pt) branches on a Pd core are synthesized, and subsequently converted to Pt hollow nanodendrites by selective removal of the Pd cores by wet etching. The fabricated Pt hollow nanodendrites exert striking peroxidase-like activity due to the maximized utilization efficiency of the Pt atoms and the presence of high-index facets on their surfaces. By catalyzing the decomposition of H2O2 into more toxic hydroxyl radicals (center dot OH), Pt hollow nanodendrites exhibit excellent bactericidal activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with the assistance of low concentrations of H2O2. Furthermore, Pt hollow nanodendrites accelerate wound healing in the presence of low doses of H2O2. In addition, no obvious adverse effects are observed at the given dose of nanodendrites. These findings can be used to guide the design of noble metal-based nanomaterials as potential enzyme-mimetic systems and advance the development of nanoenzymes to potentiate the antibacterial activity of H2O2.