2D nanomaterials with switchable pathogen binding
- Graphene and its derivatives have recently attracted much attention for sensing and deactivating pathogens. However, mechanism of multivalent interactions at the graphene-pathogen interface are not fully understood. Since different physicochemical parameters of graphene play a role at this interface, control over graphene’s structure is necessary to study the mechanism of these interactions. In this work, zwitterionic graphene nanomaterials (ZGNMs) were synthesized with defined isoelectric points and exposure, in terms of polymer coverage and functionality. Then, the switchable interactions of ZGNMs with E. coli were investigated to study the validity of the generally proposed “trapping” mechanism for inactivating pathogens by functionalized graphene derivatives. The ZGNMs were able to controllably trap and release E. coli by crossing their isoelectric points.