Augmented antibacterial performance of MoS2-integrated lignin-polyaniline composites through near-infrared stimulated photothermal and peroxidase-like activities

Photothermal synergistic antibacterial therapy has emerged as a compelling approach for addressing antibiotic-resistant infections. In this study, lignosulfonate (LS) served dual roles as both a scaffolding template and a functional modifier in the fabrication of the lignin-polyaniline composite (LS-PANI). Subsequently, molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) was integrated into LS-PANI through physical adsorption, resulting in the formation of MoS 2 @LS-PANI. The bactericidal assays demonstrated that MoS 2 @LS-PANI, at a concentration of 400 μg/mL, achieved a sterilization rate of 99.9 % against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus when exposed to near-infrared (NIR) radiation (808 nm, 1.8 W/cm 2 ) for only 5 min in the presence of H 2 O 2 . Moreover, MoS 2 @LS-PANI disrupts bacterial membranes through physical contact while converting NIR energy into local heat and enhancing peroxidase-like activity, synergistically amplifying oxidative stress for effective pathogen elimination. The low-cost, facile synthesis and eco-friendly nature of MoS 2 @LS-PANI underscore its potential as an innovative approach in the development of lignin-derived inorganic nanocomposites for the highly efficient eradication of pathogenic bacteria.