Composite g-C₃N₄@ZnO NP electrostatic self-assembly: enhanced ROS as a key factor for high-efficiency control of tobacco wildfire disease

BACKGROUND: The utilization of non-metallic inorganic nanomaterials for antimicrobial photocatalytic technology has emerged as a promising approach to combat drug-resistant bacteria. Recently, g-C3N4 nanosheets have attracted significant attention due to their exceptional stability, degradability, low cost, and remarkable antibacterial properties. In this study, a facile electrostatic self-assembly approach was utilized to functionalize ZnO nanoparticles with g-C3N4 nanosheets, resulting in the formation of g-C3N4@ZnO nanoparticle composites. RESULTS: The Z-shaped heterojunction architecture of these composites facilitates efficient separation of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and enhances visible light catalytic performance. Moreover, the formation of the g-C3N4@ZnO heterostructure showed a higher photocatalytic capacity and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) than g-C3N4 nanosheets. The photocatalytic antibacterial mechanisms of g-C3N4@ZnO at the transcriptomic level primarily involve disrupting bacterial membrane synthesis and inhibiting motility and energy metabolism. Therefore, the antibacterial mechanism of g-C3N4@ZnO can be attributed to a combination of physical membrane damage, chemical damage (ROS enhancement) and inhibition of chemotaxis, biofilm formation and flagellar motility. CONCLUSION: These findings collectively provide novel high potential and insights into the practical application of photocatalysts in plant disease management. (c) 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.