Conjugated Polymer and Triphenylamine Derivative Codoped Nanoparticles for Photothermal and Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy

The photothermal conjugated polymer (DPPT-TT) and a triphenylamine derivative (DPATP-CN) codoped nanoparticles (DDNPs) were designed and prepared via self-assembly. The obtained DDNPs exhibit both efficient and stable photothermal properties and excellent ROS production capability to synergistically achieve photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). DDNPs showed antimicrobial activity with more than 70%, 90%, and 99% inhibition ratio, respectively, toward Gram-(-) bacteria (E. coli), Gram-(+) bacteria (S. aureus), and fungi (C. albicans) under combined irradiation of near-infrared light and white light. Therefore, DDNPs are broad-spectrum antimicrobial materials and provide a significant perspective to select an appropriate sterilization strategy for different microorganisms.