Han Zhang, Xianchun Fu, Xiao Ma, Yongtao Zhang, Zhen Shang
Despite the promise of catalytic nanozymes in treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections, their antibacterial efficiency is often constrained by limited catalytic activity and inefficient interfacial coupling between functional components. Herein, we engineered a Ti3C2 MXene/Cobalt-based Metal-Organic Framework (Co-MOF) heterostructured nanozyme (CMX) via interfacial Ti-O-Co coordination between conductive Ti3C2 MXene and redox-active Co-MOF. Different from physically mixed MXene/MOF systems or externally stimulated antibacterial nanozymes, CMX was designed to strengthen interfacial catalytic synergy, modulate the local catalytic environment of Co sites, and boost Fenton-like reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation under mild conditions. Consequently, the interface-engineered CMX system exhibits strong bactericidal activity, markedly reducing the viability of Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) by >99% within 2 h at 200 µg mL-1. In vivo evaluations in rat infected wound models demonstrate that topical CMX + H2O2 treatment reduced bacterial burden and showed no obvious systemic toxicity within the tested observation period. Furthermore, the CMX-based treatment alleviated local inflammation, promoted collagen deposition and angiogenesis-associated marker expression, and accelerated wound closure, reaching ∼95.2% closure by Day 10. This Ti-O-Co interface-engineered nanozyme provides a promising topical non-antibiotic strategy for antibacterial therapy and infected wound repair.