Fig. 2: Bactericidal performance analysis.
From: Hydrodynamic tearing of bacteria on nanotips for sustainable water disinfection
TEM (a) and ACTEM (b) images of the modified NWs. c AC-BF-STEM and AC-HAADF-STEM images of the modified NWs and corresponding elemental map. d Raman spectra of the Cu(OH)2 NWs and the modified NWs. e Cell-tip adhesion analysis by AFM. The amorphous carbon coated AFM tip showed a distinctive hysteresis during retraction from the cell surface (blue line). f Bactericidal performance of the modified NWs, Cu(OH)2 NWs, and modified Cu foam. Data in f are presented as mean ± SD with n  =  3 independent experiments. g Cell-culture plates showing E. coli concentrations in the initial and treated water samples. h Fluorescence microscope images for E. coli in the initial and treated water samples (live cells are stained in green and dead cells are stained in red). SEM images showing morphologies of the initial E. coli (i) and E. coli treated by the modified NWs (j). Inset shows a single E. coli at a higher magnification. TEM images showing the ultrastructure of the initial E. coli (k) and E. coli treated by modified NWs (l). Morphologies of modified NWs before (m) and after disinfection (n). o Comparison of bactericidal efficiency between the modified NWs and comparable mechano-bactericidal activities. Observations using SEM or TEM (a–c, i–n) were repeated three times independently with similar results. Source data are provided as a Source Data file.
