Narrow band gap conjugated polyelectrolytes for photothermal killing of bacteria

at 808 nm with an efficient photothermal conversion efficiency of 33 ± 1%. Upon 808 nm laser irradiation, P1 shows enhanced bactericidal effects, but not to mammalian cells. Although the anionic CPE counterpart with the same polymer backbone but sulfonate terminated side chains (P2) possesses a similar photothermal conversion ability, it exhibits much lower antibacterial effects due to its low binding affinity. This study thus reveals that bacteria-CPE electrostatic interactions play a major role in bacterial recognition, although hydrophobic interactions also contribute.