Synergistic Engineering of the V ₂ CTx-MXene@NiCuFe-LDH Nanomaterial with Enhanced Antibacterial and Nanozyme Activity

MXenes, a class of two-dimensional transition metal carbides (2D-MXene), and their nanocomposites (NCs) have emerged as promising candidates for applications ranging from biomedical to environmental fields. In this study, we have reported the synthesis of a V₂CTx-MXene@NiCuFe-LDH (MNCF) nanomaterial with enhanced peroxidase-like activity and its comprehensive physicochemical characterization. The purpose of this work was to develop a nanocomposite with enhanced antibacterial and nanozyme activities to address the growing problem of multidrug-resistant bacteria. The antibacterial efficacy of MNCF NCs was evaluated against <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) and Methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA) using bacterial growth kinetics and the Alamar Blue assay. The nanocomposite demonstrated excellent antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity, effectively inhibiting <i>S. aureus</i>, MRSA, and <i>E. coli</i>, while inducing reactive oxygen species generation through GSH depletion without compromising biocompatibility (hemolysis). Catalytically, MNCF NCs mimicked peroxidase-like activity efficiently. These findings highlight the potential of MNCF NCs for antimicrobial coatings, biosensors, environmental remediation, and nanozyme-based therapeutic applications.