Pathogenic microorganisms' infections have always been a difficult clinical challenge and lead to serious health problems. Thus, a new strategy is urgently needed. In this study, a simple preparation method for Ti 3 C 2 MXene colloidal solution is proposed. In vitro, Staphylococcus aureus is treated with 250 µg mL −1 of Ti 3 C 2 colloidal solution under 5 min of 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation twice. Staphylococcus aureus is eliminated by the "nanothermal blade" effect from Ti 3 C 2 combined with NIR; the antibacterial rate is 99%, which is higher than the antibacterial rate of pure Ti 3 C 2 alone 78%. The antibacterial mechanism underlying this treatment may be that the thermal Ti 3 C 2 nanosheets first transfer heat to the cell membrane, disrupting the membrane structure, disturbing the metabolism and causing leakage of bacterial protein and deoxyribonucleic acid, consequently leading to bacterial death. In vivo results indicate that Ti 3 C 2 colloidal solution under NIR can effectively kill Staphylococcus aureus and prevent inflammation. Moreover, 250 µg mL −1 Ti 3 C 2 colloidal solution is nontoxic to mouse organs during the therapeutic process. Therefore, Ti 3 C 2 colloidal solution can be an ideal candidate for subcutaneous infection application. The antibacterial mechanism proposed in this study aids the investigation of other MXenes as antibacterial agents.

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