The growth of multiresistant organisms (MROs) and infections caused by them are a pressing problem in hospitals, especially during natural disasters or pandemics, where access to single-use sterile materials or personal protective equipment might be restricted. Therefore, the development of selfsterilizing, yet biodegradable, materials that do not rely on power supply are urgently needed. Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a powerful medical technology relying on the light-mediated generation of reactive oxygen species, which can be harnessed to inactivate various MRO. On this basis, SolarSafe aims to develop photoactive cellulosic materials, based on the preparation of composite films that merge the photoinactivation properties of organic photosensitizers and the mechanical properties and biodegradability of the cellulosic support. This project aims to set the knowledge for materials preparation to be further scaled up and commercially exploited.
Main results
Sustainable and upscalable production of dyes via new synthetic solid-state method
Conjugation of photosensitizers with nanocellulose and linkers were achieved and characterized
Photoactivity demonstrated, antibacterial activity under development