Daylight-Active Cellulose Nanocrystals Containing Anthraquinone Structures

Abstract

Antimicrobial and antiviral materials have attracted significant interest in recent years due to increasing occurrences of nosocomial infections and pathogenic microbial contamination. One method to address this is the combination of photoactive compounds that can produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals to disinfect microbes, with carrier materials that meet the application requirements. Using anthraquinone (AQ) and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) as the photoactive and carrier components, respectively, this work demonstrated the first covalent incorporation of AQ onto CNCs. The morphology and the photoactive properties were investigated, revealing the structural integrity of the CNCs and the high degree of photoactivity of the AQ-CNC materials upon UVA exposure. The AQ-CNCs also exhibited an unexpected persistent generation of ROS under darkness, which adds advantages for antimicrobial applications.

Functional Textile Materials for Blocking COVID-19 Transmission

“…•− ), and singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) under daylight or UVA irradiation. 191,208 However, these textile products have shortcomings such as the limited time of action on the pathogen targets. A strategy has been proposed to enhance the affinity of the photosensitizers on fabrics, which could be achieved by designing hydrogen bonds and weak van der Waals interactions between the functional groups of the polymer and the cellulose macromolecules to fix the photosensitizers.…”

“…A promising strategy that has been well accepted involves building optically active surfaces to damage viruses. Organic photosensitizers, including Rose Bengal, porphyrin, and xanthene derivatives, have been used for textiles to generate ROS such as hydroxyl radicals (HO • ), superoxide anion radicals (O 2 •– ), and singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) under daylight or UVA irradiation. , However, these textile products have shortcomings such as the limited time of action on the pathogen targets. A strategy has been proposed to enhance the affinity of the photosensitizers on fabrics, which could be achieved by designing hydrogen bonds and weak van der Waals interactions between the functional groups of the polymer and the cellulose macromolecules to fix the photosensitizers.…”