Novel biomaterials based on hydrophilic polycaprolactone and polyurethane (Tecophilic (R)) nanofibers with an encapsulated 5,10,5,20-tetraphenylporphyrin photosensitizer were prepared by electrospinning. The doped nanofiber textiles efficiently photo-generate O-2((1)Delta(g)), which oxidize external chemical and biological substrates/targets.
Strong photo-virucidal effects toward non-enveloped polyomaviruses and enveloped baculoviruses were observed on the surface of these textiles. The photo-virucidal effect was confirmed by a decrease in virus infectivity.
In contrast, no virucidal effect was detected in the absence of light and/or the encapsulated photosensitizer.