Zinc phthalocyanine-functionalized polyvinyl chloride surfaces for singlet oxygen-mediated antibacterial and antiviral activity

Abstract

polyvinyl chloride (PVC)

zinc phthalocyanine

photodynamic antimicrobial materials

singlet oxygen

antimicrobial polymer surfaces

zinc pyrithione

Functional polymer surfaces that combine antimicrobial activity with retained processability and material integrity are of growing interest for healthcare and high-contact applications. This study reports a photodynamically active polyvinyl chloride (PVC) system functionalized with a methacrylate-modified zinc phthalocyanine photosensitizer (ZnPTC-HEMA) and zinc pyrithione (ZPT), prepared by industrially relevant melt-processing a compression-molding methods. The resulting material platform was used to establish relationships between composition, structure, photoactivity, antimicrobial performance, and polymer stability. Quantitative analysis revealed efficient singlet oxygen generation even at low ZnPTC-HEMA loadings, with activity approaching saturation at higher concentrations. Under visible-light irradiation, the modified PVC surfaces exhibited pronounced antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and achieved more than a 5-log reduction of the enveloped bacteriophage Φ6, while the non-enveloped phage ΦX174 remained unaffected. The addition of ZPT broadened antibacterial efficacy, including under dark conditions. Morphological, spectroscopic, thermal, and mechanical analyses confirmed homogeneous additive incorporation, preservation of the PVC chemical structure, and retention of material integrity at low-to-moderate additive loadings. Migration studies further showed no detectable release of ZnPTC-HEMA after prolonged aqueous exposure. These results demonstrate that phthalocyanine-functionalized PVC provides a scalable platform for light-responsive antimicrobial polymer materials in which photoactive function can be introduced without compromising key processing and performance characteristics.