Synergistic improvement of hydrophilicity and antibacterial performance of Eosin Y-loaded photodynamic nanofibrous membranes with bovine serum albumin

Photodynamic antimicrobial technology is an effective approach for eliminating bacteria. With growing emphasis on personal health, the development of functional textiles with photodynamic antimicrobial properties has emerged as a significant research focus. Here, Eosin Y (EY) was employed as the photosensitizer, and poly(caprolactone) (PCL) served as the substrate. A series of photosensitizer-loaded PCL&EY nanofiber membranes were successfully fabricated using electrospinning. The results demonstrated that these nanofiber membranes exhibited excellent fiber diameter distribution, mechanical properties, and hydrophilicity at a photosensitizer content of 0.034 ± 0.001 wt%. To further optimize the properties of the PCL&EY nanofiber membranes, varying concentrations of bovine serum albumin (BSA) were incorporated into the electrospinning solution to modulate the properties of PCL membrane. Among them, the PCL&15EY&75BSA nanofiber membrane with a BSA concentration of 0.166 ± 0.001 wt% exhibited optimal performance across all evaluated parameters, particularly demonstrating a transformation from hydrophobic to hydrophilic properties. Antimicrobial performance tests revealed that the addition of BSA enhanced the photodynamic antibacterial efficiency of the PCL&EY nanofiber membrane, with the PCL&15EY&75BSA membrane achieving bacteriostatic rates of 95 ± 1 % against Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and 99 ± 1 % against Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ). To expand their applications, these nanofiber membranes were combined with activated carbon masks, creating functional textiles with both high gas permeability and effective antibacterial properties. Therefore, the strategy of incorporating BSA into the electrospinning solution is an effective approach to improving the performance of nanofiber membrane.