Self-Sterilizing 3D-Printed Polylactic Acid Surfaces Coated with a BODIPY Photosensitizer

MARTÍNEZ, SOL R.; PALACIOS, YOHANA B.; HEREDIA, DANIEL A.; AIASSA, VIRGINIA; BARTOLILLA, ANTONELA; DURANTINI, ANDRÉS M.

ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES

AMER CHEMICAL SOC

Año: 2021

1944-8244

erein, we report the use of polylactic acid coatedwith a halogenated BODIPY photosensitizer (PS) as a novel selfsterilizing,low-cost, and eco-friendly material activated with visiblelight. In this article, polymeric surfaces were 3D-printed andtreated with the PS using three simple methodologies: spincoating, aerosolization, and brush dispersion. Our studies showedthat the polymeric matrix remains unaffected upon addition of thePS, as observed by dynamic mechanical analysis, Fourier transforminfrared, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and fluorescencemicroscopy. Furthermore, the photophysical and photodynamicproperties of the dye remained intact after being adsorbed on the polymer. This photoactive material can be reused and wassuccessfully inactivating methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in planktonic media for at least threeinactivation cycles after short-time light exposure. A real-time experiment using a fluorescence microscope showed how bacteriaanc