Obtaining and characterization of PBAT/PLA fibers containing zinc phthalocyanine prepared by the electrospinning method

In this work, blends based on poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) and poly(lactic acid) with the incorporation of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) (in concentrations of 6.35 × 10–4 and 1.46 × 10–2 mol L−1) were fabricated using the electrospinning method. The ZnPC is known for its use as a photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy (PDT) with photophysical properties already well reported in the literature. The importance of this study is justified by the applicability of the material in the medical and disinfection field if the formation of reactive species is proven, a predominant factor in PDT. The prepared fibers were characterized by optical and scanning microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, fluorescence, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform-Raman spectroscopy, photoacoustic and photosensitivity test. The microscopies indicated a reduction in mean fiber diameter, with an increase in the zinc phthalocyanine concentration. The results indicate that the optical properties of the phthalocyanine remain in the solid carrier and, after intense electric field, there is the formation of reactive species. Also, through the thermal properties of the material, it was possible to notice a greater interaction of phthalocyanine with the PBAT group of the polymeric matrix.