Functionalized polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers with visible light-triggered antibacterial and ethylene scavenging capabilities for food packaging

In this study, the sulfonated cobalt phthalocyanine-titanium dioxide P25 (CoPcTs-P25) nanoparticles were prepared by in situ synthesis and the samples were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Biodegradable polyvinyl alcohol was selected as the backing material and CoPcTs-P25 was added as a visible-light ethylene scavenger and bacterial inhibitor, and PVA-CA@CoPcTs-P25 nanofiber films were prepared by electrospinning. In addition, the effects on ethylene degradation, bacterial survival and biocompatibility of the composite nanofiber were also evaluated. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of [email protected]%CoPcTs-P25 nanofibers for ethylene could reach 13.92% under visible light irradiation for 6 h. The nanofiber exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), with a remarkable inhibition rate of over 90%. This bifunctional nanofiber demonstrated a new strategy for developing packaging materials and provided a broad prospect in fruits and vegetables preservation.