LASU: An efficient and stable phthalocyanine dye with tolerable safety profile for self-disinfecting anti-COVID textiles activated by ambient light

Viruses and microbes will continue to pose a global health risk. COVID crisis has shown that massive quarantines are devastating for the society. However, the only protection available to citizens were face masks and hands hygiene. Single-use face masks are barrier-only, uneven quality, and need to be changed after few hours of use. In many places such as schools or hospitals, it is beneficial to use self-cleaning barriers and cloths and to disinfect the circulating air. To wear a mask with a virus lifetime of 30min is as protecting as using a new mask every hour. There is a vital yet unmet demand for self-disinfecting textiles and filters, which would be equally effective against present and – most importantly – future pandemics.