A materials-based solution to disinfection is based on an ancient metal. A team of scientists from Ames National Laboratory, Iowa State University, and University at Buffalo developed an antimicrobial spray that deposits a layer of copper on high-touch surfaces. The spray can be used to coat a variety of surfaces. The findings of this research have broader-reaching applications.
Since 2400 B.C., people have used copper to treat and prevent infections. When it is in contact with metal, it has been proven to be effective for inactivating various types of organisms. Jun Cui is a scientist at Ames Lab and one of the lead researchers on the project.
The DOE asked researchers what they could do to help. Cui made a statement. Ames Lab is known for its work in materials science and not disease research. Cui's team came up with the idea of applying copper's antimicrobial properties to help decrease the spread of COVID.
Cui said their idea came from a project they were working on, which was a copper ink designed for printing copper nanowires. I think this is ink, and I can spray it with water or even alcohol, and then mix it together. He said to spray it once and coat it with a very light layer of a copper wire.
The reformulated copper ink solution can be applied after the surface is cleaned. It's important that the coating is thin enough to be transparent. Water or alcohol can be added to the ink to make it sprayable.
Two different types of copper ink were tested. Both ink were just as effective at disabling the virus as a plain copper disk. It took 40 minutes for the copper disk and 20 minutes for the copper ink to destroy the virus. The surface area of the nanowires made them work quicker.
The CuNW inactivates the virus more quickly than CuZnNW during the first 10 minutes. CuZnNW has a more steady and sustainable release of copper ion, which makes it more effective for a longer period of time. The CuZnNW was the best option for a sprayable copper wire coating.
There's a chance that we can have a lasting impact on human society because of the work that was done with nanowires.
C. Pan, K.S. Phadke, Z. Li, G. Ouyang, and T.-h wrote a paper on sprayable copper and copper- zinc nanowires. Kim, L Zhou, J. Slaughter, B. Bellaire, S. Ren, and J. Cui were all published in the journal.
More information: Chaochao Pan et al, Sprayable copper and copper–zinc nanowires inks for antiviral surface coating, RSC Advances (2022). DOI: 10.1039/D1RA08755J Journal information: RSC Advances
All Rights Reserved © 2024
