In our new study, published in Advanced Science<\/a>, colleagues and I created a thin plastic surface with tiny nanoscale features, billionths of a metre in size, that mimic the nanotextured surface of insect wings and can physically rupture viruses \u2013 specifically human parainfluenza virus type 3 (hPIV-3). <\/p>\n This new material offers a cheap, scalable way to make surfaces such as phones and hospital equipment far less likely to spread disease.<\/p>\n The downsides of disinfectants<\/p>\n Current methods for combating the spread of viruses via surfaces usually involves cleaning to remove dirt and disinfection to remove hidden contaminants.<\/p>\n Disinfectant must remain wet for some time to kill germs. This can be challenging in some real-world settings. <\/p>\n Surfaces can also be recontaminated quickly when other people touch them. And disinfection often involves the use of harsh chemicals which can damage equipment and the environment<\/a>.<\/p>\n Scientists have previously developed<\/a> antiviral surface modifications. These strategies often involve incorporating materials such as graphene or tannic acid<\/a> and other natural agents into personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, goggles, hard hats, and respirators.<\/p>\n These coatings are efficient<\/a>. But they can pose a risk to human health<\/a>. They can also be environmental hazards due to chemical leaching and have declining effectiveness over time as the potency of the active ingredients weakens. <\/p>\n A decade-long journey<\/p>\n Our journey toward a virus-bursting surface started more than a decade ago.<\/p>\n We initially aimed to engineer a surface so smooth that germs would simply slide off. Surprisingly, we discovered the opposite. Bacteria adhere quite readily to nanoscopically smooth surfaces.<\/p>\n Nature offers examples of bacteria-free surfaces. Take the water-repelling wings of cicadas and dragonflies. While these wings are self-cleaning, they act less by repelling bacteria and more as natural bactericides<\/a>. That is, they kill bacteria. Natural bactericides are nature-derived \u201cagents\u201d that can kill germs, rather than inhibit their growth.<\/p>\n Experiments<\/a> my colleagues and I did with gold-coated wings confirmed this bacteria-killing effect is not driven by surface chemistry, but rather by topography.<\/p>\n The physical nanostructures on the surface essentially force bacterial cell membranes to stretch and rupture.<\/p>\n
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