RAPID: Sprayable Cellulosic Nanoparticle Coatings for Covid 19

COVID-19使整个世界进入了前所未有的自愿和非自愿隔离状态，影响了流动性、健康和经济稳定。一个关键但研究不足的方面是防止病毒通过接触受污染的表面传播，这些表面可能会被活性病毒污染数天。该项目将导致一种新的植物基纳米涂层，以保护频繁接触的表面免受污染。具体而言，该项目将评估在植物基纳米材料上附着不同抗病毒化学物质的有效性，并测试它们是否有效治疗包括COVID-19在内的病毒。在这个为期一年的项目结束时，预计会有一种可喷涂的表面涂层，它可以迅速消灭病毒，从而防止疾病的传播。该涂层将由Oxone®改性的纤维素纳米颗粒制成，其中含有专门用于破坏病毒的活性化学物质。该团队的研究人员已经证明，他们可以在纤维素表面使用点击化学，这基本上允许任何基团附着。所有将被研究的化学物质都已被疾病控制中心批准用于净化，因此这项新技术的广泛应用可能很快就会得到批准。初步研究表明，这种涂层可以制成约4微米的薄层，其中至少有10种不同的化学物质共价结合，具有抗菌特性，以防止细菌生长。此外，涂层的亲水性可以使用疏水性蜡进行调整，并且在需要重新涂抹之前，在金属表面上也具有足够的弹性，可以承受至少40次触摸。这些初步研究表明，这种具有病毒破坏化学物质的新型涂层可以用于COVID-19，也可以用于未来的一般表面抗病毒和抗菌涂层。具体而言，本项目将评估使用RT-PCR方法附着不同抗病毒基团使模型病毒失活的有效性，并确定其粘附在三种模型表面（玻璃、金属和塑料）上的不同涂层疏水性的持久性。纤维素纳米材料对病毒的破坏和粘附性能也将进行研究。在这个为期一年的项目结束时，预计会有一种可喷涂的表面涂层，可以快速破坏病毒，从而防止COVID-19等疾病的传播。作为该项目的一部分，将培养一名研究生和一名博士后。这种喷雾技术也可以用于制造膜和新型包装材料，可以显著增加可再生纤维素的使用。最后，如果成功，这个项目可能会得到广泛推广，因为它可能是唯一已知的对表面进行持续长期治疗的方法之一，可以摧毁COVID-19和其他病毒。本项目将培养1名研究生和1名博士后。但这个项目最令人兴奋的部分是，参与其中的学生将对世界产生深远而积极的影响。在一个正常运转的社会中，人们必须在公共场合外出到交通繁忙的地方，如杂货店、医院、养老院、邮局等。这种喷雾可以用来防止COVID-19从所有这些门把手和把手传播。该项目由化学、生物工程、环境和运输系统（CBET）部门和促进竞争研究的既定计划（EPSCoR）共同资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

COVID-19 has caused the entire world to go into an unprecedented level of voluntary and involuntary isolation affecting mobility, health, and economic stability. One critical, under-researched aspect is preventing the spread of the virus through exposure to contaminated surfaces, which can remain contaminated with active virus for several days. This project will lead to a new plant-based nanomaterial coating to protect frequently contacted surfaces from contamination. Specifically, this project will evaluate the effectiveness of attaching different anti-viral chemicals on the plant-based nanomaterials and testing whether they are effective in treating viruses including COVID-19. At the end of this one-year project, it is expected that there will be a sprayable surface coating that destroys viruses rapidly and thereby prevents the spread of diseases. The coating will be made from Oxone® modified cellulose nanoparticles incorporating active chemistries made specifically for destroying viruses. The researchers on this team have shown that they can use click chemistry on cellulose surfaces which basically allow for any group to be attached. All of the chemistries that will be studied have been approved for decontamination by the Center for Disease Control so approval of this new technology for widespread use could be rapid. Preliminary work has shown that the coatings can be made in thin layers of around 4 microns with at least 10 different chemistries bound covalently with anti-bacterial properties to prevent bacterial growth. In addition, the coating hydrophilicity can be tuned using a hydrophobic wax and is also resilient enough to withstand at least 40 touches when applied to a metallic surface before requiring reapplication. These preliminary studies indicate that the new coating with chemistries for virus destruction could be used for COVID-19 as well as a general anti-viral and anti-bacterial coating for surfaces in the future. Specifically, this project will evaluate the effectiveness of attaching different anti-viral groups in deactivating a model virus using RT-PCR and determine the durability of varying coating hydrophobicity on its adhesion to three model surfaces (glass, metal, and plastic). The properties of the cellulose nanomaterial on virus destruction and adhesion will also be studied. At the end of this one-year project, it is expected that there will be a sprayable surface coating that destroys viruses rapidly and thereby prevents the spread of diseases such as COVID-19. As part of this project one graduate student and one post-doctoral student will be educated. This spray-technology could also be used for making membranes and new types of packaging materials that could significantly increase the use of renewable cellulose. Finally, if successful, this project could be widespread because it could be one of the only known ways to have continuous long-term treatment of a surface that destroys COVID-19 and other viruses. . One graduate student and one post-doctoral student will be educated as part of this project. But the most exciting part of this project is the fact that the involved students will have a profound and positive impact on the world. In a functioning society, people must go out in the public to high traffic areas such as grocery stores, hospitals, nursing homes, post offices, etc. This spray could be used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from all those doorknobs and handles. This project is jointly funded by the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental and Transport Systems (CBET) Division and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.