STTR Phase I: Broad Spectrum Antimicrobial Surface Coating (COVID-19)

这一小型企业技术转移(STTR)项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是最大限度地减少与医院相关的感染数量，这些感染每年导致美国近100,000人死亡，年成本超过30美元B。减少病原体的表面传播可以限制病原体的传播，从而将公共和医疗保健环境中受污染表面的传播降至最低，这是至关重要的。消毒剂可以灭活病原体，但需要积极参与，给人员和环境带来不必要的负担；此外，成功率各不相同，结果不会持久。大多数目前的抗菌材料都很昂贵，对人类和环境都是有毒的，而且病毒的灭活程度很低。自去污表面为这些限制提供了亟需的解决方案，特别是在高接触表面和大量人口流动的地区。从硬件和电梯制造商到医院和航空公司，客户将受益于针对当前新冠肺炎疫情等条件提供的有效、低成本、环保的去污和客户安全解决方案。该项目对价值80亿美元的抗菌涂料市场具有潜在影响，同时改善了临床结果。这个STTR第一阶段项目建议展示一种突破性的永久陶瓷涂层技术对病毒和细菌的有效性。超过美国环保局(EPA)要求的纯陶瓷涂层将被合成并沉积在相关基材上。实现这一目标的关键是了解微生物钝化的机理-据信是陶瓷表面自发产生的活性氧物种(ROS)-以及如何在实际涂层中最大限度地利用它们。光谱技术将被用来快速评估产生的RO的数量和类型，从而评估材料的功效。将通过添加/替代目标碱、碱土、过渡和/或主族金属来进行优化，以控制材料的晶格并锁定特定价态，以优化陶瓷产生大量适当活性氧物种的能力。将针对病毒和细菌挑战进行测试，以将快速筛查评估的结果与抗菌效果相关联。纯陶瓷薄膜将被沉积，并测试这些薄膜的抗菌效果。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) project is to minimize the number of hospital-associated infections which contribute to almost 100,000 deaths each year in the US at an annual cost exceeding $30 B. Reducing the surface-borne transmission of pathogens can limit the spread of pathogenic diseases, thus minimizing transmission from contaminated surfaces in both public and healthcare settings is of utmost importance. Disinfectants can inactivate pathogens but require an active engagement that places undue burden on personnel and the environment; furthermore, the success rate varies, and the results do not persist. Most current antimicrobial materials are expensive, toxic to humans and the environment, and show minimal viral inactivation. Self-decontaminating surfaces provide a much-needed solution to these limitations, especially in areas with high-touch surfaces and large population flow. Customers, from hardware and elevator manufacturers to hospitals and airlines, will benefit from an effective, low-cost, environmentally sound solution to decontamination and customer safety for conditions such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. This project has potential impact for the $8 B antimicrobial coatings market, while delivering improved clinical outcomes. This STTR Phase I project proposes to demonstrate the efficacy of a breakthrough, permanent ceramic coating technology against both viruses and bacteria. A pure ceramic coating that exceeds the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) requirements will be synthesized and deposited on relevant substrates. The key to reaching this goal is gaining an understanding of the mechanism of microbial inactivation – believed to be the spontaneous generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the surface of the ceramic – and how to maximize them in a practical coating. Spectroscopic techniques will be used to rapidly assess the number and type of ROS generated and thus the efficacy of the materials. Optimization will occur through the addition/substitution of targeted alkali, alkaline earth, transition, and/or main-group metals to control the lattice of the material and lock-in specific valence states to optimize the ability of the ceramic to generate large numbers of the appropriate reactive oxygen species. Tests will be performed against both viral and bacterial challenges to correlate the results of the rapid screening assessment with antimicrobial effectiveness. Pure ceramic thin films will be deposited, and the antimicrobial efficacy of these films tested.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.