COVID-19: Indoor light-activated, self-cleaning surfaces for continuous decontamination of transparent PPE

COVID-19：室内光激活自清洁表面，用于连续净化透明个人防护装备

• 批准号: 551991-2020
• 负责人: Pope, Michael
• 金额: $ 3.64万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Alliance Grants
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=701690
• 关键词: COVID; 19; Indoor; light; activated

The current pandemic has highlighted the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) for frontline workers to protect both them and the public from transmitting the virus. Most of this PPE is made of clear plastic (face shields, dividers, windows, etc.) which prevent direct person-to-person transmission via aerosolized fluid droplets via coughs, sneezes, etc. However, they do not protect against infection by indirect contact (e.g., touching a contaminated mask with bare hands or gloves then touching your eye). Furthermore, many other surfaces may also act as hotspots for indirect contact transmission. To avoid these indirect exposure routes, researchers at the University of Waterloo in collaboration with Evercloak Inc. propose to develop a transparent coating which can be applied to PPE and other high risk surfaces and is capable of killing SARS-CoV-2 and other microbes. The films act continuously during use when illuminated with ambient, indoor light. While the concept of self-cleaning windows has been widely commercialized, such coatings only work under direct sunlight due to the requirement of UV activation. The coatings developed in this collaboration based on ultra-thin 2D material semiconductors will, instead, operate under indoor light conditions (no UV required) and enable self-cleaning surfaces in an indoor environment such as a hospital or grocery store. Beyond the COVID-19 crisis, such coatings can also be used to decontaminate other commercial products like touch screens of phones, tablets and kiosks and should significantly reduce the risk of disease transmission.

当前的大流行凸显了个人防护装备（PPE）对于一线工作人员保护他们和公众免受病毒传播的重要性。大多数个人防护装备由透明塑料制成（面罩、隔板、窗户等），可防止通过咳嗽、打喷嚏等产生的雾化液滴进行直接人际传播。但是，它们不能防止间接接触引起的感染（例如，徒手或戴手套触摸受污染的口罩，然后触摸眼睛）。此外，许多其他表面也可能成为间接接触传播的热点。为了避免这些间接暴露途径，滑铁卢大学的研究人员与 Evercloak Inc. 合作，建议开发一种透明涂层，可应用于个人防护装备和其他高风险表面，并且能够杀死 SARS-CoV-2 和其他微生物。当使用室内环境光照射时，薄膜会在使用过程中连续发挥作用。虽然自清洁窗户的概念已经广泛商业化，但由于需要紫外线激活，这种涂层只能在阳光直射下工作。此次合作开发的基于超薄二维材料半导体的涂层将在室内光照条件下运行（不需要紫外线），并能够在医院或杂货店等室内环境中实现自清洁表面。除了应对新冠肺炎 (COVID-19) 危机外，此类涂层还可用于净化其他商业产品，如手机、平板电脑和信息亭的触摸屏，并应显着降低疾病传播的风险。