COVID-19 Prevention: Hybrid Polymer/Photoactive Ceramic Self-Disinfecting Coating

这个为期12个月的项目旨在了解并提出实用的解决方案，以防止通过接触受污染的表面传播COVID-19。它解决了对加拿大和Bioastra Technologies至关重要的挑战，Bioastra Technologies是一家专门从事健康，机器人和环境应用智能材料的加拿大公司。BioAstra最近被魁北克政府指定为“基本服务”，将现有的智能涂层和智能可穿戴设备技术重新用于抗击COVID-19。该项目的目标是通过喷涂功能化各种类型的高接触表面，从而创建持久的免洗涂层以抵抗COVID-19和其他病毒。具体来说，我们将开发一种基于Bioastra专有的溶胶-凝胶配方的复合材料，该配方与基于金属氧化物纳米颗粒（NPs）的光催化剂相结合。由于膜的复合性质，可以获得更好的抗病毒性能以及长期稳定性。我们预计，光催化剂材料的抗病毒特性与某些带电聚合物固有的病毒灭活特性相结合，以及它们在喷涂到表面上时形成耐用、快速固化膜的能力，会产生一种抗病毒效应。将对不同聚合物/纳米粒子的电荷重组和活性氧（ROS）产生进行系统研究。特别是，将使用Bioastra的快速配方方法和Rosei教授实验室提供的复杂涂层和表征技术来评估结构-性能关系。这项研究将在BioAstra的研发团队和Rosei教授的密切合作下进行，Rosei教授将在整个项目期间由一名博士后研究员协助。预期的结果将导致推进知识的病毒灭活机制的光活性表面。我们预计，最终的喷涂产品将对加拿大的卫生部门和经济产生重大的积极影响。

This twelve-month project aims to understand and propose a practical solution to prevent transmission of COVID-19 from contact with contaminated surfaces. It addresses a challenge of crucial importance for Canada and for Bioastra Technologies, a Canadian company specialising in smart materials for health, robotics and environmental applications. BioAstra was recently designated as an "essential service" by the Quebec government to repurpose existing smart coating and smart wearables technology towards the fight against COVID-19. The objective of this project is to functionalize various types of high-contact surfaces with a spray that creates a durable leave-on coating to inactivate COVID-19 and other viruses. Specifically, we will develop a composite based on Bioastra's proprietary sol-gel formulation integrated with metal-oxide nanoparticle (NPs)-based photocatalysts. Due to the composite nature of the film, better anti-viral performance can be obtained coupled with long term-stability. We anticipate a synergist effect arising from the antiviral properties of photocatalyst materials combined with the intrinsic virus-inactivating properties of certain charged polymers and their ability to form a durable, fast-setting film when sprayed on a surface. A systematic study of the charge recombination and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation of the different polymer/NPs will be carried out. In particular, the structure-property relationships will be evaluated using Bioastra's rapid formulation methodology and sophisticated coating and characterization techniques available in Prof. Rosei's Laboratory. This research will be conducted in close collaboration between BioAstra's R&D team and Prof. Rosei who will be assisted by one postdoctoral fellow during the whole duration of the project. The expected outcomes will result in advancing knowledge regarding the mechanism of virus inactivation on photoactive surfaces. We anticipate that the final spray-coating product will have a major positive impact on Canada's health sector and economy.