Sunday, April 07, 2024

This Prickly New Material Literally Pops Viruses

A newly developed silicon material covered with tiny nanospikes is capable of taking out 96 percent of the virus particles unfortunate enough to touch its surface in tests. It could find a use in hospitals, science labs, and anywhere surfaces need to be as sterile as possible.

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More from the article...

... The nanospikes literally skewer virus particles as they make contact, according to the team behind the study, led by researchers from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University in Australia.

This action breaks the viruses apart or damages them enough to stop them from reproducing. It's somewhat like puncturing a balloon, with almost all viral activity on the surface wiped out in six hours.

The team says the 96 percent hit rate would be enough to protect most healthy individuals from an array of pathogens communicable through surface contact.

"Our virus-killing surface looks like a flat black mirror to the naked eye but actually has tiny spikes designed specifically to kill viruses," says RMIT molecular biologist Natalie Borg.

"This material can be incorporated into commonly touched devices and surfaces to prevent viral spread and reduce the use of disinfectants." ...


#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-04-07 12:04 AM

imo, looks interesting, but I'll wait for the peer-reviewed studies.

#2 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-04-07 12:05 AM

Like this?

pubs.acs.org

#3 | Posted by horstngraben at 2024-04-07 12:08 AM

@#3

Whoa, thanks for thank.

I was not aware of that.


(so much to learn, so little time)

#4 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-04-07 12:21 AM

Begun this nanoparticle war has.

#5 | Posted by snoofy at 2024-04-07 12:23 AM

Yup, linked right there at the end of the article. That you posted.

#6 | Posted by horstngraben at 2024-04-07 12:24 AM

^@#4

#7 | Posted by horstngraben at 2024-04-07 12:25 AM

@#6,7 ... Yup, linked right there at the end of the article. That you posted. ...

Yup.

The last sentence of the article I posted is...

... The research has been published in ACS Nano.

And ACS Nano is a link to pubs.acs.org

Piercing of the Human Parainfluenza Virus by Nanostructured Surfaces

... This paper presents a comprehensive experimental and theoretical investigation into the antiviral properties of nanostructured surfaces and explains the underlying virucidal mechanism. We used reactive ion etching to fabricate silicon (Si) surfaces featuring an array of sharp nanospikes with an approximate tip diameter of 2 nm and a height of 290 nm. The nanospike surfaces exhibited a 1.5 log reduction in infectivity of human parainfluenza virus type 3 (hPIV-3) after 6 h, a substantially enhanced efficiency, compared to that of smooth Si. Theoretical modeling of the virus"nanospike interactions determined the virucidal action of the nanostructured substrata to be associated with the ability of the sharp nanofeatures to effectively penetrate the viral envelope, resulting in the loss of viral infectivity. Our research highlights the significance of the potential application of nanostructured surfaces in combating the spread of viruses and bacteria. Notably, our study provides valuable insights into the design and optimization of antiviral surfaces with a particular emphasis on the crucial role played by sharp nanofeatures in maximizing their effectiveness. ...

Was it peer-reviewed?

#8 | Posted by LampLighter at 2024-04-07 01:35 AM

Fascinating.

#9 | Posted by BellRinger at 2024-04-07 07:32 PM

Sounds interesting, but wondering how it would be kept clean. I'm imagining it something like very fine sandpaper.

#10 | Posted by Miranda7 at 2024-04-07 10:56 PM

A newly developed silicon material covered with tiny nanospikes is capable of taking out 96 percent of the virus particles unfortunate enough to touch its surface in tests.

I know it's not quite the same situation, as this relates to viruses, but wondering if some of the same concerns with overuse of anti-bacterials will come into play.

"Strange but True: Antibacterial Products May Do More Harm Than Good Antibacterial soaps and other cleaners may actually be aiding in the development of superbacteria. [...] Unlike these traditional cleaners, antibacterial products leave surface residues, creating conditions that may foster the development of resistant bacteria, Levy notes. For example, after spraying and wiping an antibacterial cleaner over a kitchen counter, active chemicals linger behind and continue to kill bacteria, but not necessarily all of them. When a bacterial population is placed under a stressor"such as an antibacterial chemical"a small subpopulation armed with special defense mechanisms can develop. These lineages survive and reproduce as their weaker relatives perish. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger" is the governing maxim here, as antibacterial chemicals select for bacteria that endure their presence." www.scientificamerican.com

#11 | Posted by censored at 2024-04-08 08:09 AM

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