Academics
at Northumbria University, Newcastle, have been backed by the Government’s Defence
and Security Accelerator (DASA) to develop an antiviral coating suitable for use
on everyday surfaces.
DASA, part
of the Ministry of Defence, has commissioned a research team from Northumbria to
develop a new type of multifunctional antiviral coating which could form part
of the country’s biodefence - crucial to combatting public health crises such
as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
In
partnership with Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), academics
from the University’s Department of Applied Sciences are working to create a unique “superhydrophobic”
– low friction – coating that enables surfaces to be functionalised in a way
that destroys viruses whilst maintaining robust and easy-to-clean properties.
While
antiviral coatings are not a new concept, existing approaches can release
undesirable chemical compounds into the environment, are not long lasting or
are difficult to clean and maintain.
This novel coating
aims to provide a solution to the drawbacks of current formulas.
Funding from
DASA will enable the research team to explore wide-ranging applications, to
understand whether the coating is universally robust on an array of surfaces
and materials. It is hoped that in the future it could be used on high-contact
surfaces such as handrails on public transport, hospital trolleys or shop till-points,
as well as domestically - on door handles or bathroom taps, for example.
Such a scientific
development is a vital biodefence tool that could help bring down the COVID-19
‘R’ rate, while allowing more scope for ‘normal’ life to continue.
Dr Matt Unthank, project lead and Associate
Professor in Polymer Chemistry, said: “Having the ability and insight to design
multifunctional coating systems that can create long lasting defence against
viruses, whilst also being compatible with everyday life, is challenging yet
important.
“It’s not
just about destroying viruses in the laboratory. New coating systems and surface treatments
need to be robustness, easy to clean, universal in their application, safe and
low cost. Our research seeks to explore these interdependencies and to develop
new antiviral coating systems for the current and future pandemics.”
Routes to
antiviral surfaces
Disinfecting
methods such as chemical, bleach or alcohol-based products actively destroy, or
deactivate, microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses on contact. However,
this approach requires constant retreatment of the surfaces with disinfecting
agent which can be labour intensive and impractical.
An
alternative approach is to create a permanent or semi-permanent surface that
destroys virus particles on contact, known as an ‘antiviral’ surface. These
fall into two major categories:
1) those
that slowly leach virucidal chemicals from a coated surface into the
environment resulting in an antiviral effect, known as ‘controlled release’
biocidal or virucidal coatings.
2) those
that have a surface that is permanently capable of destroying microorganisms,
such as coronavirus and are known as ‘contact biocidal’ or ‘contact virucidal’
coating
Ian
Shortman, technical partner and Senior Scientist at Dstl, said: “This work aims
to develop transparent coatings which are both biocidal and water repellent.
The approaches being adopted could provide a wide range of benefits, and be
easily applied to a range of surfaces such as textiles and plastics.”
Andrew
Caldwell, Head of DASA, said: “Congratulations to Northumbria University, we
look forward to seeing the progress of this important and exciting project.
“This work
is a great example of how DASA working with others finds, funds and helps
accelerate the development of important innovations that help keep us all
safe.”
Dr Matt
Unthank and his team are focussing on developing new multifunctional contact
biocidal and virucidal coatings, which are safe, do not release chemicals to
the environment and are user friendly and universal in their application.
One
disadvantage of all biocidal and virucidal coatings is that surface
contamination by dust, debris and dirt can disable its antiviral capabilities
overtime. An ideal coating system would be both potent in its antimicrobial
properties but also easy-clean or even self-cleaning in nature. This concept is
the inspiration for the low friction, or ‘superhydrophobic’ qualities of the
coatings under development by researchers at Northumbria University - a vision
that sets it apart from existing antiviral coating technologies.
