The Huffington Post
After a decade , scientists have created a plastic that can rip apart viruses, a paper in Advanced Science reads. Speaking to The Conversation, Prof Elena Ivanova, who helped to create the film and co-wrote the study about it, explained that their creation is covered in absolutely tiny pillars that “mimic the nanotextured surface of insect wings and can physically rupture viruses – specifically human parainfluenza virus type 3 (hPIV-3).” The virus hPIV-3 leads to diseases like bronchitis and pneumonia. The researchers hope this film will lead to a “scalable antiviral surface protection across healthcare, consumer, and environmental applications”. Why not just use bleach? Bleach’s active ingredient, sodium hypochlorite, can indeed kill viruses, bacteria, and fungi. But it degrades quickly under heat and light, doesn’t last very long, doesn’t play well with other chemicals, and isn’t exactly great for use on, e.g. your phone. The paper added that even more extreme biocidal coatings “face limitations due to cytotoxicity, environmental persistence, degradation, and the risk of promoting antiviral resistance”. How does the film work? The researchers were inspired by the likes of cicada and dragonfly wings , which naturally repel bacteria , to create their acrylic film. These wings have tiny pillars on them, which the acrylic film mimics. These minute changes in the surface of the wing , called “nanopillars,” catch onto a virus’s membrane, blending and ultimately rupturing it. After trying to recreate the texture, the researchers found that the distance between nanopillars mattered more than their height; 60 nanometres apart seemed to work best. This pattern seemed to reduce the presence of hPIV-3 infectivity by 94% in one hour. These results are especially promising for “non-toxic applications, such as food packaging, electronic screens, dental restoratives, and glass replacements,” the study authors wrote. In The Conversation , Prof Ivanova said that though the film is built to last, it is of course still “susceptible to the same physical, chemical, and environmental stressors as any other material, and will degrade over time”. But, she added, “These nanotextured surfaces have enormous potential in the fight against viruses and provide an alternative to traditional, chemical-based methods”. Related... A New Nasal Spray Appeared To Reverse Brain Ageing In 'Weeks' Five Gut-Healthy Foods That Might Actually Be Bad For Your Heart Five Gut Health Mistakes A Brain Ageing Expert Would Never Make
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