Sino-US scientific research team develops nano-material masks for efficient sterilization throughout the day

According to Xinhua News Agency, Washington, March 16, China and the United States scientific research team has developed a nanomaterial that can effectively kill bacteria and viruses in all weathers. It is expected to be used for personal protective equipment such as masks to effectively prevent the outbreak of infectious diseases.

A team of researchers from the University of California, Davis, and Donghua University in China introduced in the new issue of the US Science Development that the nanofiber materials they developed are not only durable and breathable, but also can be used as solar cells. In the same way, it produces antibacterial activity under sunlight and stores part of its activity, maintaining its antibacterial ability under low light or night conditions.

The paper's first author, Dr. Si Yang, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, Davis, said that traditional light antibacterial materials lose their antibacterial properties in dark conditions, while the new material uses a "benzophenone-polyphenolic acid" synergistic light-sensitive structure that is excited by light. Under the conditions, rearrangement of the molecular structure can occur, the antibacterial activity can be stored and released slowly in dark conditions.

Si Yang said that the nano-fiber material only a small diameter of 200nm not only can effectively intercept the small bacteria, but also increased the contact area of ​​the light antibacterial reaction.

Researchers said that for influenza, Ebola and other viruses spread through the droplets, ordinary protective masks can only intercept but not kill it, easily lead to subsequent cross-infection. The synergistic light-sensitive structure on the surface of the new material can generate bactericidal reactive oxygen species, rapidly destroy the structure of the bacterial membrane, and can also cause degeneration of the viral protein coat, resulting in a killing efficiency higher than 99.999%.

The experimental results show that the traditional light antibacterial material needs 5 to 10 hours to achieve the bactericidal effect, the new material can be completed in just a few minutes. Under sunlight, the latter can kill E. coli and Listeria in 99% or more in 30 minutes and 60 minutes, and it takes only about 5 minutes to kill the T7 phage virus.

The research team is preparing to develop antibacterial products based on multi-layer composites of nanofibers and non-woven fabrics to enhance the performance of existing protective masks.