INNOVATIVE COMPOSITE MATERIAL DEVELOPED TO COMBAT VIRUSES ON SURFACES

In a significant advancement for material science, a team of researchers from the University of Jaen: MaDolores La Rubia, Daniel Carazo Alvarez, Mj Grande Burgos and for Smart Materials 3D Anyul López has developed an innovative composite material capable of drastically reducing the presence of viruses on surfaces. The study focused on a composite of polylactic acid (PLA) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles, which has demonstrated a remarkable ability to eliminate both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses.

The new material leverages the photocatalytic properties of titanium dioxide, activated by ultraviolet (UV) light, to enhance its virucidal effect. The study results indicate that, after UV exposure, the composite material showed a significant reduction in viral loads: a 70% decrease in Human Coronavirus 229E and a 60% decrease in Feline Calicivirus after 4 hours of exposure.

This breakthrough underscores the importance of innovation in materials to address global health challenges, offering a promising solution in the ongoing fight against viral diseases.

The 3D Natives publication in October 2022 reviewed the first stage of this project, which began in January 2021. Now, we can finally find the complete study at this link, accessible for free for 50 days here, also you can download the abstract here.

For more details, you can read the previous news article on 3D Natives here.