Transparent Anti-SARS-CoV-2 and Antibacterial Silver Oxide Coatings

ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2022 Feb 23;14(7):8718-8727. doi: 10.1021/acsami.1c20872. Epub 2022 Feb 9.

Abstract

Transparent antimicrobial coatings can maintain the aesthetic appeal of surfaces and the functionality of a touch-screen while adding the benefit of reducing disease transmission. We fabricated an antimicrobial coating of silver oxide particles in a silicate matrix on glass. The matrix was grown by a modified Stöber sol-gel process with vapor-phase water and ammonia. A coating on glass with 2.4 mg of Ag2O per mm2 caused a reduction of 99.3% of SARS-CoV-2 and >99.5% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus compared to the uncoated glass after 1 h. We envisage that screen protectors with transparent antimicrobial coatings will find particular application to communal touch-screens, such as in supermarkets and other check-out or check-in facilities where a number of individuals utilize the same touch-screen in a short interval.

Keywords: Ag2O; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; antibacterial; antimicrobial; antiviral; coating; silver oxide; transparent.

MeSH terms

  • Ammonia / chemistry
  • Anti-Infective Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacterial Infections / microbiology
  • Bacterial Infections / prevention & control*
  • COVID-19 / prevention & control*
  • COVID-19 / virology
  • Glass / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / pathogenicity
  • Oxides / chemistry*
  • Oxides / pharmacology
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / drug effects
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa / pathogenicity
  • SARS-CoV-2 / drug effects
  • SARS-CoV-2 / pathogenicity
  • Silicates / chemistry
  • Silver Compounds / chemistry*
  • Silver Compounds / pharmacology
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Oxides
  • Silicates
  • Silver Compounds
  • Water
  • Ammonia
  • disilver oxide