Development of Fiber Coating Technology That Sterilizes Coronavirus in '5 Minutes'

Research Team of Professors Kim Tae-il and Kwon Ki-yoon at Sungkyunkwan University, Joint Study with USA and Australia
Using Masks, Bedding, and Clothing Can Prevent Secondary Infection Spread

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] A functional fiber technology capable of sterilizing viruses such as COVID-19 within 5 minutes has been developed by domestic researchers. Unlike existing functional fibers that "filter out" viruses and have surface contamination issues, this coating provides excellent antibacterial and antiviral capabilities, which is expected to greatly help prevent secondary infections when used in bedding, clothing, masks, and more.

The National Research Foundation of Korea announced on the 25th that a research team led by Professors Kim Tae-il and Kwon Ki-yoon from Sungkyunkwan University, in collaboration with researchers from the United States and Australia, developed a fiber filter coated with a functional material that has excellent mechanical properties and outstanding antibacterial/antiviral effects.

Existing selective filtration using porous filters or electrostatic adsorption methods are designed to filter out pathogens rather than remove them, leaving contamination issues on the filter surface. Coating the filter surface with antibacterial/antiviral materials such as copper has been considered an alternative, and research has been conducted to improve the adhesion of the coating and enhance antibacterial/antiviral effects.

The research team introduced liquid metal gallium, which increased the antibacterial/antiviral effects of copper while achieving a more uniform and stable coating. They sprayed liquid gallium, which has excellent affinity with fibers, onto the fibers, then induced a spontaneous chemical reaction between the gallium and copper ions to form a gallium-copper alloy material on top.

Tests conducted on human coronavirus, which has a 99% identical structure to the COVID-19 virus, confirmed that 99.99% of the virus was inactivated within 5 minutes. This is a significant reduction compared to inactivation times of 24 hours on cardboard, 2-3 days on plastic and stainless steel surfaces, and 4 hours on copper surfaces.

The coating stability was also improved. When examining whether coated particles detached due to airflow caused by sneezing or coughing, 25% of particles detached from surfaces coated with copper only, whereas no particles detached from surfaces coated with the gallium-copper alloy. It is also advantageous that the coating is applied through a relatively economical and simple solution process.

Professor Kim explained, "When microorganisms metabolize copper ions, holes form in the cell membrane, allowing reactive oxygen species that aid in cell death to enter. The absorption of gallium ions, which are similar to iron ions necessary for microbial growth, also acts synergistically to enhance antiviral effects."

The research results were published online on the 23rd of last month in the international materials science journal Advanced Materials and were selected as the cover paper for the November issue.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.