The current global pandemic due to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus has demonstrated the necessity to develop novel materials with antimicrobial and antiviral activities to prevent the infection. One significant route for the spread of diseases is by the transmission of the virus through contact with contaminated surfaces. Antiviral surface treatments can help to reduce or even avoid these hazards. In particular, the development of active-virucidal fabrics or paints represents a very important challenge with multiple applications in hospitals, public transports, or schools. Modern, cutting-edge methods for creating antiviral surface coatings use either materials with a metal base or sophisticated synthetic polymers. Even if these methods are effective, they will still face significant obstacles in terms of large-scale applicability. Here, we describe the preparation of fabrics and paints treated with a scaled-up novel nanostructured biohybrid material composed of very small crystalline phosphate copper(II) nanoparticles, synthesized based on a technology that employs the use of a small amount of biological agent for its formation at room temperature in aqueous media. We demonstrate the efficient inactivation of the human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus, and non-enveloped human rhinovirus 14 (HRV-14) (>99.9%) using an inexpensive, ecologically friendly coating agent. The reactive oxygen species produced during the oxidation of water or the more intensive reaction with hydrogen peroxide are believed to be the cause of the antiviral mechanism of the nanostructured material. In contrast to the release of a specific antiviral drug, this process does not consume the surface coating and does not need regeneration. A 12-month aging research that revealed no decline in antiviral activity is proof that the coating is durable in ambient circumstances. Also, the coated fabric can be reused after different washing cycles, even at moderate to high temperatures.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2; antiviral material; copper; surface coating; viruses.