Bioactive Ag3PO4/Polypropylene Composites for Inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 and Other Important Public Health Pathogens

J Phys Chem B. 2021 Sep 30;125(38):10866-10875. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.1c05225. Epub 2021 Sep 21.

Abstract

The current unprecedented coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) is increasingly demanding advanced materials and new technologies to protect us and inactivate SARS-CoV-2. In this research work, we report the manufacture of Ag3PO4 (AP)/polypropylene (PP) composites using a simple method and also reveal their long-term anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. This composite shows superior antibacterial (against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) and antifungal activity (against Candida albicans), thus having potential for a variety of technological applications. The as-manufactured materials were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, AFM, UV-vis spectroscopy, rheology, SEM, and contact angle to confirm their structural integrity. Based on the results of first-principles calculations at the density functional level, a plausible reaction mechanism for the initial events associated with the generation of both hydroxyl radical OH and superoxide radical anion O2- in the most reactive (110) surface of AP was proposed. AP/PP composites proved to be an attractive avenue to provide human beings with a broad spectrum of biocide activity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19*
  • Humans
  • Polypropylenes*
  • Public Health
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Staphylococcus aureus

Substances

  • Polypropylenes