An infection on the nano-spiked silicon surface area, magnified 65,000 times. After 1 hour it has actually already started to leak material. Credit: RMITAn worldwide research study team led by RMIT University has designed and manufactured a virus-killing surface that might help control disease spread in medical facilities, labs, and other high-risk environments. The surface made from silicon is covered in small nanospikes that skewer viruses on contact.Lab tests with the hPIV-3 virus– which causes croup, bronchitis, and pneumonia– showed 96% of the infections were either ripped apart or damaged to the point where they could no longer replicate to cause infection. These remarkable outcomes, featured on the cover of leading nanoscience journal ACS Nano, show the materials pledge for helping control the transmission of potentially dangerous biological product in labs and health care environments.A virus on the nano-spiked silicon surface area, magnified 65,000 times. After 6 hours it has been entirely ruined. Credit: RMITSpike the viruses to kill themCorresponding author Dr Natalie Borg, from RMITs School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, stated this apparently unsophisticated idea of skewering the infection needed significant technical knowledge.”Our virus-killing surface area appears like a flat black mirror to the naked eye but actually has small spikes developed particularly to kill viruses,” she said. “This material can be integrated into frequently touched devices and surface areas to prevent viral spread and reduce using disinfectants.”Dr Natalie Borg inspects a sample of the nano-spiked silicon sheet. Credit: RMITThe nano-spiked surface areas were made at the Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication, starting with a smooth silicon wafer, which is bombarded with ions to tactically get rid of material. The result is a surface area complete of needles that are 2 nanometers thick– 30,000 times thinner than a human hair– and 290 nanometers high.Specialists in antimicrobial surfacesThe group led by RMIT Distinguished Professor Elena Ivanova has years of experience studying mechanical methods for controlling pathogenic bacteria influenced by the world of nature: the wings of pests such as dragonflies or cicadas have a nanoscale spiked structure that can pierce germs and fungi.In this case, nevertheless, viruses are an order of magnitude smaller than bacteria so the needles need to be similarly smaller if they are to have any impact on them. The procedure by which infections lose their infectious capability when they contact the nanostructured surface area was analysed in practical and theoretical terms by the research team.Team Ivanova with study matching author Professor Elena Ivanova (3rd from left) and research study lead author Samson Mah (2nd from right). Credit: RMITResearchers at Spains Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV), Dr. Vladimir Baulin, and Dr. Vassil Tzanov, computer-simulated the interactions in between the infections and the needles. RMIT scientists performed a useful experimental analysis, exposing the virus to the nanostructured surface area and observing the results at RMITs Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility.The findings show the spike design to be incredibly efficient at harming the infection external structure and piercing its membranes, paralyzing 96% of infections that entered into contact with the surface area within 6 hours. Research study first author, Samson Mah, who completed the work under an RMIT-CSIRO Masters by Research Scholarship and has now progressed to working on his PhD research study with the group, stated he was inspired by the useful potential of the research study.”Implementing this cutting-edge technology in high-risk environments like laboratories or healthcare centers, where exposure to harmful biological products is a concern, could considerably reinforce containment steps against infectious illness,” he stated. “By doing so, we aim to create much safer environments for researchers, healthcare experts, and patients alike.”Reference: “Piercing of the Human Parainfluenza Virus by Nanostructured Surfaces” by Samson W. L. Mah, Denver P. Linklater, Vassil Tzanov, Phuc H. Le, Chaitali Dekiwadia, Edwin Mayes, Ranya Simons, Daniel J. Eyckens, Graeme Moad, Soichiro Saita, Saulius Joudkazis, David A. Jans, Vladimir A. Baulin, Natalie A. Borg and Elena P. Ivanova, 21 December 2023, ACS Nano.DOI: 10.1021/ acsnano.3 c07099The task was a really interdisciplinary and multi-institutional cooperation carried out over 2 years, involving scientists from RMIT, URV (Spain), CSIRO, Swinburne University, Monash University and the Kaiteki Institute (Japan). This study was supported by the ARC Research Hub for Australian Steel Manufacturing and by the ARC Industrial Transformational Training Centre in Surface Engineering for Advanced Materials.
The surface made of silicon is covered in tiny nanospikes that skewer infections on contact.Lab tests with the hPIV-3 infection– which triggers croup, pneumonia, and bronchitis– showed 96% of the viruses were either ripped apart or harmed to the point where they might no longer replicate to trigger infection. Credit: RMITSpike the infections to kill themCorresponding author Dr Natalie Borg, from RMITs School of Health and Biomedical Sciences, stated this seemingly unsophisticated concept of skewering the infection required substantial technical competence. RMIT scientists brought out a practical speculative analysis, exposing the virus to the nanostructured surface area and observing the results at RMITs Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility.The findings reveal the spike design to be exceptionally efficient at damaging the infection external structure and piercing its membranes, paralyzing 96% of infections that came into contact with the surface area within 6 hours.
