New Coating Keeps Surfaces Germ-Free for Months at a Time

Gram-positive Corynebacterium diphtheriae bacteria. (Image: CDC) With the recent prevalence of COVID-19, monkeypox, and polio, many of us have germ control and personal health on the mind. While the spread of these viruses is inherently stressful, for once, there’s good news on the disease-fighting front: a new coating can keep surfaces germ-free for months after being applied.

Scientists at the University of Michigan have developed a durable coating that continuously kills both viruses and bacteria. It’s clear and can be brushed or sprayed onto a variety of surfaces. Though made with hospitals, airports, and other high-traffic areas in mind, the coating could be used to eliminate germs on touch screens, personal computer keyboards, and even cutting boards.

“Rapid” disinfectants like bleach, alcohol, and UV light are conventionally used to kill any viruses or bacteria that might exist on a surface. Though these work quickly, they don’t provide lasting protection against germs; the surface can be re-infected within a matter of minutes. On the other end of the spectrum, certain copper-based alloys make it difficult for bacteria to survive but work far more slowly. The University of Michigan’s coating meets these solutions in the middle by kicking in within a matter of minutes while remaining effective long-term.

(Image: A. Dhyani et al/Matter)

Lab tests proved the coating capable of killing SARS-CoV-2 (the virus associated with COVID-19), E. coli, MRSA, and a number of other common pathogens. The coating continued to kill 99.9 percent of viruses and bacteria for six months (the length of the experiment), during which test surfaces were given a bit of a beating: Raw chicken was placed on the coated cutting board while the coated keyboard and smartphone were repeatedly touched. The scientists even compared coated surfaces with uncoated surfaces that had been cleaned with a Clorox wipe, exposed to UV light for 12 hours, and kept in a freezing environment for 25 hours. There were fewer germs on the coated surface than on the one that underwent an obsessive level of cleaning.

If you’re wondering how such an aggressive substance can possibly be safe for those who touch it, there’s more good news: the antimicrobials that lend the coating its germ-killing capabilities are derived from tea tree oil and cinnamon oil, two nature-derived substances that have long been used for cleaning purposes. The antimicrobials themselves are “generally regarded as safe” by the FDA and can even sometimes be found in food. To function as a coating, the antimicrobials are added to polyurethane, another safe and commonly-used substance. Though the oils in the coating begin to evaporate after about six months, all it takes is a quick swipe with more oil to make the coating effective again.

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