Multifunctional Textiles: cellulose coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles to control hospital infections

• Grant number: 20/13666-0
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: March 01, 2022
• End date: November 30, 2022
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Augusto Rodrigues Pires
• Grantee: Paulo Augusto Rodrigues Pires
• Company: Nanopol Consultoria Tecnológica Ltda
• CNAE: Pesquisa e desenvolvimento experimental em ciências físicas e naturais
• City: São Paulo
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/02085-2 - Multifunctional textiles: cellulose coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles to control hospital infections, BP.TT; 22/01575-6 - Multifunctional textiles: cellulose coated with zinc oxide nanoparticles to control hospital infections, BP.PIPE

Abstract

This is a project for the application of nano-ZnO coating of clothing and textile PPE aimed at hygiene and hospital health, giving them self-cleaning, photo-protective characteristics for human skin (blocking UVA / UVB radiation) and, mainly, antimicrobials (bactericide, virucide and fungicide), at an affordable cost. The desired dimension for nano-ZnO is d 100 nm allowing its interaction with the glycoprotein-S, present in the SARS-Cov-2 spike-crown, making it difficult for this virus to penetrate the human host cell and reducing its replication. This interaction can also serve as a biosensor / detector (nano-ZnO, fluorescent image). The covering of these hospital materials by nano-ZnO also presents healing properties; does not produce allergies; it has the ability to photo-oxidize organic compounds and microorganisms (reducing odors).Among the various possibilities for preparing nanoparticles, the solvothermal route (hydrothermal when the solvent is water) was selected for the preparation of nano-ZnO due to its adaptations to the industrial processing of textile materials, such as: use of simple equipment, low cost, preparation of nano-ZnO with various morphologies, use of mild conditions of temperature / pressure, obtaining an appropriate nanodispersion for covering textiles and for environmental disinfection.The project was conceived for the production of hospital textile materials with antimicrobial properties, disposable or not, giving them basic characteristics / functionalities, added to additional ones such as: barrier to UV radiation (d 100 nm), minimum environmental impact, maintenance of breathability and the comfort of the textile material etc. The main expected result, however, is the decrease in HAIs, including those caused by SARS-CoV-2. (AU)