Nanofabrication of functional surfaces for durable antivirus

Viral infections including COVID-19 and Monkeypox have led to drastic socioeconomic, educational, political, and cultural impacts worldwide. However, there is still a lack of effective methods for the rapid, broad-spectrum, sustainable control of the transmission of viruses through contaminated public facilities. This project develops new functional surfaces with rapid, broad-spectrum, sustainable antibacterial and antiviral properties based on a novel strategy that perfectly combines micro/nano-structural materials, Cu-bearing materials, and photocatalytic TiO2 materials. The genetic algorithm and finite element method will be used to optimize the designed functional surface. The controllable fabrication of the functional surface will be realized via laser interference cladding and hydrothermal technique, and the process parameter analysis and optimization will be conducted to improve the processing quality and achieve the controllable fabrication of the surface. Antibacterial and antiviral properties and regulation mechanisms of the functional surface will be demonstrated and analyzed. Self-cleaning and durability will be performed to verify the sustainable and long-term applications of the developed functional surface. This research will provide basic theoretical and key generic technical guidance for the development of new antibacterial and antiviral surfaces. This project will bring complementary expertise in optimal design, controllable fabrication, antibacterial and antiviral testing, and theoretical analysis. This combination has placed the team in the best position to achieve the ultimate objectives. The successful implementation of the proposed research will undoubtedly enrich the advanced knowledge, contribute important techniques, and enable the commercial exploitation and practical application of functional surfaces with rapid, broad-spectrum, sustainable antibacterial and antiviral properties to combat virus infectious diseases.