Tiny Tech #58: The Germ-Busting Nano-Coatings
Today from the world of Tiny Tech:
Scientists are always looking for better ways to kill germs. Recently, researchers have been investigating coatings of an ultrathin boron-based material called hydrogen boride. Remarkably, the scientists have found that – even when the coatings are only a few atoms thick – they can deactivate microbes including the viruses that cause flu and COVID, and also certain fungi and bacteria that cause infections.
The hydrogen boride nano-coatings work by causing the proteins in the microbes to lose their natural folded structure, leading to the deactivation of the microbes in as little as 10 minutes. Although some other kinds of coatings need sunlight or water to kill microbes, the hydrogen boride coatings work without them. Some unknowns remain, however, such as how quickly the hydrogen boride coatings degrade over time. But if these issues can be solved, the coatings might eventually be used to disinfect dry surfaces such as kitchen counters, smartphones, and fabrics.
The coatings are still far from everyday use, but I think you could say that this discovery involves a really clever … germ of an idea.
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