Superhydrophobicity preventing surface contamination as a novel strategy against COVID-19

Surface contact with virus is ubiquitous in the transmission pathways of respiratory diseases such as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), by which contaminated surfaces are infectious fomites intensifying the transmission of the disease. To date, the influence of surface wettability on fomite formation remains elusive. Here, we report that superhydrophobicity prevents the attachment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on surfaces by repelling virus-laden droplets. Compared to bare surfaces, superhydrophobic (SHPB) surfaces exhibit a significant reduction in SARS-CoV-2 attachment of up to 99.99995%. We identify the vital importance of solid-liquid adhesion in dominating viral attachment, where the viral activity (N) is proportional to the cube of solid-liquid adhesion (A), N proportional to A(3). Our results predict that a surface would be practically free of SARS-CoV-2 deposition when solid-liquid adhesion is <= 1 mN. Engineering surfaces with superhydrophobicity would open an avenue for developing a general approach to preventing fomite formation against the COVID-19 pandemic and future ones. (C) 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study shows that superhydrophobic surfaces can effectively prevent the attachment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, significantly reducing viral transmission. The adhesion force between solid and liquid plays a vital role in viral attachment, providing a new approach for developing preventive measures against epidemic spread.