REVIEW ON NANOMATERIALS THAT FIGHT VIRUSES

Abstract

Since 2019, the world has been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the current situation, there is a demand for clean air and a virus-free environment to limit the spread of COVID-19 infection to people. This is especially so indoors where the air circulation is confined within a space. To tackle this issue, nanomaterials that can kill and inactivate viruses can be considered.

The usage of nanomaterials has been increasingly popular in the building industry. It has been used in many areas such as concrete and cement to make them stronger. Many nanomaterials in the market have the ability to kill viruses. However, there is little information with regards to which nanomaterial is most suitable and effective for fighting viruses in an indoor setting. Most of the research focused on evaluating their effectiveness and inhibition rate towards different viruses. There is no existing study made with regards to identifying the best antiviral nanomaterial for use indoors.

This study will focus on investigating the most suitable antiviral nanomaterial for use in the built environment. Nanomaterials reviewed in this study are silver, copper, titanium dioxide, zinc oxide and carbon-based nanomaterials. A comparative analysis is conducted to compare and evaluate the different antiviral nanomaterials. Overall, metal nanomaterials have the best antiviral ability and within metal nanomaterial, copper showed the best antiviral ability and exhibited potential for use indoors.