There may soon be a new weapon in our centuries-old battle against germs: the first durable coating that can quickly kill bacteria and viruses and keep on killing them for months at a time.
As reported in the journal Matter, the coating proved deadly to SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19), E. coli, MRSA, and a variety of other pathogens. It killed 99.9% of microbes even after months of repeated cleaning, abrasion, and other punishment on real-world surfaces like keyboards, cell phone screens, and chicken-slathered cutting boards.
The coating could be a game changer in traditionally germ-laden public spaces like airports and hospitals, says co-corresponding author Anish Tuteja, a professor of material science and engineering at the University of Michigan….