Scientists have created a thin plastic film that can physically destroy the virus the moment it lands on a surface. This breakthrough could help reduce the spread of disease from frequently touched items such as smartphones, keyboards, and hospital equipment.
Beyond its effectiveness, this material is designed to be practical for practical use. Unlike previous antiviral surfaces made of metal or silicone, this new approach uses a flexible plastic that can be produced at scale.
How nanopillars tear apart viruses
This film is made of acrylic and is covered with very small structures called nanopillars. These tiny features grab onto the virus and stretch its outer layer until it falls apart. Rather than relying on chemical disinfectants, the surface uses mechanical force to neutralize viruses.
Research published in cutting edge science This elongation method was found to be more effective than previous designs that attempted to punch holes in the virus.
Laboratory tests show strong virus inactivation
Experiments using human parainfluenza virus type 3 (hPIV-3), which causes bronchiolitis and pneumonia, yielded surprising results. Within an hour of contact, approximately 94% of the virus particles were torn apart or so damaged that they could no longer reproduce and cause infection.
Study lead author Samson Ma, a doctoral candidate at Australia’s RMIT University, said the research team intentionally used low-cost materials that were easy to manufacture.
“As nanofabrication tools improve, our results give us clearer guidance on which nanopatterns are most effective at killing viruses,” he said.
“One day, we will be able to cover surfaces like phone screens, keyboards, and hospital tables with this film to kill viruses on contact without using harsh chemicals.
“Our molds are adaptable for roll-to-roll manufacturing, which means we can use existing factory equipment to produce antiviral plastic films at scale.”
Why nanopillar spacing is most important
The researchers also found that how closely the nanopillars are spaced plays a much larger role than their height.
“By fine-tuning the spacing and height of the nanopillars, we found that how tightly the nanopillars are packed together is far more important for virus degradation than their height,” Ma said.
“As the nanopillars move closer together, more nanopillars can exert pressure on the same virus at once, stretching its outer shell beyond the breaking point.”
Simple design rules for surfaces that kill viruses
Previous research on hard materials like nanospiked silicon had shown that viruses could be physically destroyed. This study extends that idea by showing that both sharp and blunt nanoscale features are effective when placed precisely.
This finding suggests a clear design principle: the closer nanostructures such as spikes and nanopillars are to each other, the more effective they are at destroying viruses.
The strongest performance was obtained on surfaces with nanopillar spacing of approximately 60 nanometers. Increasing the distance to 100 nanometers reduces the antiviral effect, while a spacing of 200 nanometers almost eliminates the antiviral effect.
Next steps and real-world possibilities
Previous studies have focused on hPIV-3, an enveloped virus with a fatty outer membrane. The research team now plans to test smaller, non-enveloped viruses to determine how broadly applicable the technique is.
Enveloped viruses have a fragile fatty membrane around them that is easily destroyed by nanopillars, but non-enveloped viruses lack this outer layer, making them harder to kill.
The scientists also want to see how well the textured film performs on curved surfaces, since curvature can change the spacing between nanopillars.
Co-author of the study, Distinguished Professor Elena Ivanova from RMIT, said the team was working hard towards real-world applications.
“We believe this texturing is a strong candidate for everyday use and are open to partnering with companies to refine it for large-scale manufacturing,” she said.
