The role of additive manufacturing and antimicrobial polymers in the COVID-19 pandemic

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Article highlights

• A recent publication in The New England Journal of Medicine by van Doremalen et al., suggested that copper was more effective than Stainless Steel in reducing the COVID-19 virus viability, predicted decay, and Half-Life reduction.

• Copper oxide show biocidal effects for a wide range of viruses, including those causing Yellow Fiber, Influenza A virus, Measles, Respiratory Cynsytial, Parainfluence 3, HIV-1, Adenovirus type 1 and Cytomegalovirus.

• Copper nanoparticles on a polymer structure present a stronger antimicrobial effect than microparticles or metal surfaces.

• The copper ions and associated hydroxyl radicals produces DNA denaturalization damaging helical structures deactivating viruses.

• The strong scientific evidence provided by previous investigations about the biocidal effects of copper nanocomposites and the enhanced antimicrobial behavior of these composites in polymers, provides an alternative for the rapid prototyping of critical medical devices during a pandemic.

• The proposed theoretical cellular mechanism presented in the current perspective, provides a potential pathway for the inactivation of the COVID-19 virus on surfaces of critical medical devices manufactured with antimicrobial polymers.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Reviewer disclosures

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number [R01NS114282] and the NASA Nebraska Space Grant (Federal Award #NNX15AI09H).