Antiviral Effect of Visible Light-Sensitive CuxO/TiO2 Photocatalyst

Masahiro Miyauchi,Kayano Sunada,Kazuhito Hashimoto

doi:10.3390/catal10091093

Masahiro Miyauchi, Kayano Sunada + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/catal10091093

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Abstract

Photocatalysis is an effective technology for preventing the spread of pandemic-scale viruses. This review paper presents an overview of the recent progress in the development of an efficient visible light-sensitive photocatalyst, i.e., a copper oxide nanoclusters grafted titanium dioxide (CuxO/TiO2). The antiviral CuxO/TiO2 photocatalyst is functionalised by a different mechanism in addition to the photocatalytic oxidation process. The CuxO nanocluster consists of the valence states of Cu(I) and Cu(II); herein, the Cu(I) species denaturalizes the protein of the virus, thereby resulting in significant antiviral properties even under dark conditions. Moreover, the Cu(II) species in the CuxO nanocluster serves as an electron acceptor through photo-induced interfacial charge transfer, which leads to the formation of an anti-virus Cu(I) species and holes with strong oxidation power in the valence band of TiO2 under visible-light irradiation. The antiviral function of the CuxO/TiO2 photocatalyst is maintained under indoor conditions, where light illumination is enabled during the day but not during the night; this is because the remaining active Cu(I) species works under dark conditions. The CuxO/TiO2 photocatalyst can thus be used to reduce the risk of virus infection by acting as an antiviral coating material.

Highlights

Human beings have suffered from numerous kinds of pandemic viruses, such as SARS [1], Ebola virus [2], H1N2/2009 influenza [3], and COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) [4]
We developed an efficient visible light-sensitive photocatalyst based on Cu(II) oxide nanoclusters grafted onto TiO2 [Cu(II)/TiO2 ] by using the concept of interfacial charge transfer (IFCT) [26,27,28,29,30,31,32]
Cu2 S and found that those of Cu2 S were significantly superior to those of CuS [34]. These results strongly indicate that the Cu(I) species plays an important role for efficient antiviral properties

Summary

Introduction

Human beings have suffered from numerous kinds of pandemic viruses, such as SARS [1], Ebola virus [2], H1N2/2009 influenza [3], and COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) [4]. These viruses spread through direct person-to-person contact and/or indirect contact via virus-containing airborne droplets or contaminated surfaces of objects such as floors, handrails, touch panel/buttons, or furniture [5]. Have been widely used to disinfect various objects against bacteria or viruses These chemicals deactivate viruses by denaturising their proteins [9].

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