Virucidal, photocatalytic and chiromagnetic cobalt oxide quantum dots

Abstract

Multifunctional quantum dots (QDs) of Co3O4 were fabricated using cobalt II nitrate hexahydrate with tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) seed extract and were efficiently applied as a virucidal additive in cotton fabric. The low-dimensional semiconductor, exhibiting a quantum confinement regime along with charge carrier confinement, resulted in superior antiviral characteristics. The QDs were characterized by UV-visible spectrophotometry, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray excited photoelectron spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and magnetic properties using a superconductor quantum interference device. Co3O4 QDs exhibit chirality, as evidenced by the magnetic circular dichroism spectrum in the spectral region in which the material absorbs. The high ferritin content in tomato seeds, as evidenced by electron paramagnetic resonance, suggested that this protein acts as a nanocage for the growth of Co3O4. Commercially purified horse spleen ferritin was equally efficient in producing Co3O4 QDs. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the multifunctional platform of Co3O4 QDs satisfactorily meets the requirements to be an efficient photocatalyst and exhibits the potential to be employed as a semiconductor textile-based to combat/ to prevent coronavirus disease as a sustainable personal protective clothing.