Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are an increasingly difficult problem for hospitals and public places, prompting the World Health Organization to identify them as one of the biggest global health threats.
A team of Purdue University researchers may have developed an innovative tool to counter these “superbugs”—a self-disinfecting material that uses ultraviolet (UV) light to kill bacteria.
The team has developed a thin coating, smaller than a micrometer, made up of UV light-emitting diodes that can be incorporated into materials used to make surfaces where the superbugs could grow, including vinyl flooring, wall coverings, counter tops, door handles and toilet seats. In fact, an entire room could be covered by the material.
When an electric field is applied to the coating, it activates the diodes—which light up and kill the bacteria. The 2D material requires less power than conventional UV lamps and takes up less room because no additional equipment is needed. It’s easy to use as well. Operators could simply flip a switch to activate it, and it would only take five minutes. They would require no special training beyond ensuring they’re not close enough to get a sunburn.
“This ultra-thin coating kills any germs, bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. They cannot become resistant because any DNA that could make them resistant gets destroyed during the disinfection,” said Tillmann Kubis, Purdue School of Electrical and Computer Engineering research assistant professor.
Some hospitals already use UV light devices to kill germs, but these devices tend to cast shadows where germs can hide and grow. The Purdue team’s material doesn’t create shadows since the UV light is emitted from the surface the superbugs inhabit.
It’s not just hospitals that would benefit from using the material. It could be beneficial for restaurants, public transportation, public bathrooms, nursing homes, laboratories and even some factories.
The team has filed a patent for the technology and are looking for funding and partners to build a prototype. Kubis anticipates that the technology will be initially used in commercial and institutional settings.
If it is brought to market, there is sure to be a high demand for the technology. According to Kubis, hospitals could save billions. The cost of keeping an operating room sterile works out to about $60 a minute, and 80 million surgeries are performed each year in the U.S.
“The ultra-thin coating promises to be the healthiest way to disinfect, and its LED technology is long-lasting and energy efficient,” Kubis said.
To find out more about how engineers are creating innovative solutions for the medical field, check out The Role of AI in Medicine.