Bacterial pathogens can live on surfaces for days. What if frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs could instantly kill them off?
Purdue University engineers have created a laser treatment method that could potentially turn any metal surface into a rapid bacteria killer – just by giving the metal’s surface a different texture.
In a study published in the journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, the researchers demonstrated that this technique allows the surface of copper to immediately kill off superbugs such as MRSA.
Copper has been used as an antimicrobial material for centuries. But it typically takes hours for native copper surfaces to kill off bacteria.
The researchers developed a one-step laser-texturing technique that effectively enhances the bacteria-killing properties of copper’s surface.
The technique is not yet tailored to killing viruses such as the one responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, which are much smaller than bacteria.
News Source: Eurekalert
