Since 2004, we have been developing nanomaterials with antimicrobial properties, the so-called nanoantimicrobials. When the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged, we started investigating new and challenging routes to nanoantivirals. The two fields have some important points of contact. We would like to share with the readership our vision of the role a (nano)materials scientist can play in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. As researchers specifically working on surfaces and nanomaterials, in this letter we underline the importance of nanomaterial-based technological solutions in several aspects of the fight against the virus. While great resources are understandably being dedicated to treatment and diagnosis, more efforts could be dedicated to limit the virus spread. Increasing the efficacy of personal protection equipment, developing synergistic antiviral coatings, are only two of the cases discussed. This is not the first nor the last pandemic: our nanomaterials community may offer several technological solutions to challenge the ongoing and future global health emergencies. Readers' feedback and suggestions are warmly encouraged.

Immunoglobulin M (IgM) single-molecule and label-free detection is demonstrated, for the first time, by means of an electrolyte-gated thin-film transistor. The sensor integrates a millimeter-wide self-assembled monolayer (SAM) that includes trillions of anti-IgM capturing proteins. This adds generality to the already introduced Single-Molecule with a Transistor (SiMoT) platform. Besides the extremely high sensitivity, the SAM confers to the SiMoT bioelectronic sensor a high selectivity that is here assessed by measuring the differential responses of the IgM or the immunoglobulin G (IgG) cognate biomarkers mutually interacting with anti-IgM or anti-IgG capturing SAMs. At the same time, no response to IgG or IgM is measured with the anti-IgM or anti-IgG SAM, respectively. The SiMoT technology is known to exploit the hydrogen bonding network present in the SAM. In this paper, further elements supporting the model of this network enabling single-molecule sensitivity is provided by demonstrating that, once this electrostatic connecting element is removed, the sensing is suppressed. It also provides a plausible explanation of the wide-field single-molecule sensing mechanism in terms of amplified field-effect response and propagation of electrostatic domains associated with the electrostatic hydrogen bonding network. Future possible applications to low-cost early detection of infection diseases can be envisaged.

A systematic comparison between electrochemical and organic bioelectronic sensors reveals a unified rational description for a transistor amplified detection.

The electrosynthesis of copper and silver core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) by the sacrificial anode technique, employing tetraoctylammonium (TOA) salts as base electrolyte for the first time, is described. These surfactants were selected because they combine high NP stabilizing power with useful disinfecting properties. The resulting colloids were mixed with a solution of an inert dispersing polymer and used to prepare nanostructured composite thin films. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the nanomaterials were characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The TEM reveals that the average core diameter of the metal NPs ranges between 1.7 and 6.3 nm, as a function of the nature of the metal and of the electrosynthesis conditions, and does not change significantly upon inclusion in the polymer matrix. An appreciable concentration of the metal is detected on the nanoparticle surface by XPS. High-resolution XP spectra indicate that both copper and silver are present at zero oxidation state in all of the materials (colloids and composite films). This demonstrates the high efficiency of the surfactant at controlling the morphology and the chemical composition of the nanodispersed metal in both the as-synthesized colloid and in the polymeric dispersion. The nanocoatings are shown to exert a marked inhibitory effect on the growth of eukaryote and prokaryote target microrganisms, and experimental evidence of a synergic disinfecting effect due to the surfactant and the nanodispersed metal is provided. On the basis of these stability and bioactivity results, it is clear that Cu-NPs and Ag-NPs are suitable for application in disinfecting or antifouling paint and coating formulations.

Eukaryotes, such as fungi, can be harmful pathogen agents, and the control of their bioactivity is critical as humans are eukaryote organisms, too. Here, copper/polymer nanocomposites are proposed as antifungal spinnable coatings with controlled copper-releasing properties. The tests of the bioactivity show that fungal growth is inhibited on the nanocomposite-coated plates, and the antifungal activity can be modulated by controlling the Cu nanoparticle loading. (C) 2004 American Institute of Physics

Palladium nanocolloids supported on chitosan behave as very efficient heterogeneous catalysts in the Heck reaction of aryl bromides and activated aryl chlorides in tetrabutylammonium bromide as solvent and tetrabutylammonium acetate as base. Only 15 min is required to convert bromobenzene or p-nitrochlorobenzene into cinnamates. The efficiency of this catalyst is due to the stabilization of Pd colloids by the solvent and to a very fast PdH neutralization by the base. In contrast, no reaction occurs when utilizing imidazolium-based ionic liquids. The stability of the catalyst allows an extensive recycle in the coupling of iodoaromatics with butyl acrylate.

Bioconjugated gold surfaces constitute interesting platforms for biosensing applications. The immobilization of antibodies such as anti-immunoglobulin G and M (anti-IgG and anti-IgM) on gold electrodes via self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) is here studied as a model system for further immunoassays development. The biolayer is characterized by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), a dedicated thin-film transistor (TFT)-based platform and electrochemical surface plasmon resonance (EC-SPR). XPS analysis confirms the presence of all the chemical species involved in the fabrication process as well as the covalent attachment of the antibodies with high reproducibility. Visualization of the biolayer topography by AFM shows nanostructures with a thickness consistent with the actual size of the protein, which is also verified by SPR measurements. EC-SPR allows taking advantage of complementary electrochemical and optical signals during the functionalization steps. Moreover, the functionalization of gold leads to a change in the work function, which is demonstrated in an electrolyte gated thin-film transistor configuration. Such configuration enables also to evaluate the electrostatic changes occurring on the gate that are connected with the threshold voltage shifts. The data support that functional biomodified gold surfaces can be reproducibly prepared, which is a prerequisite for further biosensor development

Copper-fluoropolymer (Cu-CFx) nano-composite films are deposited by dual ion-beam sputtering. The extensive analytical characterization of these layers reveals that inorganic nanoparticles composed of Cu(II) species are evenly dispersed in a branched fluoropolymer matrix. In particular, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy has been employed to study the surface chemical composition of the material and to assess how it changes on increasing the copper loading in the composite. Transmission electron microscopy reveals that the copper nanoclusters have a mean diameter of 2-3 nm and are homogeneously in-plane distributed in the composite films. Electrothermal atomic absorption spectroscopy has been used to study the kinetics of copper release in the solutions employed for the biological tests. The Cu-CFx layers are employed as bioactive coatings capable of inhibiting the growth of target microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Lysteria. The results of the analytical characterization enable a strict correlation to be established among the chemical composition of the material surface, the concentration of copper dissolved in the microorganisms broths, and the bioactivity of the nano-structured layer.