Antiviral Electrospun Polymer Composites: Recent Advances and Opportunities for Tackling COVID-19

Abstract

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has significantly affected the world, creating a global health emergency. For controlling the virus spread, effective and reliable diagnostic and therapeutic measures are highly expected. Using proper biomedical materials to produce detection kits/devices and personal protective equipment (PPE), such as swabs and masks, has become the focus since they play critical roles in virus diagnostics and prevention. Electrospun polymer composites have garnered substantial interest due to their potential to provide antiviral healthcare solutions. In this review, we summarized the recent efforts in developing advanced antiviral electrospun polymer composites for virus detection and prevention. We highlighted some novel strategies for developing effective antiviral personal protective equipment (PPE), including self-sterilization, reusability, and potential antiviral drug encapsulation. Besides, we discussed the current challenges and future perspectives for improving the materials’ performance to achieve better virus detection, antiviral, prevention, and therapeutics.

Face Masks to Combat Coronavirus (COVID-19)—Processing, Roles, Requirements, Efficacy, Risk and Sustainability

“…The filtration efficiency of polyester and nylon is in the range of 5–25%, and PP has a filtration efficiency of 6–10%, but it can be increased by triboelectrically charging [ 45 ]. Because of massive hydroxyl bonds, the PVA electrospun layer has recently replaced the melt-blown PP inner layer [ 54 ]. However, PP (i.e., plastic) shows some drawbacks, such as CO 2 emissions during its production and PP’s inability to withstand high heat [ 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 , 64 , 65 ].…”

Antiviral Polymers: A Review

“…Polymers due to their long chain length or high molecular weight are used extensively in surface coating applications because each polymer chain can make many physical bonds to irreversibly coat the surface [29,135]. As a result, polymers are very attractive as an antiviral material to bond irreversibly to viral glycoproteins to cover and conceal the viral surface, thus blocking the interaction of viral particles with the host cell [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Unlike natural polymers, the chemical composition, functional group type and extent of functionalization, molecular weight, charge density and distribution, degradation and stability of synthetic polymers can be engineered to maximize antiviral activity against a specific virus type [22,136,137].…”

“…Polymers, due to their tunable chemical structure and composition, high molecular weight, and their buffering effect possess unique capabilities as antiviral agents. Many polymers have been recently developed to meet the global demand for antiviral agents and to treat viral infections [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Although the mechanism of action of antiviral polymers is not completely understood, it is known that their potency and effectiveness can be tailored against a specific virus by varying the polymer molecular weight, chain architecture, composition, or functional groups [26,27].…”

Recent advances and remaining barriers to the development of electrospun nanofiber and nanofiber composites for point-of-use and point-of-entry water treatment systems

“…Another opportunity is expanding the use of antimicrobial fibers for applications in drinking water disinfection ( Fahimirad et al, 2020 ). Even prior to the emergence of COVID-19 and the critical need it revealed for antimicrobial filtration materials ( Watson et al, 2022 ; Usmani et al, 2021 ), there was a relatively deep body of research on antibacterial electrospun fibers, usually for use in bandages and antimicrobial surfaces ( Seidi et al, 2021 ; Pullangott et al, 2021 ; Pardo-Figuerez et al, 2021 ; Li et al, 2021 ; Naragund and Panda, 2022 ). These types of electrospun fibers are most typically produced through the integration of an antibacterial agent during synthesis ( Gao et al, 2014 ; Gliścińska et al, 2013 ; Shi et al, 2016 ).…”