UBC researchers create polymer solution for fabric that can kill COVID-19

Scientists at a University of British Columbia chemistry lab have spent the past year-and-a-half creating a polymer solution that can bind to fabric, giving it the ability to kill viruses like COVID-19 on contact.

“We really began this research at the beginning of the pandemic. We were stuck at home, shut out of our labs and we wanted to look for a way to make our research impactful,” said Dr. Taylor Wright of the peer-reviewed work.

“So we thought if we can come up with a simple and efficient way to make PPE antimicrobial, they can re-use it more safely, (with) less contamination and disease spread.”

The process is simple: Fabric is soaked in the red polymer solution and then dried with UV lamp, giving it a strong antimicrobial coating that can kill viruses when that fabric is exposed to strong indoor or outdoor light.

“If (viruses) land on the surface they split open and die, and are no longer infectious,” said Wright.

Dr. Michael Wolf said the treated fabric has obvious applications in hospital settings.

“Textiles and fabrics that are antiviral and antimicrobial can add a layer of protection to hospital gowns, to curtains, those sorts of things in hospitals,” said Wolf.

But the best use of the polymer coating may be in cloth and disposable face masks.

“It would be about making sure if anything does land on the surface, it’s killed before it has a chance to infect anyone,” added Wright.

There could also be a market for the treated fabric in the workout wear industry.

“Bacteria is what makes clothes smell bad when you sweat, when you exercise,” said Wolf. “Another application for this is to treat fabrics that are used in exercise clothing, so that essentially you don’t smell bad after working out.”

While there are other lines of antimicrobial exercise wear on the market, Wolf says the way the UBC polymer is turbocharged when exposed to light sets it apart.

The researchers have filed a patent and are looking for partners to commercialize their new method of making antimicrobial fabric.

“So it’s an additional layer of protection and that’s really our goal, to layer extra layers of protection on the people that need it most,” said Wright.