Coal-Derived Functionalized Nano-Graphene Oxide for Bleach Washable, Durable Antiviral Fabric Coatings

Abstract

This work demonstrates a coal-derived functionalized nano-graphene oxide coating applied to fabrics that exhibits antiviral properties even after mechanical abrasion or bleach washing. Nano-graphene oxide is chemically exfoliated from low cost coal and functionalized with octadecylamine to render repellency properties. The functionalized nano-graphene oxide is applied to polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fabric after wet etching which roughens the microfiber surface for better coating adhesion and liquid repellency. An additional polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer on top of the functionalized nano-graphene oxide further improves the repellency and durability. The functionalized nano-graphene oxide/PDMS coating robustly repels droplets of water and human saliva. Additionally, we demonstrate antiviral properties with human adenovirus type 5 (HAdV5), herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), and betacoronavirus (CoV) even after mechanical abrasion and bleach washing. The coating reduces titers of HAdV5 by 1.8 log (98.6%), HSV-1 by 2.2 log (99.4%), and CoV by 2.4 log (99.6%). The coating may have applications in reusable, antiviral personal protective equipment or other large-area, high production coating applications.