International. A project to develop sustainable antimicrobial surface coatings from advanced nanoparticles and materials of natural origin has received £5.4 million in European Union (EU) funding.
Driven by the need for preparedness for future pandemics, the Supreme project is funded through the EU's Horizon Europe programme and UKRI and was initiated by the University of Birmingham.
It involves 17 partners across Europe, including research institutes and industry specialists.
It will focus on the development of sustainable surface coatings that are equipped with chemical and physical actions against viral and bacterial pathogens, as well as other microbes such as mold and mildew, for five different types of surfaces, textiles, metals and alloys, ceramics, paper, cardboard and plastics.
The Supreme consortium will develop a platform of efficient, multifunctional antimicrobial nanocoatings, based on bespoke core and shell nanoparticles that have already demonstrated exceptional antimicrobial capability at laboratory scale.
The production of Supreme coatings will follow a sustainable design approach that takes into account both toxicity and environmental impact from the outset to ensure both market acceptance and sustainability of the overall process, while having a strong guarantee of safety for human health.
Jason Zhang, Professor of Soft Matter Engineering at the University of Birmingham's School of Chemical Engineering, is the principal investigator on the project.
"Harmful pathogens could spread by coming into contact with 'high-traffic' surfaces, such as door handles, tables and countertops. The cleaning chemicals we commonly use to disinfect these surfaces, while effective, are not durable and could have harmful environmental effects," Zhang said.
In addition to exceptional efficacy against microbes, the Supreme consortium will make a significant effort to ensure that the coatings to be developed are safe for both the environment and humans, durable and resistant to chemical and mechanical treatment.
Building on previous projects funded jointly by EPSRC and MRC, Professor Zhang, together with Professor Peter Fryer, Dr Zania Stamataki from the Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy and Dr Yao Yao from Birmingham Business School, have been able to identify key parameters in surface driving and maintenance.
The multi-disciplinary approach allows the consortium to address technical challenges, following safety principles by design, seriously consider socio-economic impacts, and engage with end users from the outset.
