Nanostructured metallic substrates and surfaces to deactivate microbes
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Publication Number
US-12376585-B2
Publication Date
2025-08-05
Expiration Date
Abstract
A configuration of nanoscale metal or metal oxide projections on the surface of a metal substrate is provided. The configuration, because of their nanoscale geometric characteristics, create non-uniform distributions of electrical surface charge, which can rapidly transfer into nearby microbes to reduce or eliminate their pathogenicity. The charge transfer disrupts the microbe outer membrane and inactivates pathogenic processes. One embodiment of a nano surface architecture is provided that is suitable for inactivating viruses or killing bacteria via enhanced charge transfer. A range of nanoprojection spacings, sizes, and shapes are provided. A high shear deformation process to create high-angle grain boundaries and specific grain sizes in metal or alloy substrates suited for nucleating and growing nanoprojections that possess the characteristics needed to deactivate microbes is also provided. Also provided are embodiments of high shear deformation to make the suitable substrates and thermal oxidation processes to cultivate nanoprojections.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a metallic material comprising a substrate surface and at least one nanoscale projection extending from the substrate surface. The nanoscale projection is configured to induce a non-uniform charge to at least one of reduce or eliminate a pathogenicity of microbes by a charge transfer, disrupting microbe pathogenicity including disruption of an outer membrane and inactivation of pathogenic processes.
The disclosed mechanism is based on non-uniform electrical surface charge produced by nanoscale projections, where the charge rapidly transfers into microbes. This mechanism is described as distinct from ion-release and is tied to microbial inactivation for viruses and bacteria.
The invention also links projection and substrate microstructure design to antimicrobial performance, including projection geometry and grain structure parameters. The document associates microstructural grain size and grain boundary misorientation with nucleation of the nanoscale projections, and it describes shear strain and heating to create the plurality of projections.
Claims Coverage
The document contains two independent claims. Together, they define a metallic substrate with nanoscale projections that induce non-uniform charge to reduce or eliminate pathogenicity by charge transfer, and a manufacturing method that imposes shear strain and heating to create such projections for a microbe species having a maximum Feret diameter.
Metallic material with nanoscale projections inducing non-uniform charge for charge-transfer pathogenicity reduction
A metallic material comprising a substrate surface and at least one nanoscale projection extending from the substrate surface, the nanoscale projection configured to induce a non-uniform charge to at least one of reduce or eliminate a pathogenicity of microbes by a charge transfer.
Manufacturing a metallic material with projections via shear strain and heating
A method of manufacturing a metallic material with projections for disrupting a microbe species having a maximum feret diameter, comprising imposing shear strain on the metallic material and heating the metallic material to create the plurality of projections that disrupt the microbe species.
Across the independent claims, the core coverage centers on nanoscale projections that induce non-uniform charge and reduce or eliminate microbe pathogenicity by charge transfer, and on manufacturing conditions that produce a projection-bearing metallic surface for a target microbe defined by maximum Feret diameter.
Stated Advantages
Induces non-uniform charge for at least one of reducing or eliminating pathogenicity of microbes by charge transfer.
Disrupts microbe pathogenicity including disruption of an outer membrane and inactivation of pathogenic processes.
Provides a mechanism distinct from ion-release.
Achieves virucidal deactivation of Phi6 surrogate virus in the disclosed testing timeframe.
Documented Applications
Disrupting microbes to reduce or eliminate pathogenicity using metallic materials with nanoscale projections configured to induce non-uniform charge by charge transfer, including virucidal testing against Phi6.
Targeting viruses and bacteria inactivation using the disclosed nanostructured metal/metal-oxide substrate mechanism.
Manufacturing projections on a metallic substrate by imposing shear strain and thermal oxidation to create projections for disrupting a microbe species having a maximum feret diameter.
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