Innovative air filter from photocatalytic bicomponent fiber for anti-respiratory syncytial virus

This project aims to develop an anti RSV additive for nonwoven air filter based on the knowledge from the KMUTT Patent. The benefit of the project is to reduce RSV infection risk in children and patients at hospital, school, and nursery. A common method to enhance the antiviral property on textile is coating the fabric with antiviral additives. However, the coated additive could be easily removed from the fabric. To avoid this problem, the impregnation of the additives in the fibers during fiber processing is recommended. The efficiency of the additive depends on how much the additive can be added and how well the additive is distributed on the surface. The bicomponent melt spinning is a technique to produce a novel fiber which consists of a shaped core and a sheath fiber. With this technique, the additive can be dispersed on the sheath which help improve the antiviral efficiency of the fiber. There are several antiviral additives such as nanosilver and photocatalysts such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Among these additives, titanium dioxide has the outstanding advantages such as low cost, nontoxic and good stability. However, the photocatalytic reactivity of titanium dioxide requires UV irradiation, which causes the limitation when it is applied indoor or under visible light. Recently, our research team patented a novel AZT photocatalyst which is able to be activated under both UV and visible light (Patent No. 1401005161). The AZT exhibited > 99% of anti-influenza H1N1 efficiency and had the toxicity tests (IC50). The potential of the AZT photocatalyst is defined as TRL6. The objective of this project is to develop anti RSV fibers by bicomponent melt spinning. Polypropylene (PP) is added to the core and the AZT photocatalyst as an anti-RSV additive is added to the sheath. The weight ratio of PP and AZT from 1-3% will be investigated. Then, the physical and mechanical of the fibers will be studied. The anti RSV efficiency will be carried out at the Laboratory of Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Mahidol University. The output of the project will be the prototype of anti RSV air filters.