Bioinspired Dual‐Pathogen Defense Through Electrostatic‐Capturing and Light‐Burst Sterilization for Smart Screen Windows

View at publisher
Authors: Wei Yao, Xiaoling Pan, Yang Gao, Wei Li
Cited by: 0
References: 47

Abstract

Ensuring biosafety in indoor environments demands innovative and sustainable antimicrobial solutions against airborne pathogens. Inspired by nature's "trap-and-kill" phenomenon, we engineered an ambient light-activated antimicrobial polymer coating through molecular integration of quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) photosensitizers on nonwoven fabrics (NWF). This strategy establishes a coherent and synergistic mechanism from bacterial capturing to light-bursting pathogen defense, effectively overcoming inherent limitations of conventional QAS systems including contact-dependent inactivation kinetics and compromised biofilm penetration. Under ambient light irradiation, the composite nonwoven fabric demonstrated rapid antimicrobial efficacy with 99.98% reduction against S. aureus and E. coli, alongside 99.93% inactivation of Influenza A virus (H1N1). Crucially, the integrated bactericidal-filtration system maintains biosafety in enclosed spaces under accelerated bioaerosol diffusion conditions, achieving 99.23% airborne pathogen interception efficiency through combined physical capture and on-contact inactivation. The screen windows made of "capturing and inactivating" dual-functional nonwoven fabrics serve as intelligent interfaces for next-generation building biosafety control systems.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Antimicrobial agents and applications Infection Control and Ventilation Dyeing and Modifying Textile Fibers

Publication details

Journal / source
Small
Volume
22
Issue
19
Pages
e10515–e10515
Publication date
5 February 2026
Language
EN