Corona virus-killing ultra-violet light
Previous studies showed that the Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 with ultra-violet light to kill. An American-Japanese research team paved the way for the production of portable devices, which generate ultra-violet light. This could in the future be used for the disinfection of public areas.
Researchers at the Pennsylvania State University developed in cooperation with two Japanese universities is a concept that the production of portable devices makes possible the ultra-generate-violet light and corona viruses from the air and on surfaces kills. The results of the research were recently presented in the prestigious scientific journal “Nature Communications Physics”.
Ultraviolet light – a known method for the disinfection
There are two common methods to cleanse areas of bacteria and viruses and to disinfect chemicals or ultra-violet radiation (UV). The UV radiation is in the range of 200 to 300 nanometers and is known to destroy viruses. Such methods are, for example, for the treatment of drinking water interesting.
Any suitable UV source available
While the Coronavirus pandemic, it will search for possibility to use this approach to disinfection. But lacked UV-radiation sources which emit sufficiently high doses of UV-light. So far, this expensive mercury-containing discharge lamps have been used, which require a high level of performance, but at the same time, a relatively short life span.
UV-lamps with LED technology
At this point the America was-Japanese research team. The researchers were looking for a way to develop a powerful LED-UV-light-emitting Diodes. Such a UV source would be transported according to the study, lighter, more durable, more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.
Difficulties with suitable Material
“You have to ensure a sufficient UV-light dose, all of the viruses,” explains Professor Roman Engel-Herbert, the Pennsylvania State University. A high-performance UV-LED has to emit a high intensity of UV-light. This feature is currently limited by the electrode material. This Problem was already in the manufacture of Displays, Smartphones and LED lighting known. “There is just not a good choice of material for a UV-transparent conductor material, which was previously identified,” adds Joseph Roth, a doctoral student from the study team.
A new transparent UV-conductor
The search for a new Material with the correct composition, the researchers suggest the key to high performance UV-LEDs. In the study, the Team examined a recently discovered class of transparent conductors that could fix this Problem maybe. This is a Material called Strontium-Niobate (SrNbO3).
The path to high performance UV-LEDs is paved
The Japanese universities, it is able to atomize the Material by a sputtering method known, so that it is deposited as a thin Film to a desired Material. This is according to the study, a crucial step on the path to technological maturity that allows this new Material in a cost-effective and to integrate in a high number of UV-LEDs.
What could be used, such LEDs?
“During our first Motivation in the development of UV-consisted of transparent conductors is to develop a cost-effective solution for the disinfection of water, we recognize now that this ground-breaking discovery of pathogens may be a solution for the deactivation of COVID-19-in aerosols offers,” says Roth.
This could, for example, in often-frequented public areas such as theatres, cinemas, sports stadiums, public transport and aircraft used in regular intervals, the germs. This, however, goes only, if no people are present, because the UV is damaging light from the skin. (vb)
Read also: ultra violet light destroys SARS-CoV-2-viruses.