Copper Alloy Surface Treatment for Rapid Sterilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current copper and copper alloy surfaces take time to manifest antimicrobial actions, which may not be sufficient to prevent infectious diseases and the horizontal transfer of antimicrobial-resistant genes, despite achieving significant reductions in bioburden and healthcare-acquired infections.
Innovation Solution
A surface treatment method involving a reducing agent solution containing biological reducing substances like reduced glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, sodium ascorbate, or cysteine is applied to copper or copper alloys, enhancing the generation of hydrogen peroxide and copper (II) ions, which react to produce reactive oxygen species, thereby accelerating antimicrobial actions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If copper or copper alloy surfaces are used for sterilization, then antimicrobial activity is achieved, but the action time is too long (taking hours instead of minutes or seconds)
Solution Approach 1:
The copper surface is pre-treated with a reducing agent solution containing biological reducing substances (such as reduced glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, sodium ascorbate, or cysteine) to create a surface layer that rapidly generates reactive oxygen species. This preliminary action enables the copper surface to immediately produce high concentrations of antimicrobial reactive oxygen species upon contact with bacteria, reducing the sterilization time from hours to minutes or seconds while maintaining reliable antimicrobial activity.
Solution Approach 2:
The chemical state of the copper surface is changed by applying a reducing agent solution, which modifies the surface properties to enhance the generation rate of reactive oxygen species. This parameter change in the surface chemistry enables rapid antimicrobial action without sacrificing the inherent antimicrobial activity of copper, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and time loss.
2Reliability
If copper or copper alloy surfaces are used for sterilization, then bioburden is reduced by 80% or more, but bioburden is not reduced to zero and HAI incidence is only reduced by about half
Solution Approach 1:
The copper surface is enhanced to generate reactive oxygen species, which are strong oxidizing agents that rapidly destroy bacterial cells and their components. This accelerated oxidation process ensures more complete sterilization by thoroughly oxidizing and destroying residual bacteria, thereby reducing bioburden to zero and preventing healthcare-acquired infections more effectively, thus improving sterilization completeness while maintaining high reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method significantly enhances the immediate antimicrobial effects on copper and copper alloy surfaces, leading to quicker destruction of bacteria and improved sterilization efficiency, reducing the risk of infectious disease transmission and antimicrobial resistance.
Implementation Method 1
The Fenton reaction is a reaction in which iron (II) ions and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) are combined in an aqueous solution to generate hydroxyl radicals (·OH). It is known that a similar reaction occurs with copper (I) ions.
Implementation Method 2
A surface treatment method involving a reducing agent solution containing biological reducing substances like reduced glutathione, N-acetylcysteine, sodium ascorbate, or cysteine is applied to copper or copper alloys, enhancing the generation of hydrogen peroxide and copper (II) ions, which react to produce reactive oxygen species
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a surface treatment method that improves antimicrobial activity of copper or a copper alloy and enhances immediate effects of antimicrobial actions on the surface of the copper or the copper alloy. A surface treatment method for copper or a copper alloy according to the present invention comprises preparing a reducing agent solution containing a biological reducing substance, and treating the surface of the copper or the copper alloy with the reducing agent solution. The present invention also provides a surface treatment liquid for sterilizing copper or a copper alloy, in which the surface treatment liquid contains a biological reducing substance. The present invention also provides a sterilization method that comprises bringing copper or a copper alloy treated by the surface treatment method into contact with a surface of an object to sterilize the surface of the object.