Transparent Silver Nanoparticle Antiviral Coating for Dark Conditions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing antiviral compositions fail to provide effective antiviral activity in dark places and maintain transparency, as photocatalytic materials require light for activation, while silver nanoparticles alone exhibit low efficacy against non-enveloped viruses and aggregate easily, making them impractical for transparent applications.

Innovation Solution

A composition of silver nanoparticles with a protection agent, having a dispersed particle diameter of 1000 nm or less and a primary particle diameter of 500 nm or less, exhibits antiviral activity in dark places and enhances it with light irradiation, maintaining a haze value of 3% or less.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If photocatalytic materials are used to provide antiviral activity, then antiviral effect is achieved, but the material requires light irradiation and cannot function in dark places

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantiviral activityVSAvoidfunctionality in dark places
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines silver nanoparticles with photocatalytic materials to create a composite system that integrates both photocatalytic antiviral activity and dark-place antiviral activity. The silver nanoparticles provide dark-place antiviral function while the photocatalytic material enhances activity when exposed to light, achieving versatility across different lighting conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite material system consisting of silver nanoparticles and photocatalytic materials. This composite structure allows the material to exhibit both photocatalytic properties (for light-exposed environments) and silver nanoparticle properties (for dark environments), resolving the limitation of photocatalytic materials alone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If silver nanoparticles are used to provide antiviral activity in dark places, then antiviral effect is achieved, but the particles aggregate easily and reduce transparency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantiviral activity in dark placesVSAvoidparticle dispersion stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a protective agent as an intermediary substance that adsorbs onto the surface of silver nanoparticles. This protective agent prevents aggregation by providing steric or electrostatic repulsion between particles, maintaining dispersion stability while preserving the antiviral activity of silver nanoparticles in dark places.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If silver nanoparticles are used to provide antiviral activity, then antiviral effect is achieved, but the composition lacks transparency for practical applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveantiviral activityVSAvoidtransparency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent optimizes the particle size parameters of silver nanoparticles to achieve a balance between antiviral activity and transparency. By controlling the nanoparticles to be within specific size ranges (e.g., 1-100 nm), the composition maintains sufficient antiviral efficacy while preserving optical transparency for practical applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

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 composition demonstrates strong antiviral activity in dark environments and enhances it with light, maintaining transparency and stability, effectively inactivating both enveloped and non-enveloped viruses.

Implementation Method 1

The photocatalytic reaction refers to a reaction caused by excited electrons and holes generated when a photocatalyst, as typified by titanium oxide, absorbs light. The excited electrons and holes generated on the titanium oxide surface by the photocatalytic reaction undergo an oxidation-reduction reaction with oxygen and water adsorbed on the titanium oxide surface and generate activated species.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhotocatalytic reaction: Photo-oxidation

Implementation Method 2

The photocatalytic reaction is triggered by irradiation with a light of ultraviolet region (wavelength of 10 to 400 nm) or a visible light region (400 to 800 nm)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight absorption: Absorption (EM radiation)

Implementation Method 3

silver nanoparticles having a protection agent adsorbed on the surfaces of the nanoparticles and having a dispersed particle diameter of 1000 nm or less and a primary particle diameter of 500 nm or less

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectDispersion: Dispersion (of waves)

Data Source

PatentUS20250338852A1Antiviral composition and member having same on surface
Publication Date: 2025.11.06 SHIN ETSU CHEMICAL CO LTD

AI summary

Provided is an antiviral composition capable of forming, on a surface of a member, a composition that exhibits antiviral activities and is highly transparent. The antiviral composition contains silver nanoparticles as an active component, said silver nanoparticles having a protection agent adsorbed on the surfaces of the nanoparticles and having a dispersed particle diameter of 1000 nm or less and a primary particle diameter of 500 nm or less, wherein the composition exhibits an antiviral activity value greater than 0.3 based on JIS R1756:2020 in a dark place, while the composition exhibits an antiviral activity value that is positively affected by light irradiation based on JIS R1756:2020.