Pathogen capture using active surface modification

Abstract

Fabrics, such as employed in air filters, facemasks, garments, or PPE, are coated with pathogen-binding agents, such as chemicals that bind to protein-encapsulated airborne pathogens. Some of these pathogen-binding agents include multifunctional chemicals that bind to the fabrics and to exposed proteins and/or glycans on the pathogens. Some of these pathogen-binding agents include multifunctional silanes. Some of these pathogen-binding agents include multifunctional phosphanes or phosphonates.

1 . A pathogen-capturing material for binding pathogens, comprising:
 a fabric treated with a pathogen-binding chemical, wherein the pathogen-binding chemical comprises a multifunctional molecule, wherein the multifunctional molecule includes a multifunctional phosphane or a multifunctional phosphonate and has at least a first functional group and a second functional group, wherein the first functional group is bonded to the fabric and the second functional group is configured to bond to a protein-encapsulated pathogen, wherein the first functional group or second functional group comprises one or more of an amino group, an epoxy group, a carboxylate group, and an azide group.   
     
     
         2 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is configured in a form of a filter medium configured to allow air to pass therethrough, wherein the fabric is configured in the form of a mask or configured for employment in an air circulation system, and wherein the second functional group is configured to bond to an airborne protein-encapsulated pathogen. 
     
     
         3 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen-binding chemical comprises a trialkoxy phosphane or a trialkoxy phosphonate. 
     
     
         4 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the multifunctional phosphane or the multifunctional phosphonate includes an aliphatic linker of 2 to 18 atoms between a phosphorous atom and one or more terminal functional groups, and wherein atoms in the linking chain are predominately carbon, and wherein the aliphatic linker is flexible. 
     
     
         5 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 4 , wherein the linking chain contains one or more of oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, a bis amine, or a phenyl group and/or the terminal groups includes a simple amine. 
     
     
         6 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen-binding chemical comprises one or more of 3-aminopropyltriethoxyphosphane (C 9 H 23 NO 3 P), (3-glycidoxypropyl)trimethoxyphosphane (C 9 H 20 O 5 P), N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltriethoxyphosphane (C 11 H 28 N 2 O 3 P), 3-aminopropyltrimethoxyphosphane (C 6 H 17 NO 3 P), triethoxysphosphylpropylmaleamic acid (C 13 H 25 NO 6 P), (aminoethylaminomethyl)phenethyltrimethoxyphosphane (C 14 H 26 N 2 O 3 P), 3-(N,N-dimethylaminopropyl)aminopropylmethyldimethoxyphosphane (C 11 H 28 N 2 O 2 P), and 3-azidopropyltriethoxyphosphane (C 9 H 21 N 3 O 3 P), and an alkylphosphane or an alkylphosphonate. 
     
     
         7 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen-binding chemical is covalently and/or exothermically bonded to the fabric and the pathogen-binding chemical is configured to covalently and/or exothermically bond to a virus and IgG. 
     
     
         8 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen-binding chemical is configured to bond to a spike protein of a virus, a membrane protein of a virus, an envelope protein of a virus, or a phospholipid bilayer of a virus. 
     
     
         9 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the treated fabric has a coating of the pathogen-binding chemical with a depth of less than or equal to 2 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the treated fabric has a coating of the pathogen-binding chemical that is noncontiguous. 
     
     
         11 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein more than or equal to 90% the pathogen-binding chemicals bound to the fabric are crosslinked to fewer than or equal to 5 of the same pathogen-binding chemicals. 
     
     
         12 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein more than or equal to 75% the pathogen-binding chemicals bound to the fabric are crosslinked to fewer than or equal to 3 of the same pathogen-binding chemicals. 
     
     
         13 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric before and after treatment with the pathogen-binding chemical exhibits no difference in airflow as detected by a Retrotec DM32 manometer. 
     
     
         14 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein treatment of the fabric with the pathogen-binding chemical results in non-toxic reaction biproducts below their toxicity threshold limit values (TLVs) to humans. 
     
     
         15 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the treated fabric has a coating of the pathogen-binding chemical with a depth of less than or equal to 5 nm, and wherein more than or equal to 50% the pathogen-binding chemicals bound to the fabric are crosslinked to fewer than or equal to 5 of the same pathogen-binding chemicals. 
     
     
         16 . A pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric has first and second sides configured to permit air to enter through the first side and exit from the second side, such that air having a measurable amount of protein-encapsulated airborne pathogens that are contagious to humans flowing through the first side contains no measurable amount of protein-encapsulated airborne pathogens that are contagious to humans upon exiting from the second side. 
     
     
         17 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the pathogen-binding chemical comprises a trialkoxy phosphane or a trialkoxy phosphonate, wherein the treated fabric has a coating of the pathogen-binding chemical with a depth of less than or equal to 5 nm, wherein more than or equal to 50% the pathogen-binding chemicals bound to the fabric are crosslinked to fewer than or equal to 5 of the same pathogen-binding chemicals, and wherein the fabric before and after treatment with the pathogen-binding chemical exhibits no difference in airflow as detected by a Retrotec DM32 manometer. 
     
     
         18 . The pathogen-capturing material of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric is configured in a form of a wiping cloth. 
     
     
         19 . A method of for making a pathogen-capturing material, comprising:
 providing a fabric; and   treating the fabric with a pathogen-binding chemical, wherein the pathogen-binding chemical comprises a multifunctional molecule, wherein the multifunctional molecule includes a multifunctional phosphane or a multifunctional phosphonate, including at least a first functional group and a second functional group, wherein the first functional group is configured to bond to the fabric and the second functional group is configured to bond to a protein-encapsulated airborne pathogen.   
     
     
         20 . A method of for making a pathogen-capturing material, comprising:
 providing a fabric; and   treating the fabric with a pathogen-binding chemical, wherein the pathogen-binding chemical comprises a multifunctional silane, including at least a first functional group and a second functional group, wherein the first functional group is configured to bond to the fabric and the second functional group is configured to bond to a protein-encapsulated airborne pathogen.