This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I proposal will develop a process for conformally coating non-woven fibers and fiber-based systems in order to selectively remove toxic pathogens from fluid streams. The chemically treated surfaces of fibers and fabrics made from these fibers will be able to filter, capture and separate hazardous bio-molecules from the fluid streams, such as water, blood and other types of contaminated fluids. The research will provide new insights into the possibilities available with the proposed novel film deposition process of atomic layer deposition, which permits deposition of single monolayers of a chemical and combinations of various films in selected sequence to build a desired final film structure with targeted properties.
The broader impacts of this technology, if developed successfully, will be in the bio-hazard mitigation. Transmittance of chemical and biological toxins through fluid media is a major threat to human populations around the world, as the various kinds of viruses and pathogens can be directly ingested through the use of contaminated water. Similarly, contaminated blood can cause serious health hazard for patients. The threat of biochemical warfare by terrorists is a major societal concerns. Thus this research, when successfully completed and commercialized, will have a major impact on human health, mitigation of terrorist threats, hospital treatments involving blood transfusion, decontamination of sites after a major accident (fire, explosion, etc.) or chemical spills at industrial locations, spread of water-borne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, ringworms and other health hazards after floods, etc.
