GC INK™ NEUTRALISES 100% OF CORONAVIRUS OC43 AND INFLUENZA A VIRUSES – IN UNDER ONE MINUTE
One year on, and as the world’s eyes remain focused on the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccines, NETPark based Graphene Composites, a leading global nanomaterials engineering company, has unveiled a new technology – GC Ink™ – that could make our most vulnerable public spaces safer from the transmission of viruses and bacteria, including Coronavirus – by neutralising them.
GC Ink™ has been independently tested by Brown University to show 100% effectiveness at neutralising coronavirus and influenza viruses in under one minute, and the findings have been published on bioRxiv.
This fast-acting, extremely effective, and safe formulation of graphene and silver nanoparticles can be applied to masks and other PPE, and in particular, applied to filters in ventilation systems. When used in filters and masks, GC Ink™ is highly effective at trapping and neutralising airborne coronaviruses and other viruses/bacteria for several weeks. When used in wipes, GC Ink also leaves a thin, highly effective, safe layer of protection against viruses and bacteria that lasts for at least 24 hours.
GC’s technology is highly effective because it has a dual-action mechanism: the negatively-charged surface of graphene oxide traps the positively-charged parts of water droplets and the protein spikes on coronavirus, and the silver nanoparticles release ions that oxidise the lipid membrane protecting coronavirus RNA, thereby neutralising it.
“Making the air that we breathe and the surfaces that we touch much safer could be a key enabler in the safe reopening of our economy and other public spaces, such as schools.” said Sandy Chen, GC CEO & Co-Founder. “GC Ink™ is a powerful weapon against not only this pandemic, but against a broad range of viruses and bacteria. We are now moving into full commercialisation of our GC Ink™ with several manufacturing partners in a wide variety of applications, from masks to filters, to consumer goods.”
Brown’s top respiratory virologist, Amanda M. Jamieson, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, who led the tests, said, “Our results show that this technology is very effective at preventing infection by two important respiratory viruses which clearly has important implications for this pandemic and the next one.”
The UK Centre for Process Innovation (CPI) who conducted coating tests, confirm that GC Ink™ can be applied to a wide variety of substrates and fabrics, including cotton/viscose (for filters, masks and clothing), polycarbonates (for visors and screen protectors), and thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU (for consumer electronics, phone/tablet cases and many other consumer goods) – leaving a virtually invisible, but highly effective, layer on almost any surface.
The UK National Physical Laboratory (NPL) measured the impact on airflow rates (for masks and filters) of applying GC Ink™, concluding little or no impact on airflow rates. This is crucial for breathability in masks and air quality in building ventilation systems. Because of the unique ability of GC Ink™ to form an ultra-thin, uniform, actively virucidal film on the individual fibres of the filter materials, air can flow virtually unimpeded through treated filters – whilst airborne viruses and bacteria are trapped and destroyed by our GC Ink™.
As demand for GC Ink™ rises, Graphene Composites is well positioned to scale production to meet demand worldwide, with production partnerships in place in the UK and US.
Brown is now in the process of testing GC Ink™ against SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (which causes Covid-19) in a BSL3 facility in partnership with the Rhode Island Dept of Health (RIDOH). Because the tested Coronavirus OC43 and SARS-CoV-2 have similar structures, it is expected that GC Ink™ will prove to be similarly effective against SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus.
GC Ink™ formulations are protected by patents pending.
About Graphene Composites: Graphene Composites is a world leader in nanomaterials engineering. We are driven by our ethos – GC for Good – working with our partners to apply our expertise in graphene and other nanomaterials engineering to make truly life-enhancing products.
About Brown University: Brown is an ivy League university based in Providence, Rhode Island. Brown’s Jamieson Lab conducted the tests in their Bio Safety Level 2 (BSL2) labs using a standard plaque assay approach, similar to the ISO international standards for anti-viral testing.
News source: Graphene Composites.
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CPI has developed a specialist offering to support SMEs looking to develop their printable electronics applications and our partnership with Business Durham has been instrumental in attracting several SMEs to locate here in the region.
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We initially came because of the printable electronics centre but access to a highly skilled semi conductor workforce in the North East has been a key factor in us staying and growing here, as well as the value for money office space and the access to funding.
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