Future of fabrics: Paper-based sanitizers

Tomorrow's clothing might be able to kill harmful microorganisms and prevent the spread of diseases in a zap.

This is what researchers at New Jersey's Rutgers University hope to achieve with the development of a paper-based sanitizer that eliminates bacteria using plasma generated from its embedded honeycomb aluminum layers. The process works by sending electric current through the metallic paper, which then produces ozone and UV light that kill germs.

"Paper is an ancient material, but it has unique attributes for new, high-tech applications," said Aaron Mazzeo, one of the researchers and assistant professor at Rutgers' Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering. "We found that by applying high voltage to stacked sheets of metallized paper, we were able to generate plasma, which is a combination of heat, ultraviolet radiation, and ozone that kill microbes."

According to the study, paper-based sanitizers may be integrated into clothing to impart self-sterilizing property. This can prove useful in the medical field, paving the way for self-disinfecting hospital gowns and gloves, smart bandages and even provide a means of sanitizing laboratory equipment.

"To our knowledge, we're the first to use paper as a base to generate plasma," said Jingjin Xie, lead investigator and doctoral candidate also at Rutgers' Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering.

Preliminary testings showed that the paper-based sanitizers can eliminate 99.9 percent of E. coli and 99 percent of yeast in 30 seconds. The trials also revealed that the sanitizers can get rid of bacterial spores that are usually hard to kill using conventional sterilization methods. The group's next goal is to check the efficacy of the sanitizer system in killing spores.