ABSTRACT
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created an acute worldwide demand for sustained broadband pathogen suppression in households, hospitals, and public spaces. The latest surges in infections have surpassed 125,000 daily new cases in the US, the highest rates of the pandemic. In response, we have created a rapid-acting, self-sterilizing copper configuration capable of killing SARS-CoV-2 and other microbes in seconds. This highly active conformation destroys pathogens faster than any conventional copper configuration. The material maintains its antimicrobial efficacy over consecutive periods of use and is shelf stable. We have performed rigorous testing in accordance with guidelines from U.S. governing authorities and believe that the material could offer broad spectrum, non-selective defense against most microbes via integration into masks and other protective equipment.