Light-activated conjugated polymers and oligomers for broad-spectrum antimicrobial surface applications

Overview

This solution leverages light-activated conjugated polymers and oligomers—built on phenylene ethynylene and thiophene backbones—as broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. When applied to soft surfaces such as fabrics and wipes or to hard surfaces such as countertops, these compounds bind selectively to microbial biomolecular structures including proteins, membranes, and nucleic acids. Upon exposure to near-UV or visible light, they photosensitize the production of singlet oxygen, a reactive oxygen species that oxidizes and inactivates the bound microbes. The result is rapid, light-triggered biocidal action against bacteria, bacteriophages, fungi, spores, and enveloped viruses including SARS-CoV-2.

The technology offers a versatile platform for developing consumer and institutional antimicrobial products such as disinfectant wipes, sprays, filters, surface coatings, masks, clothing, bed linens, and blankets. Because the biocidal action is activated by ambient or low-intensity light rather than harsh chemicals, it provides a non-leaching, light-controlled approach to surface disinfection.

Technical specifications

Core mechanism:

• Compounds strongly absorb and fluoresce in the near-UV to visible range (300–450 nm and beyond)
• Selective binding to microbial biomolecular assemblies (proteins, membranes, RNA/DNA)
• Light-triggered singlet oxygen generation that oxidizes and inactivates bound microbes

Performance highlights:

• Greater than 6-log reduction (99.9999%+) of bacteria and viruses routinely achieved
• 99.99% inactivation of SARS-CoV-2 (2.6 × 10⁵ pfu/mL) in 10–20 minutes under near-UV (300–400 nm) or visible (420 nm) non-laser light at low concentrations (5–10 µg/mL)
• Selective toxicity: effective against microbes at concentrations that show low toxicity to mammalian cells
• Effective against both cationic and anionic polymer and oligomer variants

Material compatibility:

• Water-soluble and processable from aqueous solution
• Applicable to soft surfaces (fabrics, wipes) and hard surfaces (countertops, coatings)
• Compounds absorbing above 450 nm are under investigation for broader light-source compatibility

Potential product formats: wipes, sprays, filters, surface coatings, masks, protective clothing, sheets, and blankets

Technology readiness level

The core compounds have been synthesized and validated in laboratory studies, demonstrating broad-spectrum light-activated biocidal activity with high kill rates against bacteria, bacteriophages, fungi, spores, and SARS-CoV-2. Ongoing and planned validation efforts focus on applying the polymers and oligomers from aqueous solution onto soft and hard surfaces to assess stability, release and transfer behavior, and sustained antimicrobial performance against target bacteria (E. coli, S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and enveloped viruses under both dark and light-exposed conditions. Safety and prolonged activity studies are also underway to support translation into consumer products.