Galante, Anthony John
(2022)
Durable, Self-Cleaning, Medical Fabric Coatings for Infectious Hazard Protection.
Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
(Unpublished)
Abstract
There exists a socio-economical need to improve the safety of public health against infectious hazards. Global pandemics cause catastrophic physical, emotional, and
economical costs. Similarly, healthcare associated infections (HAI) is a growing health concern that
affects millions of people and costs US hospitals billions of dollars each year. In healthcare,
hospitals hold immuno-compromised patients requiring the implementation of contamination
mitigation measures. Healthcare professionals, patients, and visitors are exposed to
high doses of infectious hazards such as human coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome
coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Personal protective equipment (PPE), from masks to clothing to gowns, are essential for
protecting the general public, healthcare workers, patients and visitors from infectious
hazards. However, PPE may become contaminated and inadvertently aid in the transmission
of microorganisms that are commonly carried through bodily fluids. A fomite is any
inanimate object that becomes contaminated and has the capability to transfer disease to a
new host. PPE commonly become fomites that transmit infection.
There is a need to improve the
performance of PPE for fomite prevention.
Self-cleaning surface coating treatments provide a solution to improve the safety of public health by
reducing the risk of disease spread by fomites. PPE may undergo a surface coating treatment
with a self-cleaning functionality to reduce the risk of infection transmission. Self-cleaning, medical
surface coatings are a proactive strategy to improve public health safety by preventing surface
contamination from human body fluid, bacteria, and viruses.
Currently, there exists a gap in knowledge for incorporating functional materials into
scalable and durable surface coatings to reduce the risk of infections caused by fomites. Current
surface treatment strategies do not have long-lasting durability for practical use in medical
settings. This research will overcome the current limiting factors for an effective medical
coating: functionality of reducing the transmission of virus infection and the durability of
that functionality.
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Details
| Item Type: |
University of Pittsburgh ETD
|
| Status: |
Unpublished |
| Creators/Authors: |
|
| ETD Committee: |
|
| Date: |
10 June 2022 |
| Date Type: |
Publication |
| Defense Date: |
23 March 2022 |
| Approval Date: |
10 June 2022 |
| Submission Date: |
12 April 2022 |
| Access Restriction: |
2 year -- Restrict access to University of Pittsburgh for a period of 2 years. |
| Number of Pages: |
100 |
| Institution: |
University of Pittsburgh |
| Schools and Programs: |
Swanson School of Engineering > Industrial Engineering |
| Degree: |
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy |
| Thesis Type: |
Doctoral Dissertation |
| Refereed: |
Yes |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: |
self-cleaning, repellent, fabric, virus, coating, durability, antiviral, protective equipment, infection prevention |
| Date Deposited: |
10 Jun 2022 19:41 |
| Last Modified: |
10 Jun 2022 19:41 |
| URI: |
http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/42593 |
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