Our colleague Sunil Pathak has been tackling the topic of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in the context of its application for aviation industry in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. His article “Engineered Nanomaterials for Aviation Industry in COVID-19 Context: A Time-Sensitive Review” has been recently published in the journal of Coatings.
Nanocoatings can bring several benefits to aviation, such as: incorporate decreased carbon impression, less cleaning and maintenance costs, protection against corrosion and erosion, and diminished ice accumulation. Nanocoatings are additionally proven for fuel-burn saving based on their drag reduction.
Moreover, the microbial and antiviral nanomaterials coatings may help fight deadly viruses such as COVID-19 and other future viruses. In novel antiviral therapy, various metal nanostructures such as zinc oxide, tin oxide nanowires, and zinc oxide tetrapod are commonly used. Similarly, nanomaterials of silver, gold, silicon have been studied for their strong antiviral efficacy. They discourage viruses from entering by imitating cell receptors or suppressing gene expression replication and viral assembly. Therefore, antiviral nanomaterials and coatings have a great potential to protect the airplanes’ interior and to safeguard the passenger’s trust.
Engineered nanomaterials promise the development of multifunctional materials which will help construct and keep aircraft, spacecraft and ships light, safer, smarter, and more effective. For more details, please read the whole article.
