SILAR deposited antiviral silver-doped ceria nano-films

Amid the COVID-19 global pandemic, ceria nanomaterials (CN) have garnered renewed interest as potential antiviral agents due to their ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) on their surfaces. Enhancing ROS generation through precise defect engineering is key to improving these antiviral properties. This can be achieved through various methods, such as altering nano-dimensions and doping. In this context, we report on silver-doped ceria thin films. We have employed a cost-effective SILAR (Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction) method for ceria nano-film deposition, which offers excellent control over film thickness. Utilizing an Arduino-controlled layer-by-layer (LBL) setup, we achieved precise control over the deposition process. This method facilitated the easy doping of ceria nano-films with silver ions. The silver-doped SILAR ceria thin films of varying thicknesses were subjected to antibacterial testing against E. coli bacteria. The samples with the highest antibacterial activity were further tested for antiviral efficacy against Feline calicivirus. The 80 SILAR Layers AgCeria sample exhibited the best activity, completely deactivating the viral titer (10(5)). This sample, when further tested against OC43 coronavirus, demonstrated a > 99 % reduction in virus titer. The mechanisms underlying these antimicrobial properties were investigated using antioxidative testing assays.