Droplet-capturing coatings on environmental surfaces based on cosmetic ingredients

Summary Transmission of infectious respiratory diseases starts with pathogen-laden respiratory droplets released from a source, the removal of which should help to prevent or slow down the overall spread of the pathogens. Here, we demonstrate that a surface-agnostic, non-destructive, polymer-based coating can significantly enhance the capture of aerosols and droplets. The water-based formulation contains only cosmetic ingredients and yields uniform and conformal coatings on a broad range of indoor environmental surfaces, regardless of the material composition, wettability, and texture. The coating remains transparent and haze free even after extensive droplet deposition. Additives can be incorporated to bring additional functions, such as coloration and sanitization. The strategy enhances the function of transparent protective barriers and can repurpose large areas of barely touched indoor environmental surfaces for droplet removal, eliminating these infectious sources from the chain of transmission.