Eco-Friendly and Low-Cost Synthesis of Transparent\nAntiviral- and Antibacterial-Coated Films Based on Cu<sub>2</sub>O\nand MIL-53(Al)

This\nresearch presents the development of an innovative antimicrobial\ncoating consisting of cuprous oxide (Cu<sub>2</sub>O) integrated with\nthe metal–organic framework MIL-53(Al) through an eco-friendly\nand low-cost synthesis method that employs glucose as a reducing agent\nunder mild conditions. The microstructural properties of the composite\nmaterials were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and\ntransmission electron microscopy (TEM). The antibacterial efficacy\nof the Cu<sub>2</sub>O-MIL-53(Al) (CuM) composite was assessed against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus\naureus, achieving a reduction efficacy of 99.99% with\n5% copper incorporated into the MIL-53(Al) framework within a contact\ntime of 24 h. The incorporation of CuM into a macromolecular host\nmatrix of polyurethane-carboxymethylcellulose (CuM/PUD-CMC), applied\nas a coating on a low-cost plastic film, produced a transparent film\nwith 87.10% transparency. This coating demonstrated a 99.99% reduction\nin E. coli and S. aureus populations within a contact time of 24 h. The CuM/PUD-CMC coating\ndemonstrated substantial antiviral efficacy, achieving inactivation\nrates of 99.35% for Human Coronavirus 229E, 99.40% for Influenza A\nvirus, and 97.76% for Enterovirus 71 within a contact time of 5 min.\nThe CuM nanoparticles exhibited low toxicity toward zebrafish while\neffectively eradicating bacteria and inactivating viruses. The proposed\nlow-cost material and coating method demonstrate significant potential\nas a broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antiviral agent, highlighting\nits suitability for various applications in biomedical and healthcare\nformulations.