Characteristics of Respiratory Microdroplet Nuclei on Common Substrates

TL;DR

This study investigates how respiratory microdroplet nuclei behave on various common surfaces, revealing their morphology, mechanical properties, and implications for virus transmission and surface-based mitigation strategies.

Contribution

It provides detailed analysis of microdroplet nuclei morphology and mechanics on different substrates, informing antiviral surface design to reduce virus viability.

Findings

Droplets evaporate quickly on all tested surfaces.

Nuclei exhibit two morphological features based on drying mode.

Nuclei have similar mechanical properties across substrates.

Abstract

To evaluate the role of common substrates in the transmission of respiratory viruses, uniformly distributed microdroplets of artificial saliva were generated using an advanced inkjet printing technology to replicate the aerosol droplets, and subsequently deposited on five substrates, including glass, PTFE, stainless steel, ABS, and melamine. The droplets were found to evaporate within a short timeframe, which is consistent with previous reports concerning the drying kinetics of picolitre droplets. Using fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy, we found that the surface deposited microdroplet nuclei present two distinctive morphological features as the result of their drying mode, which is controlled by both interfacial energy and surface roughness. Nanomechanical measurements confirm that the nuclei deposited on all substrates possess similar surface adhesion and Youngs modulus, supporting the proposed coreshell structure of the nuclei. We suggest that appropriate antiviral surface strategies, e.g. functionalisation, chemical deposition, could be developed to modulate the evaporation process of microdroplet nuclei, and subsequently mitigate the possible surface viability and transmissibility of respiratory virus.