Australian company SPEE3D has successfully developed and tested a fast and 
affordable way to 3D print anti-microbial copper onto metal surfaces. 
Laboratory tests have shown that touch surfaces modified by this process 
'contact kills' 96% of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, in just two 
hours.

The process, known as ACTIVAT3D copper, has been developed by modifying 
SPEE3D’s world-leading 3D printing technology, using new algorithms for 
controlling their metal printers to allow existing metal parts to be coated 
with copper. Copper parts are difficult to produce using traditional methods 
and thus 3D printing may be the only tool available to rapidly deploy copper. 
SPEE3D technology makes it fast and affordable.

Australian NATA accredited clinical trial speciality laboratory, 360Biolabs, 
tested the effect of ACTIVAT3D copper on live SARS-CoV-2 in their Physical 
Containment 3 (PC3) laboratory. The results showed that 96% of the virus is 
killed in two hours and 99.2% of the virus killed in 5 hours, while stainless 
steel showed no reduction in the same time frame. Stainless steel is currently 
the material typically used in hygiene environments.

With laboratory testing complete, it is hoped the Australian-developed 
breakthrough can be applied to common touch items like door handles, rails and 
touch plates in hospitals, schools and other public places.

SPEE3D CEO, Byron Kennedy said the company has focused on developing a solution 
that can be rapidly deployed and is more efficient than printing solid copper 
parts from scratch. "The lab results show ACTIVAT3D copper surfaces behave much 
better than traditional stainless, which may offer a promising solution to a 
global problem. The technology can be used globally addressing local 
requirements, be they in hospitals, schools, on ships or shopping centres." 

SPEE3D developed the unique technique to harness copper's proven abilities to 
eradicate bacteria, yeasts and viruses rapidly on contact by breaking down the 
cell wall and destroying the genome(1). This is compared to traditional 
surfaces like stainless steel and plastic, with recent studies showing that 
SARS-CoV-2 can survive on these materials for up to three days(2). 

Stainless steel and plastic surfaces can be disinfected, however, the problem 
with these surfaces is that, even with rigorous protocols, it is impossible to 
clean them constantly. When surfaces become contaminated between cleans, 
touching them may contribute to superspreading events. Touching contaminated 
objects, known as fomite transmission, was suspected during the 2003 SARS-CoV-1 
epidemic and analysis of a nosocomial SARS57 CoV-1 superspreading event 
concluded that touching contaminated objects (fomites) played a significant 
role(2). 

To validate its abilities to combat COVID-19, copper samples printed by SPEE3D 
have been lab tested and shown to kill SARS-CoV-2. The SPEE3D team developed a 
process to coat a stainless-steel door touch plate and other handles in just 5 
minutes. The digital print files were then sent to participating partners 
around the globe, allowing the simultaneous installation of newly-coated parts 
in buildings in the USA, Asia and Australia. In a matter of days, copper 
fixtures were installed in buildings at Charles Darwin University (CDU) in 
Darwin, Swinburne University in Melbourne, the University of Delaware in the 
USA and in Japan.

Assistant Director of Digital Design and Additive Manufacturing at the 
University of Delaware, Larry (LJ) Holmes, said "Scientists and engineers at 
the University of Delaware were honoured to be part of this global research 
collaboration. We recognized the importance of developing simple, yet highly 
impactful, solutions that have been proven effective on COVID-19. Recognizing 
supply chain shortfalls over the last couple of months, it was clear to this 
team that fabrication speed was a priority. Using this technology, we are able 
to rapidly transition safe options for high-touch surfaces."

SPEE3D has worked in close collaboration with the Advanced Manufacturing 
Alliance (AMA) at CDU. The initial testing of ACTIVAT3D copper and future 
studies have been funded and supported by the National Energy Resources 
Australia (NERA). NERA CEO Miranda Taylor said SPEE3D’s ability to successfully 
adapt their technology and pivot their business model demonstrated the 
resilience of Australian businesses and their potential to help the world 
combat COVID-19. "NERA has supported SPEE3D to develop market-leading 
technologies to help our national energy sector, and we're committed to 
assisting them leverage their skills and expertise into this important new 
paradigm to help our country and many others curtail the devastating impact of 
this global pandemic."

For more information on ACTIVAT3D copper, visit www.spee3d.com.

About SPEE3D
SPEE3D, based in Darwin and Melbourne, Australia, is an innovative supplier of 
metal-based additive manufacturing technology. SPEE3D developed a metal 3D 
printer able to rapidly manufacture components in a variety of different metals 
and alloys including copper. SPEE3D printers leverage a process called cold 
spray, which involves accelerating powder particles within a supersonic air 
jet. The particles deform and bond onto a surface, building up a coating, and 
eventually, a 3D object. The company has recently announced government-funded 
trials with the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army. 

Note for Editors:
This press release, along with images and videos can be found in the Resources 
– Press Kit section( https://www.spee3d.com/resources/?resource=press-kit) of 
the SPEE3D website or dropbox.( 
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8qtschhqgo77s1k/AAB0kSauUfVTVTbkBpgf8V6Sa?dl=0)

1. Warnes, S.L., Little, Z.R. and Keevil, C.W., 2015. Human coronavirus 229E 
remains infectious on common touch surface materials. MBio, 6(6), pp.e01697-15.

2. Van Doremalen, N., Bushmaker, T., Morris, D., Holbrook, M., Gamble, A., 
Williamson, B., Tamin, A., Harcourt, J., Thornburg, N., Gerber, S. and 
Lloyd-Smith, J., 2020. Aerosol and surface stability of HCoV-19 (SARS-CoV-2) 
compared to SARS-CoV-1. medRxiv.

SOURCE: SPEE3D