In the rapidly evolving conditions regarding the COVID-19 novel coronavirus, American Elements manufactures advanced materials and chemical compounds that are critical to aid in preventing the spread of the virus, both in terms of environmental sterilization and the development of antiviral treatments. American Elements provides needs based discounts to government agencies during the crisis. Several of these materials are described below.
Antimicrobial materials are an important contribution American Elements makes to manufacturers, medical responders, and consumers doing their best to contain and treat the virus. Virucides are chemicals that attack and destroy viruses on surfaces and include substances such as bleach (sodium hypochlorite), isopropyl alcohol, and ethanol.
American Elements supplies these and other reagents and precursor materials to our industrial customers in the chemical manufacturing industry. For more information about consumer use of these materials, please visit the Center for Disease Control's guidelines. For disinfecting skin, washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is the most effective way to minimize the spread of germs. In absence of soap, "hand sanitizer" is a close second in terms of effectiveness, composed of ethyl or isopropyl alcohol mixed with other less irritating materials like aloe vera gel.
Disinfection and Advanced Cleaning Materials
| Product | CAS No. | Molecular Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium Chloride, Anhydrous | 10043-52-4 | CaCl2 |
| Calcium Chloride Solution | 10043-52-4 | CaCl2 |
| Sodium Chlorite | 7758-19-2 | NaClO2 |
| Sodium Dodecylsulfate | 151-21-3 | C12H26O4SNa |
| Sodium Hypochlorite Solution | 7681-52-9 | NaClO |
Antimicrobial Materials
| Product | CAS No. | Molecular Formula |
|---|---|---|
| Copper Nanoparticles | 7440-50-8 | Cu |
| Copper-Nickel Alloy Nanoparticles | 12357-13-0 | Cu/Ni |
| Copper Oxide Nanoparticles | 1317-38-0 | CuO |
| Copper-Zinc Alloy Nanoparticles | 53801-63-1 | Cu/Zn |
| Gold Nanoparticles | 7440-57-5 | Au |
| Palladium Nanoparticles | 7440-05-3 | Pd |
| Platinum Nanoparticles | 7440-06-4 | Pt |
| Silver Nanoparticles | 7440-22-4 | Ag |
| Silver Nitrate | 7761-88-8 | AgNO3 |
| Silver Nitrate Solution | 7761-88-8 | AgNO3 |
| Silver-exchanged Zeolite | 130328-18-6 | Ag-(zeolite) |
| Silver Zinc Zeolite | 130328-20-0 | Ag/Zn-(zeolite) |
| Zinc Nanoparticles | 7440-66-6 | Zn |
| Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles | 1314-13-2 | ZnO |
Advanced materials also play a critical role in developing and manufacturing antiviral drugs and treatment therapies. As opposed to virucidal materials, which destroy viruses, antiviral treatments (vaccines) inhibit the development of viruses from the onset. Numerous materials are under investigation in the fields of classical pharmacology and rational drug design to combat viruses like COVID-19 and others. Metallic nanoparticles are of particular interest, including copper nanoparticles (CuNPs), silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), silver carbonate nanoparticles, and tungsten carbide nanoparticles, in addition to other materials like mesoporous aluminosilicates (zeolites).