A concept note on manufacturing paper that can be used as a tool to protect ourselves from the attach of virus Covid-19.

1. A Concept Note on Anti-Virus Paper
Covid-19 has forced the whole world in defending role to same mankind. The best solution
is staying indoors, avoid getting in physical contact with anyone who is suffering from it,
washing hands frequently and maintaining good immune system of our body.
From what we know, the virus cannot be killed- it is already a non-living thing; but with
soap, it gets disintegrated and becomes ineffective to replicate itself even when a suitable
environment is available. That is why washing hand frequently with soap is being
considered a good way to protect ourselves.
It has been observed that the virus remains active on different surfaces for different time
before being dissipated. This time varies from 2-3 hours on paper, to 2-3 days on stainless
steel. That indicates that paper could be a good medium to fight this deadly virus.
The Concept:
As both paper and soap show us a way to fight against Covid-19, the proposed concept uses
the combination of both as a tool to check on spread of Covid-19. The idea is to coat the
paper with a thin layer of soap molecules. This paper can be further used as a contact
surface in place of conventional surfaces, wherever possible. As a carrier person (infected
with Covid-19) touches this paper, some of the virus is transferred to that paper, but due to
presence of soap molecules, these molecules might detach from paper and enter the Covid-
19 virus ultimately destroying the same.
This paper can be wrapped around handrails, used as a protective covering on handles,
door-knobs in the public areas etc. This paper might be printed with the replica of lift push-
buttons panel, and pasted over that, so that when anyone uses the lift, to press any floor
button this paper receives the virus from one person, which are destroyed before some
other person uses the lift panel. Needless to say, this sheet may be replaced every day or
so. The paper may also find application as table cover or a cover for the counter of your
favorite grocery shop. As the estimated soap in paper is not going to be high, disposal of the
same should not be an issue, and the same can be recycled easily.
Jean Perrin has estimated the size of soap molecule typically as 4.5 nanometer.
(https://skullsinthestars.com/2012/05/16/the-secret-molecular-life-of-soap-bubbles-1913/)
On the other hand, the size of Covid-19 virus has been estimated within 60-140 nanometer,
with most probable figure of 120 nanometer. Out of this, 80 nanometer is the spherical
envelope is 80 nanometer and the size of bulbous surface projections is 20 nanometers.
(https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Coronavirus)
(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554776/)
These sizes give a good starting point for the work. As per the initial calculations, a one
square meter flat surface of paper shall have around 5-10 square meter area to be covered
depending upon the surface properties (smoothness/roughness) of paper. To cover that

2. with a very thin soap film on paper, a mild coating of less than 0.01-0.10 gsm is more than
enough. We must also keep it in mind that theoretically, even a uni-molecular layer of soap
will have dozens of soap molecules that would come in direct contact to the virus, and the
final efficacy shall depend mainly on the soap-virus interactions.
Absence of water as a carrier might be an issue in the whole process, but, considering the
menace caused by the virus, we need to act fast.
Action Line:
A set of different papers typically including tissue paper (18-26 gsm), Poster Paper (40-60
gsm), copier Paper (55-75 gsm) shall be tried first. The papers shall be coated (except for
tissue) with the soap solution of various types of soap solutions to achieve coat weight of
0.01 gsm, 0.05gsm, 0.1 gsm and 0.2 gsm. For tissue paper, the soap solution may be sprayed
in form of fine mist so that it is uniformly spread onto it. The paper is dried, and coded
before testing for virus stability time on the surface.
Based on the results, suitable soap quality, soap weight can be optimized further.
Concept by:
D K Singhal
deveshksinghal@gmail.com
April 12, 2020
D K
Singhal
Digitally signed by D K
Singhal
DN: cn=D K Singhal
Date: 2020.04.12 21:49:48
+05'30'
Adobe Acrobat Reader
version: 2018.011.20063