FPRESS RELEASE
Sources:Tokyo Institute of Technology
The Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and TechnologyNara Medical University
For immediate release: March 2, 2021
Subject line: A materials science approach to combating coronavirus— New cerium molybdate material could be a game-changer in managing SARSCoV-2 —(Tokyo, February XX) Researchers at Tokyo Institute of Technology working incollaboration with colleagues at the Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science andTechnology and Nara Medical University in Japan have succeeded in preparing amaterial called cerium molybdate (γ-Ce2Mo3O13 or CMO), which exhibits highantiviral activity against coronavirus.
The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the urgency not only of vaccine
development and rollout but also of developing innovative materials and technologies
with antiviral properties that could play a vital role in helping to contain the spread of
the virus.
Conventional inorganic antimicrobial materials are often prepared with metals suchas copper or photocatalysts such as titanium dioxide. However, metal-based materials
can be prone to corrosion, and the effects of photocatalysts are usually limited underdark conditions.
Now, a research team led by Akira Nakajima of Tokyo Institute of Technology’s
Department of Materials Science and Engineering proposes a new type of an antiviralmaterial that can overcome these drawbacks. The team successfully combined a
relatively low-cost rare earth element cerium (Ce) with molybdenum (Mo), which iswell known for its antibacterial effects, to prepare two types of cerium molybdate(Ce2Mo3O12 and γ-Ce2Mo3O13) in powder form.
Both powders exhibited antiviral activity against bacteriophage Φ6[1]. Notably, γCe2Mo3O13 also exhibited high antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2, the virus thatcauses COVID-19.
The researchers infer that an effective combination of cerium with the molybdate ion
as well as the specific surface area[2] are key factors contributing to the observed
antiviral activity.
The study builds on earlier work led by Nakajima which demonstrated the antiviral
activity of a material named LMO (La2Mo2O9), composed of lanthanum (La) oxide and1

molybdenum oxide. LMO’s activity, however, was found to be better against nonenvelope-type (bacteriophage Qβ) than against envelope-type (bacteriophage Φ6)viruses. Subsequent tests showed that incorporating cerium into the material to make
La1.8Ce0.2Mo2O9 (LCMO) improved antiviral activity against bacteriophage Φ6. It was
this remarkable finding that spurred further investigations into cerium molybdates(CMO) as promising materials with high antiviral activity against envelope-type viruses
such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2.
To obtain the desired CMO powder samples with an almost single-crystal phase, theteam conducted many trial experiments before successfully preparing Ce2Mo3O12
using the polymerizable complex method and γ-Ce2Mo3O13 through hydrothermal
processing[3].
If standardized and mass-produced, CMO could be used in a wide range of materials
such as resins, paper, thin films and paints. This would open up the possibility of using
CMO coatings for high-contact surfaces such as door handles, straps inside vehicles,
elevator buttons and escalator belts as well as walls, tiles and windows. Nakajima
envisions that materials incorporating CMO could also be used in everyday items suchas smartphones and clothing. He notes that applications for eye and face ware suchas glasses and masks may take a little longer time to develop, but be on the horizon.
---Figure 1. (a) Antiviral activity of prepared powders against coronavirus andphotographs showing the change in plaque number of coronavirus after four hours:(b) control and (c) with CMO.

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After four hours, the CMO powder reduced the level of coronavirus by four orders ofmagnitude (to less than 1/10,000 of the original level). The antiviral activity of CMO
against coronavirus was found to exceed that of both LCMO and MoO3.

Figure 2. Scanning electron microscope image of CMO powder

Technical terms[1] bacteriophage Φ6: A member of the virus family Cystoviridae that has the rare

distinction of having a lipid envelope. It is thus considered a useful surrogate forenveloped viruses and is often used as a model in studies investigating antiviralactivity.
specific surface area: Here referring to the total available surface area foradsorption of the virus.
[2][3] hydrothermal processing: A method harnessing the chemistry of hot water underpressure that enables effective dissolution, which can yield high-quality inorganicproducts.
References
Takuro Ito1, Kayano Sunada2, Takeshi Nagai2, Hitoshi Ishiguro2, Ryuichi Nakano3,
Yuki Suzuki3, Akiyo Nakano3, Hisakazu Yano3, Toshihiro Isobe1, Sachiko Matsushita1,Akira Nakajima1,*, Preparation of cerium molybdates and their antiviral activity against
bacteriophage Φ6 and SARS-CoV-2. Materials Letters (2021),
DOI:10.1016/j.matlet.2021.129510＊Corresponding author’s email: nakajima.a.aa@m.titech.ac.jp
Affiliations
1 Department of Materials Science and Engineering, School of Materials and ChemicalTechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology
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2 Antibacterial and Antiviral Research Group, Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Scienceand Technology

3 Department of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Nara Medical University

Related links
Living in a world with COVID-19 - Future technology for prevention, diagnosis, andtreatment
https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/research/stories/with_corona_healthcare.html
Nakajima-Matsushita-Isobe Lab
http://www.rmat.ceram.titech.ac.jp/staff_e.html
Preparation of hydrophobic La2Mo2O9 ceramics with antibacterial and antiviralproperties
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.05.003
Contacts
Emiko Kawaguchi
Public Relations Group,Tokyo Institute of Technology
E-mail: media@jim.titech.ac.jp+81-3-5734-2975
Hitoshi Ishiguro
Kayano Sunada
Antibacterial and Antiviral Research Group,
Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology
E-mail sks@newkast.or.jp
Masaki Sakata
Research Support Division
Nara Medical University
E-mail: sangaku@naramed-u.ac.jp+81-774-22-3051

About Tokyo Institute of Technology
Tokyo Tech stands at the forefront of research and higher education as the leading
university for science and technology in Japan. Tokyo Tech researchers excel in fields
ranging from materials science to biology, computer science, and physics. Founded in
1881, Tokyo Tech hosts over 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students per year,
who develop into scientific leaders and some of the most sought-after engineers inindustry. Embodying the Japanese philosophy of “monotsukuri,” meaning “technicalingenuity and innovation,” the Tokyo Tech community strives to contribute to society
through high-impact research.
https://www.titech.ac.jp/english/
4About Kanagawa Institute of Industrial Science and Technology
We work as a reliable public experimental and research institute, by means ofsupporting creation of innovation and promoting local industry, science andtechnology.
About Nara Medical University (NMU)
Located in Kashihara, Nara, the ancient capital of Japan at around 7th century, NMU has
opened as a prefectural University since 1948. As one of unique activities, we have beenpromoting the concept of medicine-based town (MBT), which aims to contribute to futuresociety by medical approach, in order to utilize our knowledge and skills not only for medical
practice but also for all things related to industrial creation and regional revitalization.

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