A novel beta-coronavirus, the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), or the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, was described as the causative agent of the pneumonia outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first reported in December 2019 in a local seafood market of Wuhan, Hubei province, China. [1,2] The same beta-coronavirus genus of SARS-CoV-2 was earlier the causative of viral pneumonia pandemics caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) that emerged in 2002 in China and 2012 in the Arabian Peninsula, respectively. [3] The World Health Organization reported, globally, as of 30 January 2021, more than 101 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 2 196 944 deaths. [4] Due to lockdown and quarantine, humanity is now facing its worst economic crisis since World WarThe current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is recognized as a public health emergency of worldwide concern. Nanomaterials can be effectively used to detect, capture/inactivate or inhibit coronavirus cell entry/ replication in the human host cell, preventing infection. Their potential for nanovaccines, immunoengineering, diagnosis, repurposing medication, and disinfectant surfaces targeting the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is highlighted. In this systematic review the aim is to present an unbiased view of which and how nanomaterials can reduce the spread of COVID-19. Herein, the focus is on SARS-CoV-2, analyzing 46 articles retrieved before December 31, 2020. The interface between nanomaterials is described, and the main mechanisms to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and viral inactivation are also discussed. Nanocarbons, biopolymeric, copper, and silver nanoparticles are potential antiviral and virucidal agents toward self-cleaning and reusable filter media and surfaces (e.g., facial masks), drug administration, vaccines, and immunodiagnostic assays. Trends in toxicology research and safety tests can help fill the main gaps in the literature and overcome health surveillance's challenges. Phytochemicals delivery by nanocarriers also stand out as candidates to target and bio-friendly therapy. Nanocellulose might fill in the gaps. Future research using nanomaterials targeting novel therapies/prophylaxis measures to COVID-19 and future outbreaks is discussed.

Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and natural antioxidant compounds are an emerging trend in the food industry. Incorporating these substances in biobased and biodegradable matrices as polysaccharides (e.g., starch, cellulose, and chitosan) and proteins has highlighted the potential in active food packaging applications due to more significant antimicrobial, antioxidant, UV blocking, oxygen scavenging, water vapor permeability effects, and low environmental impact. In recent

A new transparent microwave absorbing coating was developed by compounding 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate (bmim.BF 4 ) ionic liquid (IL) with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A-type epoxy resin. The systems were crosslinked with the IL alone or combined with conventional hardeners, as anhydride or aromatic amine. The curing behavior was investigated by thermal and spectroscopic analysis performed at high temperatures. Neat bmim.BF 4 was able to cure epoxy resin, giving rise to networks with outstanding thermal stability compared with the systems cured with anhydride or aromatic amine. bmim.BF 4 accelerated the curing process in the presence of aromatic amine but retarded this event when anhydride was used as an external curing agent. The glass-transition temperature evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis decreased when the amount of IL increased, which can be attributed to side reactions during the curing process, as well as the plasticizing effect of IL. The epoxy networks cured with bmim.BF 4 alone or in combination with anhydride or aromatic amine were transparent and presented considerable microwave absorbing properties in the X-band frequency range (8-12 GHz), being the best performance observed for the systems cured with bmim.BF4/anhydride curing system, with reflection loss value around −16 dB at 11.3 GHz.

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