TEXTILES.ORG
Nano-Care Deutschland AG has launched the third generation of ultra-thin coatings, “wipe-on glass.” The company believes the product may provide protection against “the most substantial problem the 21st century faces: pathogen microorganisms.”
A recent release reports the barrier is effective against hospital germs including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as well as odor-causing bacteria, mold, fungi and yeast. The technology provides self-disinfecting performance on any kind of hard surface. The protection can last from several months to several years, the release states.
The company’s self-disinfecting wipe-on glass produces its antimicrobial effect by creating a surface that is slightly rough on the microscopic scale. The rough surface destroys the cell wall of the colonizing microorganism, without leaving visible or haptic traces.
The company asserts that everything touched by hand in daily life has potential for spreading infection. In response, the product could be applied to toilet seats and lids, steering wheels, hand rails and door pulls; keyboards, screens and phones; on fitness products and shoes; in saunas, swimming pools and on gambling machines.
Wipe-on application needs no training and may be easily achieved by the consumer, which the company sees as aiding widespread usage.
Following the spin-off from the Leibniz Institute for New Materials in 2000, Nano-Care Deutschland AG has developed transparent surface coatings (known as nano or ceramic coatings) as an alternative to PTFE and fluorocarbons.