Graphene supplier and product manufacturer GrapheneCA has announced its new antibacterial products have shown to be 99.9% effective in making various surfaces bacteria proof, according to ASTM E2180 testing protocol for determining antimicrobial activity of polymeric materials.
GrapheneCA’s Dr. Nano Flooring and Dr. Metal product lines have been shown in an independent laboratory test to provide exceptional antimicrobial protection of different surfaces. The coatings demonstrated exceptional activity against gram-positive and gram-negative, antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can cause severe respiratory infections, among other things. The proprietary formula in the graphene-improved, water-based epoxy coatings blocks the metabolism of microorganisms by restricting cellular respiration and cell division on surfaces.
“These coatings are ready-to-use products that can be purchased and used right now without the need for non-standard equipment and are like any other can of epoxy you would purchase from your local hardware store. We have developed durable, long-lasting coatings that both efficiently protect surfaces from damage as well as the health of those who touch them,” says Dr Sergey Voskresensky, head of R&D at GrapheneCA.
Graphene, one of the components in the coatings, has earned a reputation as a super material for the 21st Century, ever since researchers in 2010 received a Nobel Prize for their ground-breaking discovery and experiments on graphene. GrapheneCA believes it is a unique multifunctional material that has numerous applications in construction, medical, energy, heating, cosmetics, 3D printing, electronics, and numerous other industries. GrapheneCA is using this groundbreaking technology to help improve public safety by providing a solution that it believes will make any surface bacteria-proof upon application.
The Dr. Nano Flooring and Dr. Metal product lines could bring future peace of mind in the wake of the current pandemic and possible future pandemics. Several fatal infections are caused by microbial bioļ¬lms that colonise on a variety of touchable surfaces. Studies show that viruses can survive up to 72 hours on plastic and steel and 24 hours on cardboard and glass surfaces. However, bacteria do not always vanish with time. They may replicate, colonise an object, and embed themselves into a protective extracellular matrix. A solution to this problem can be found in long-acting antimicrobial coatings.
GrapheneCA believes its coatings can be used to help protect people who inevitably come in contact with various types of surfaces in shipping facilities, retail stores, schools, hospitals, mass transportation systems, gyms, salons, casinos, bathrooms, and other high traffic areas. They can serve as an additional line of defence against the spread of bacteria through objects people are constantly in contact with, such as doorknobs, pedestrian crossing buttons, and lift buttons. These coatings may also help to prevent the development of bacteria in dry or humid areas that are hard to reach, such as air ducts and other hotbeds for bacteria which contribute to lung complications or inflammation, such as Legionnaires’ Disease and other types of pneumonia.