Scientists from The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the National Biofilms Innovation Centre (NBIC) provide a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge, research direction and practices in the area of antiviral materials and coatings. The study is presented in the consortium’s review article “Antiviral surfaces and surface coatings and their mechanisms of action,” published in Communications Materials. In today’s global society, viral infections have become a … Continue reading Antiviral surfaces, surface coatings and their mechanisms of action

Source: Xiulin Ruan, ruan@purdue.edu Explore further Explore further Explore further Explore further Explore further Explore further Continue reading The whitest paint is here and it’s the coolest, literally

A simple method for making clear coatings that can block heat and conduct electricity could radically cut the cost of energy-saving smart windows and heat-repelling glass. The spray-on coatings developed by researchers at RMIT are ultra-thin, cost-effective and rival the performance of current industry standards for transparent electrodes. Combining the best properties of glass and metals in a single component, a transparent electrode is a … Continue reading Spray-on clear coatings for cheaper smart windows

A typical recycling process converts large quantities of items made of a single material into more of the same. However, this approach isn’t feasible for old electronic devices, or “e-waste,” because they contain small amounts of many different materials that cannot be readily separated. Now, in ACS Omega, researchers report a selective, small-scale microrecycling strategy, which they use to convert old printed circuit boards and monitor … Continue reading Transforming e-waste into a strong, protective coating for metal

Scientists from the University of Nottingham have developed a new way to control harmful fungi, without the need to use chemical bioactives like fungicides or antifungals. Scientists from the University of Nottingham have developed a new way to control harmful fungi, without the need to use chemical bioactives like fungicides or antifungals. Fungi cause diverse, serious societal and economic problems in the UK and globally. … Continue reading Scientists to develop unique polymer coating to tackle harmful fungi

Superhydrophobic surfaces repel water like nothing else. This makes them extremely useful for antimicrobial coatings — as bacteria, viruses and other pathogens cannot cling to their surfaces. However, superhydrophobic surfaces have one major flaw — they are extremely susceptible to cuts, scratches or dents. If a superhydrophobic surface gets damaged, the damaged area can trap liquids and the benefits of the coating are lost. Now, … Continue reading Super water-repellent materials are now durable enough for the real world

Shrimp, lobsters and mushrooms may not seem like great tools for the battlefield, but three engineers from the University of Houston are using chitin – a derivative of glucose found in the cellular walls of arthropods and fungi – and 3D printing techniques to produce high-impact multilayered coatings that can protect soldiers against bullets, lasers, toxic gas and other dangers. Although corn is better known … Continue reading Researchers to Take a Cue from Nature to Create Bulletproof Coatings

Masks, gowns, and other personal protective equipment (PPE) are essential for protecting healthcare workers. However, the textiles and materials used in such items can absorb and carry viruses and bacteria, inadvertently spreading the disease the wearer sought to contain. When the coronavirus spread amongst healthcare professionals and left PPE in short supply, finding a way to provide better protection while allowing for the safe reuse … Continue reading Durable, washable textile coating can repel viruses

Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have developed a Multilevel Antimicrobial Polymer (MAP-1) coating that is effective in killing viruses, bacteria and even hard-to-kill spores.  MAP-1 can inactivate* up to 99.9 per cent of highly-infectious viruses such as measles, mumps and rubella, and 99.99 per cent of the surrogate feline calicivirus (FCV) – a gold standard for disinfection efficiency and … Continue reading HKUST to Develop New Smart Anti-Microbial Coating in the Fight Against COVID-19: MAP-1 to inactivate up to 99.9% of highly-infectious viruses

The coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, is transmitted between people mainly via respiratory droplets, but it is known that the virus remains stable on various surfaces for days. One of the first indications for this came from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, where active virus particles were found even 17 days after the ship was evacuated. In light of the … Continue reading Anti-Coronavirus Surface Coating Based on Nanomaterials by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Always-On™ surface coating demonstrates first correlation of sustained environmental bioburden reduction and 36% Healthcare-Associated Infection (HAI) declines. A new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases finds a patented continuously active antimicrobial coating used in two high-acuity hospitals has produced the first-ever association between sustained environmental bioburden decreases (79% and 75%, respectively) and Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) reductions – 36% across both sites. The continuous antimicrobial coating … Continue reading First Healthcare-Associated Infection Reduction Tied to Use of 90-Day Antimicrobial Coating: Always-On™ surface coating