James Rapley, product development engineer at Microban, shows how antimicrobial coatings make it easier to maintain cleanliness in high foot traffic environments.
The ebb and flow of a hospital setting is ceaselessly dynamic, with patients, visitors and staff making up a high volume of foot traffic travelling through corridors daily. It is no surprise that there is widespread exposure to microorganisms in this environment, and it is a constant struggle for healthcare providers to maintain clean conditions to limit the proliferation of bacteria. Regular cleaning is crucial; however, standard disinfectants retain limited residual activity after application, leaving high touch surfaces vulnerable to contamination through direct contact or airborne droplets.
This is where antimicrobial coatings can augment regular cleaning, as dry-film formulations impart long-lasting and autonomous microbial control to coated surfaces. The recent rise in coating technologies, along with a drive for improved durability, better regulatory status and increased sustainability, has led to developments in antimicrobial additives in line with these goals.
Transforming water-based coatings
Current trends in coating technologies are focused on advancing the durability of coatings and simplifying regulatory processes. In addition, sustainability initiatives in recent years have stressed the importance of features like biocompatibility, biostability and non-toxicity, making water-based coatings that contain fewer volatile organic compounds increasingly appealing to manufacturers. Traditionally, in-can antimicrobial technologies have been employed in aqueous coatings to improve their shelf life during storage, but the benefits of these formulations are minimal once the solution has dried, leaving coatings vulnerable to attack by microbes. Therefore, long-lasting dry-film antimicrobial chemistries are integral to improving coating durability.
Overcoming the technical challenges of eradicating surface bacteria
Before
Dry-film antimicrobial additives for water-based coatings must evolve in line with coating trends, while looking to overcome a range of technical challenges. Dispersing additives into existing formulations has historically triggered aggregation and sedimentation, negatively impacting the appearance of coated products. Similarly, UV instability has reduced clarity and resulted in discolouration and premature surface degradation of coatings in the past. These factors can make coatings unsuitable for transparent applications, reduce the lifespan of coated products, and greatly increase production costs. However, recent innovations in antimicrobial technologies have led to easier integration, avoiding sedimentation, irregularities, or clumping defects, as well as improved stability and durability of formulations.
Enhancing hospital cleanliness
Antimicrobial coatings, like LapisShield by Microban, work as built-in adjuncts to normal cleaning practices, providing long-lasting protection that does not wear away to surfaces such as hospital curtains, countertops, clipboards and equipment. The active ingredient in this example works by disrupting internal enzymes, blocking metabolic pathways, and creating an inhospitable environment to interrupt bacterial reproduction.
Sophisticated antibacterial additives like this can be integrated into numerous high-touch surfaces within a hospital environment, including wood, metal, polymers and glass, using standard coating processes, such as spraying, roll-to-roll or dip application methods. In fact, studies have shown that built-in antimicrobial treatments in healthcare equipment can inhibit Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria – including antibiotic-resistant MRSA, E.coli and VRE – by up to 99.9 %.
Serving healthcare far into the future
Incorporating antibacterial additives into hospital surfaces at the point of manufacture is an integral part of ongoing plans to enhance hospital cleanliness. The healthcare segment accounted for 26 % of the overall global revenue share of the antimicrobial additives market in 2021 and is expected to experience the fastest annual growth rate between 2022 and 2030.
Rising demand for autonomous product protection against microbes in a variety of medical products and surfaces – from flooring and wall cladding to trolleys and clinical apparatus – means that manufacturers worldwide are seeking to integrate these innovative chemistries into coatings. New antimicrobial technologies that are easy to incorporate, aesthetically pleasing, highly functional and free from heavy metals can transform coatings in healthcare environments, ensuring greater peace of mind for staff and patients alike.