16.3 How to Protect Paint and Coatings Without Use of Traditional Active Release Biocides
(Room 234-236)
11 Apr 18
10:30 AM
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11:00 AM
Tracks:
Session 16: Biobased Coatings, Session 16: Bio-Fouling & Microbial Protection
The possibility that bacteria and or other micro-organisms such as fungi, moulds and algae accumulate on surfaces is a threat to the durability of materials as well as to human and animal health. This problem is evident on many materials and in many situations, such as medical devices, ship hulls and any moist environments in house- holds, e.g., showers, bathrooms, and kitchens. Over the years many ways of tackling this problem have been developed and have become well known in the art. Most available antimicrobial coatings are active by a slow release of toxic biocides like silver-ions to its environment. The slow release and accumulation of these biocides is of growing concern. The Regulation of Antimicrobials in paint and coatings are getting stricter and are driving the industry towards the development of more environmentally safe antimicrobials. The environmental impact of the leachable antimicrobials from façade coatings is one of the examples which have attracted increased attention in recent years, while the microbial resistance to these antimicrobials is another major challenge.
In order to achieve long-active antimicrobial solutions Croda develops non-toxic, surface- active antimicrobial resins for paint applications. By using a special polymerization process, an antimicrobial resin is fabricated. This resin develops a cationic/ hydrophobic surface during the curing (hardening) process. A polymer with different charges and polarity ranges on its surface can induce electrostatic attraction to the different parts of bacterial cell mem- branes, making it a hostile environment and thus reducing their proliferation. Like using a mouse trap instead of a poison, the novel technology works like a kind of microbe trap on a nano scale. Apart from being completely safe for man and environment, this physical action has another big advantage: microbes will not become resistant to this kind of control. The antimicrobial technology, its working mechanism and test results will be discussed.