Technical Textiles Creating More Sustainable Antimicrobial Textile Coatings

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The material experts at Heraeus Precious Metals have developed a new antimicrobial technology called AGXX, which eliminates microorganisms using the power of microelectric fields and oxygen radicals. Laboratory tests have now proven that this technology is compatible with the textile coating technology Impranil PU dispersions from Covestro, enabling more sustainable antimicrobial textile coatings.

The sharing economy is booming. By 2030, the number of car-sharing users in Europe is expected to reach approximately 23.6 million, according to Statista, and the number of coworking spaces in Germany alone has doubled since 2020, according to the German Association for Coworking Spaces.

Whether it's hot-desking, which is becoming increasingly popular today, short-term vehicle leasing, or the increased use of public transportation—this shift in consumer behavior means that objects and spaces are being used by more and more people. This, in turn, creates ideal conditions for the growth of bacteria, fungi, and viruses on surfaces.

Demand for Easy-to-Clean Antimicrobial Textile Coatings is Rising

This growth trend is expected to continue in the near future, which means that demand for easy-to-clean antimicrobial textile coatings that support hygiene and withstand heavy use is also likely to keep increasing.

Conventional antimicrobial technologies based on the release of silver ions now face the challenge of meeting the requirements of the Biocidal Products Regulation under the European Chemicals Agency's (ECHA) review process, as concerns have been raised about potential negative impacts on human health, animals, and natural ecosystems.

Catalytic Reaction of Two Precious Metals

To meet the demand for more sustainable antimicrobial surface coatings, Heraeus Precious Metals has developed AGXX: a system that eliminates a wide range of bacteria, fungi, and viruses without releasing harmful silver ions. AGXX relies on the catalytic reaction of two precious metals, which convert oxygen using ambient humidity into reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS eliminate microbes by destroying their outer cell membranes, organelles, and DNA.

Martin Danz, Global Head of Antimicrobial Technologies at Heraeus Precious Metals, commented: “AGXX is skin-friendly, BPR-compliant, and suitable for a wide range of applications. The results of our joint tests with Covestro now show that AGXX can be combined with Impranil PU dispersions to provide synthetic textile coatings with long-lasting antimicrobial properties.”

More Sustainable Antimicrobial Properties for Coatings

These tests also show that incorporating AGXX into Covestro's INSQIN textile coating technology has no impact on manufacturing processes. “We were able to confirm that AGXX can be combined with our Impranil products without affecting the performance or properties of either solution and without requiring changes to the manufacturing processes for coated textiles,” said Dr. Torsten Pohl, Global Head of Textile Coatings at Covestro. “Combined with AGXX, our INSQIN technology retains its cleanability, flexibility, and durability over long-term use. For textile coating manufacturers, this proven formulation provides a fast and effective way to add safer and more sustainable antimicrobial properties to their coatings while also benefiting from the sustainability advantages of our water-based PU dispersions with low VOC content.”

The demand for hygienic, reliable, BPR-compliant, and safer textile coatings is expected to rise in the near future. The combination of AGXX and INSQIN technology offers textile manufacturers a way to quickly adapt to these rapidly changing requirements of the sharing economy.

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