Coatings World staff01.12.21
After independent testing by Industrial Microbiological Services, Alpine Advanced Materials has added superior antimicrobial coating to its growing list of material advantages.
Samples of HX5 coated with Signature Plating’s SignaShield antimicrobial clearcoat showed a 99.93% reduction in Staphylococcus aureus and a 99.92% reduction in E. coli. Those coated with copper and SignaShield showed comparable reductions.
“As manufacturers face heightened attention on microbe transmission, materials like HX5 will need to be evaluated through that lens, which is why we had this testing done,” said Roger Raley, president of Alpine Advanced Materials. “Part of what makes it great is how well it handles, not just during the manufacturing process, but also when coated or plated. We learned that it not only coated beautifully with SignaShield but that it also virtually eliminated all harmful microbes when exposed, making it ideal for parts with surfaces that get a lot of contact traffic.”
Signature Plating’s SignaShield has been tested, passed, and certified to ISO 22196:2011 to reduce microbes on part surfaces, preventing the spread of bacteria. The coated HX5 was also tested and certified to ISO 22196:2011. Surfaces that have been coated with SignaShield have been proven to reduce microbial loads and the potential for cross-contamination, with antimicrobial protection lasting for the lifetime of the coated part.
“If part coating can inherently be its own defense and not need to be cleaned as often, then you have a tremendous advantage,” added Zane Leake, vice president of sales for Signature Plating. “We are constantly developing new finish processes to address market needs, and the combination of our decorative finishes with the antimicrobial protection of SignaShield means Alpine parts can deliver weight savings along with a layer of tested and certified protection.”
HX5, a lightweight aviation-grade thermoplastic nanocomposite, was engineered to replace machined aerospace-grade aluminum at half the weight. With a high strength-to-weight ratio, thermal stability, environmental resistance, and manufacturing flexibility, it can be injection molded, formed, extruded, or machined like aluminum, allowing component manufacturers to make complex but strong shapes.
Earlier this year, Alpine completed Electromagnetic Interference (EMI) testing and found HX5 had exceptional attenuation, thus providing effective EMI shielding. It was also shown in additional third-party testing to retain up to 96% of its original mechanical performance when subjected to 5 million rads of gamma radiation.
Developed over more than a decade of testing and validation by the Department of Defense with an R&D investment in excess of $50 million, HX5 has also demonstrated extreme corrosion resistance to solvents, fuels, lubricants, and chemicals, giving it the ability to withstand the most demanding applications.
