PPG Meets Demand for Antimicrobial Coatings

CW: Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, did PPG offer antimicrobial coatings?
Mooney: PPG was in the process of developing antimicrobial coatings prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our headlining product, PPG COPPER ARMOR, was brought to market in 2021.

CW: The pandemic drove the demand for antimicrobial coatings. What products does PPG now offer for this market and what are their applications?
Mooney: PPG COPPER ARMOR is an innovative interior coating that is powered by Corning Guardiant technology to provide residual sanitizing activity to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses1 within two hours of exposure with the painted surface for up to five years when used as part of a comprehensive infection control program2.

This premium paint, a 2022 R&D 100 Award winner, leverages copper, a naturally-occurring element, to help keep interior surfaces clean by providing a barrier against disease-causing agents including bacteria and viruses3 such as staphylococcus, MRSA, E. Coli and SARS CoV-23.

PPG Copper Armor was developed for use in high traffic indoor areas. It is ideally suited for hospitals, schools, senior living facilities, hotels, apartment buildings, office and retail spaces, as well as personal residences.

In addition to its antimicrobial and mold and mildew resistant abilities, Copper Armor also provides the same excellent hide, durability and premium application properties that customers expect from PPG Paint’s more than 135 years of leading industry expertise. Available in eggshell, satin and semi-gloss, the low odor and zero VOC paint can be tinted to more than 600 colors from the PPG paint palette.

Copper Armor launched as the first-to-market antimicrobial paint in the U.S. in 2021. In August 2022, PPG Copper Armor antimicrobial paint earned the prestigious R&D 100 Award in the

Mechanical/Materials category. The R&D 100 Awards Committee and R&D World magazine honor the 100 most innovative technologies and services of the past year with the R&D 100 Awards. Since 1963, the R&D 100 Awards program has identified revolutionary technologies newly introduced to the market and celebrates top technology products of the year.

CW: Do you think the antimicrobial market will continue to grow and if so what areas offer the most opportunity?

Mooney: Two factors indicate that demand for antimicrobial products will remain strong. First, the pandemic left a lasting, heightened need to prioritize the health and safety of patrons of businesses, healthcare facilities and more. One of the easiest ways building owners and homeowners alike can increase hygiene of interior surfaces is through an antimicrobial paint because it provides contactless but effective sterilization in between routine disinfection practices. It also alleviates the overuse of traditional cleaning protocols, which can save on time and resources.

Additionally, changes in consumer lifestyles and improvements in coatings innovation have led consumers to expect more from paint than just aesthetics. Recently, we’ve seen customers’ needs shift from products selected solely for color and decorative purposes to products that provide added functionality, like antimicrobial properties or surface cooling features,
for example.

CW: What regions are driving the market for antimicrobial coatings?

Mooney: PPG Copper Armor is EPA registered in 47 states. While we don’t have the data to claim that one region is driving demand over another one, early adopters of PPG Copper Armor are commonly those in the healthcare and education business sectors.

The Northside Independent School District (NISD), the largest school system in South Texas, is one example. NISD used Copper Armor in an initial phase of an antibacterial and antiviral renovation project in summer of 2022, a project launched out of necessity to reduce high levels of absenteeism caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the renovation, the school updated high-traffic areas of its 125 facilities, including nursing suites and multiple hallways, with PPG Copper Armor. Copper Armor’s health- and eco-friendly properties now provide an anti-bacterial and anti-viral barrier for NISD students, faculty and staff without having to repaint the surfaces for several years.

CW: What types of products are being developed in the R&D lab?

Mooney: Our science and technology teams are hard at work developing future innovation across a broad spectrum of use cases. One particular area of focus is of course sustainability, which is important not just to architectural coatings but also to PPG as a company. 

References

1. S. aureus (Staph) ATCC 6538, P. aeruginosa ATCC 15442, K. aerogenes ATCC 13048 as well as MRSA ATCC 33591, Enterococcus faecium ATCC 29212, E. coli O157:H7 ATCC 35150, Salmonella enterica ATCC 10708 and viruses Norovirus (Feline calicivirus) ATCC VR-782 and SARS-CoV-2 BEI Resources NR-52281 within two hours of exposure on painted surfaces.
2. Effective for up to five years based on test method “Protocol for the Evaluation of Bactericidal Activity of Antimicrobial Coated Surfaces” (MRID 51062601) as long as the integrity of the surface is maintained and is part of a comprehensive infection control and hygiene program. Cleaning agents typically used to maintain painted surfaces are permissible including multi-purpose, bleach, and peroxide cleaners. Quaternary ammonium (quats) disinfectants should be avoided.
3. Kills 99.9% of bacteria Staphylococcus aureus (Staph), Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumanii, Enterobacter aerogenes, Methicillin-resistant Staphylocuccus aureus (MRSA), Vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), Escherichia Coli (E. coli), and Salmonella, and viruses Feline Calicivirus and SARS CoV-2 within two hours of exposure to paint surfaces.

Mankiewicz Offers Care Free Antimicrobial Coating for Interior Airplane Applications

The subject of hygiene continues to be a major concern for the aviation industry. Even though passengers seem to have regained their confidence in flying, it is important not to disappoint this confidence. In aviation, many measures were taken to give passengers back this confidence in flying. Coatings also play a major role here. Hygiene is now equally as important to passengers as comfort and privacy on board.

The hygiene and well-being onboard include many factors that make up a holistic system. Mankiewicz sees this as a building. The foundation can be the so-called “Care free coating” concept from Mankiewicz. ALEXIT FST PUReGuard, available as topcoat or clearcoat, meets all the strict requirements for cabin interior coatings. It has been equipped with antimicrobial active additives and is Boeing and Airbus qualified. This long-term solution does not have to be constantly reapplied, and independent institutes attest to the paint system’s effectiveness over many years.

The fact that surfaces in aircraft cabins painted with Mankiewicz cabin interior paints can withstand this increased chemical load is the roof of the building. Coatings used in the cabin must be able to withstand the shortened cleaning intervals and increased disinfection and still not discolor or delaminate over time, for example. Tests prove that Mankiewicz FST interior coatings can withstand even this increased load without any problems. By testing several certified disinfectants in an extensive test program, Mankiewicz proves that its own paint product range is highly resistant against those chemicals.

Even over a long time period the technical or visual quality is not affected and therefore, the lifetime of sensitive plastics can be significantly extended by the durability and longevity of Mankiewicz cabin interior coatings.