Antibacterial coatings and textiles: A new era in public space protection
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed just how vulnerable our contemporary globalized world is. Emerging infections spread rapidly and have the potential to impact humanity with unprecedented force. Beyond personal protection, it is essential to emphasize hygiene in public spaces, where frequent direct and indirect human contact occurs, often through contaminated surfaces.Research has shown that conventional disinfection methods offer only short-term protection, limited by infrequent application or improper usage. Addressing the need for more effective solutions, a project focusing on antimicrobial and antiviral surface protection in public areas has been initiated. This innovative approach aims to significantly reduce the risk of infection transmission. The project bridges academic research and industrial practice, involving multiple collaborating partners. The primary investigator at the Faculty of Chemistry, Brno University of Technology, is Professor Michal Veselý, Dean and Head of the Institute of Physical and Applied Chemistry, who provides further insight into the research.
The project is funded by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic through the Operational Programme Technologies and Application for Competitiveness – Application. It is being carried out by the Faculty of Chemistry of the Brno University of Technology (FCH VUT), the research centers SYNPO and Centre of Organic Chemistry, as well as manufacturing companies FORTES interactive and INOTEX. Their common goal is to develop antibacterial surface coatings and antibacterial textiles.
“It is a combination of multiple approaches. On one hand, we focus on creating antibacterial coatings applicable directly to surfaces; on the other, we concentrate on embedding antibacterial agents into fibers, thus producing antibacterial fabrics. The designed system will not only prevent uncontrolled microorganism proliferation but will also significantly reduce the risk of environmental contamination by hazardous chemicals,” explains Professor Veselý.
Better quality of life, enhanced safety
The importance of this research became particularly apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when concerns emerged regarding touching potentially highly contaminated surfaces, such as payment terminals. “The goal isn’t to create a sterile surface – that isn’t even feasible – but rather to significantly reduce the microorganism population to a level that poses no health threat,” Professor Veselý states.
The project solution is based on patent CZ310209, which protects the principle of antimicrobial preventive protection utilizing the synergistic effect of a standard biocide and organic photoactive substances derived from perylene and phthalocyanine. This combination significantly reduces the biocide content in the protective layer, even below the level recommended by manufacturers, while maintaining a substantial preventive effect. Furthermore, this effectiveness is enhanced by the ability of organic photoactive compounds to degrade various pollutants settled on treated surfaces. This effect considerably lowers the risk associated with microorganism deposition and growth on these surfaces.
Faster testing of antibacterial effectiveness
Scientists from FCH VUT have developed a new method for testing antibacterial effectiveness, significantly faster than the standard ISO tests. While ISO tests usually take up to two days, the new method allows comparable results to be obtained within a single eight-hour work shift. This approach greatly streamlines the research process and reduces the time required to evaluate antibacterial materials.
The FCH VUT research team comprises four key members: Professor Michal Veselý, Associate Professor Petr Dzik, Dr. Marcela Králová, and Dr. Mária Veselá. Doctoral and master’s students are also involved, contributing through their theses and dissertations. “The main driving force behind our work is the real-world applicability of our results. It’s not just about protective elements like patents, but about practically implementing our ideas,” says Professor Veselý, who plays a critical role in organizing and coordinating activities and significantly contributes to the development of antibacterial coating technologies and result evaluation.
Research responding to challenges
The biggest challenge for researchers is the tightening regulations restricting biocidal substances. In response to the Biocide Act (Act 324/2016), many manufacturers gradually reduce the availability of previously established substances, requiring the team to respond flexibly to changing availability of commercial antimicrobial agents. Administrative support for the demanding project management is fully provided by the Materials Research Centre and the Project Office at FCH VUT.
The first practical applications can be expected in approximately three years. As Professor Veselý emphasizes, technological development requires time. The research also opens new avenues that will need further exploration and testing to ensure functionality and effectiveness. The project demonstrates how scientific knowledge can be integrated into practical applications with the potential to improve quality of life and safety in public spaces.
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| Link | https://www.fch.vut.cz/en//f96620/d270984 |