The team, led by Professor Yeung King-lun from the university’s Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, said the coating is transparent and glossy and can be applied to different surfaces.
“Examples that we have shown [range] from metal pieces, concrete, glass, ceramics, artificial stones, woodwork…and also LED screens, as well as eye lenses and different types of plastic materials,” Yeung said.
The expert explained that the protective material works by damaging the outer layer of bacteria and viruses, interfere with their functions so that they cannot be infective anymore, and its non-adhesive feature prevents pathogens from colonising on a surface.
Yeung added that the coating material is of food-grade quality, following a 16-month trial where the team used it inside the pipes of a water treatment installation.
“One of the requirements for the water pipe application is that it passes certification that indicates that it is actually safe for use in portable water and at the same time it should not cause changes in the smell, colour, order, as well as lead to toxicity in the water itself.”
The research team said it’s now in talks with NGOs and companies on using the coating in elderly care homes and public transport.
“We hope that it can reach the most people as it could because currently with Covid-19 we need all the protection that we [have],” Yeung said.
