Are Antimicrobial Coatings Effective in the Fight Against COVID-19?
Major growth of antimicrobial coatings is projected within the transportation and medical industries, as well as deployment in public spaces.
COVID-19 has drastically changed the perception of hygiene and cleanliness, spurring interest in antimicrobial coatings, according to a recent report from Lux Research. These coatings previously struggled to find widespread adoption due to difficulties in quantifying their impact on human health, but the pandemic has drawn attention to them as an important safety measure.
“COVID-19 has driven substantial interest in antimicrobial coatings this year and is proving to be a catalyst for antimicrobial research and funding,” said Tiffany Hua, research associate at Lux Research. “We expect this interest to spike even further before the end of 2020 and be a trend of continued interest in the materials and coatings industry.”
Major manufacturers like Ford Motor Co. are talking about incorporating these types of coatings into their products, while startups like HeiQ bring out new antimicrobial coatings for applications like textiles. However, not all antimicrobial coatings are created equal; some are only effective against bacteria and not necessarily viruses, so users need to choose carefully. Other solutions like photocatalytic, enzyme-based, and bio-based coatings have also been shown to be effective against bacteria and viruses.