ADDITIVES | ANTIMICROBIALS
switch from consumable to durable goods. For example, BioMaster is being used in reusable coffee cups, where it has been shown to inhibit growth of bacteria by more than 99%. As another exam- ple, the additive is used in athletic mouth- guards. Polygiene Group also acquired SteriTouch in 2022. Compounder Mocom, part
Above: This child’s musical instrument by UK based Warwick Music uses a BioMas- ter silver-based antimicrobial
of Germany’s Otto Krahn Group, supplies Alcom HM (Hygienic Materials) compounds containing Biomaster silver ion
technology. These are available in polymers such as PP, ABS, PC or PA and can be produced in different colours. Typical applications include sanitary and kitchen appliances, door handles, equipment for hospitals and healthcare facilities and public buildings, and packaging, the company reports. The ADINS Protection biocide products for thermoplastics from Tolsa include two silver-based products and one zinc-based, with the active ingredient incorporated on the surface of the clay mineral additive. The company says its additive form is stable and allows optimal dispersion in the polymer matrix, which can result in durable, high antimicrobial activity at lower doses. The additives are reported to be active against enveloped viruses and comply with the European directive on toy safety. Applications in toys are being evaluated.
Passive technology Antimicrobial technology from Parx Materials is based on elemental zinc and has been trade- marked as Passive Action Polymer Technology, highlighting a method of action that is claimed to physically prevent bacterial attachment. “Passive action polymers prevent bacterial
Right: Cutting boards are a target applica- tion for Gelest’s Biosafe additives
attachment and colonisation through physical means, such as surface modifications or structures with features like hydrophobic or charged surfaces that repel bacteria,” says Michaël van der Jagt, CEO of Parx Materials. “Our technology focuses on preventing irreversible attachment of bacteria, similar to the natural defense mechanism of human skin.” This passive method contrasts with active antimi-
crobial agents or functional groups that disrupt the bacterial cell membrane or interfere with essential cellular processes, leading to bacterial death or growth inhibition, says Van der Jagt. He says that these traditional killing mechanisms can induce bacterial resistance. “Solutions that contribute to bacterial resistance are unsustainable. They make bacteria increasingly difficult to control over time and pose serious problems for our environment
22 COMPOUNDING WORLD | July 2023
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and society,” he says. Parx Materials’ Saniconcentrate is already used in plastics, including food contact materials and packaging. The company claims the additive does not affect recyclability because it is not consumed during use and it does not leach or migrate. Van der Jagt says the company is working on develop- ing a “universal additive” that is currently being tested with select clients. US-based Gelest recently expanded manufac- turing and formulation capabilities for its Biosafe organosilane antimicrobial product line, following demand that the company says increased signifi- cantly during the Covid-19 pandemic. “In response to the surging demand, we’ve
refocused our efforts to make the synthesis and formulation of organosilane antimicrobials com- petitive at scale,” according to Daria Long, Gelest Vice President and General Manager for Consumer Care and Antimicrobials. The upgrades improve efficiency, and this emphasis on scale and economy prepares the Biosafe organosilane antimicrobial product line for widespread application, the company says. Capacity was increased by approxi- mately 40%.
Gelest says it is the only manufacturer of this solid form of silane quat, which imparts bacterio- static properties in polymers. The company explains that it “binds to substrates with silanol reactivity, assembling on surfaces into a layer of densely packed molecules with a strong positive charge. This positive charge and its C18 chains physically rupture the cell wall, causing cell lysis, and nothing is transferred or absorbed.” The company says its product line is the only
organosilane antimicrobial with EPA/FIFRA-regis- tered uses of food contact substrates and an FDA exemption from tolerance. It can be used, for example, in kitchen and food preparation surfaces at a maximum of 1wt% of the polymer.
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IMAGE: GELEST
IMAGE: POLYGIENE
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