Overview
Development of Antimicrobial and Antiviral Nanocoatings for textile, plastic and metallic objects
SUSAAN project aims to develop sustainable antiviral and antimicrobial coatings based on active nanomaterials, such as bio-based active materials and inorganic nanoparticles, including the development of fast active-response and durable surfaces, taking into consideration their ease of use, low toxicity, and health issues, and targeting a global sustainability concept.
Toxicological, ecotoxicological and several tests for the new active substances and resulting coatings will be performed and a full sustainability assessment, understood as environmental, economic, and social impact analysis for the required product will carry out.
Three relevant market sectors are selected to validate the results of the project, where the antiviral and antimicrobial additives according to efficiency, durability of effects/integrity of the coating and toxicity results at lab-scale will be used for each real application in the textile, plastic and metallic industries. In this context, it can be stated that most of the common hand-touch sites and/or objects are covered by the SUSAAN project, and that therefore the final impact would be extensive after the successful execution of this project.
Consortium Partners and core business are one of the strongest points of SUSAAN. Technological and scientific partners (LUREDERRA, NCSRD, IVW, CEIT and ITENE) are experts on main areas of nanoparticles, coatings, pretreatment, biobased nanocapsules and toxicity assessment. Companies involved cover the whole value change based on their core business including coatings production (TECNAN), biobased products (CELABOR), bathrooms manufacturing (ECZACIBASI), home appliances (PANASONIC) and textiles (ALMAXTEX). INTER IT will cover the activities on BPR assessment being VIRHEALTH (the expert on virology) on charge of standardized testing to determine virucidal and antimicrobial activity of the coatings and ARDITEC on charge of sustainability assessment.
The final outcome of SUSAAN project is the validation of the new sustainable antimicrobial/antiviral nanocoating in different final products: high traffic objects (plastic and metallic) and textiles. Technical advantages and comparative results to current solutions will be used to present SUSAAN solutions to potential clients.
Approach & Methodology
Innovative complex typologies of nanoparticles will be synthesised and tested in terms of antimicrobial (AM) and antiviral (AV) efficiency and eco-toxicity.
Development of new sustainable antiviral (AV) and antimicrobial (AM) coatings for textiles and high traffic objects made of plastics and metal
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Substrate Materials
Active Nanomaterials
Nanocoatings
Market Products
Objectives
The project SUSAAN will have as a main objective to develop in an environmentally friendly and cost-efficient way, antimicrobial and antiviral nanocoatings in order to minimise risk of spread infections from harmful pathogens in different high traffic objects surfaces (metal, plastic, and textiles).
In order to ensure the successful achievement of the project, the following specificobjectives are set:
Developing inorganic, hybrid and biobased capsules with reduced cytotoxic and ecotoxicity (<1%) and improved performance in terms of fast killing effect and compatibility, tailored to their application selecting at least 3 ANMs.
Developing fast performance AM/AV coatings with an effectiveness of inhibition of at least 90 % of virus and bacteria at short contact times (<30 min) and at least 99 % for longer contact times (>1 hour). Increase durability of the effect up to 2 year (1200 abrasion cycles).
Developing AM/AV coatings with reduced eco-toxicity (>1%) for textile applications (food protective work textiles and home textiles) with an effectiveness of inhibition of at least 99 % for 1 hour contact times and durability of at least 30 washing cycles.
Demonstrating scalable manufacturing technologies including pilot production of nanoparticles, coating formulations and final coated products selected considering the substances and products are effective for its use and safe for human, animal and the environment compliant with ECHA and BPR regulations, pathing the way for future commercialisation.
Impact
SUSAAN will contribute not only to overcome actual problems of risk of spread of infection on pandemic period but also to create healthier living and working environment and to improve citizen health and enhance public health. The new improved methodology and new materials could generate new actors including manufacturers, sellers and end-users, creating a huge impact on technology, economy and society. The transition to sustainable chemicals will also be mindful of socio-economic consequences including employment impacts on specific regions, sectors and workers. SUSAAN technology and new products development may also give rise to new market opportunities in the future, new jobs, new knowledge, and impact on the scientific area.
Scientific
New sustainable-by-design antimicrobial and antiviral coating with enhanced functionalities (durability, efficiency, low toxicity). Coatings validated in three market sectors and replicable in more than 25 additional applications defined.
Environmental
Integrated life cycle sustainability assessment (ILCSA) including LCA, LCC and SLCA will provide a practical approach to integrate and harmonize a parallel assessment of individual sustainability aspects by introducing common definitions, settings and system models. In addition, ILCSA will treat potential barriers (i.e. limited biomass or specific raw materials availability, regulation, etc.). In addition, this integrated approach will be applied to highlight synergies and conflicts linked to the ambitions and objectives of both Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDG) and the Green Deal, analyzing the results and taking into account risks and the actual context of the AM/AV coating innovative technologies.
Economic
Chemical manufacturing is the fourth largest industry in the EU comprising 30.000 companies. In the short term it is estimated that SUSAAN coatings are implemented in 30 companies, and afterwards this figure could be multiplied by 10 in the long term. This will impact on 95% of SMEs and on a sector that employs approximately
1.2 million people and 3.6 million indirectly.
Furthermore, the sustainability of new antiviral nanocoating will give a “market argument” and a competitive difference in the context of growing demand but also increasing offer due to the current situation regarding COVID- 19 pandemic.
Social
The transition to chemicals that are safe and sustainable by design is not only a societal urgency but also a great economic opportunity, as well as key component of EU’s recovery from the COVID-19 crisis.
Most of the common hand-touch sites and/or objects are covered by the SUSAAN project so final impact would be extensive after the project execution, being the results of the project validated in three main market sectors.
The treatment of 650.000 m2 of surfaces (including textiles) will impact directly on minimizing the risk of spread of infections, on the creation of a healthier living and working environment and on offering solutions to people with health issues such as a diminished immune system. About 80% of infectious diseases are transmitted by unclean hands touching contaminated surfaces.
SUSAAN technology and new products development may also give rise to new market opportunities in the future, new jobs, new knowledge, and impact on the scientific area. Employment impacts on specific regions, sectors and workers.
The SUSAAN project results validated in three main market sectors through end users. Apart from the sectors to be specifically tested, antimicrobial and antiviral nanocoatings application included other important application sectors, such as: medical facilities and laboratories, medical equipment, fabrics and other clothing like face masks, hospital furniture, hotels and other public spaces, window glass, pharmaceutical labs, packaging, food packaging areas and restaurants, food processing equipment, transportation, air ducts and air ventilation systems, appliances, sporting and exercise equipment, containers, aircraft interiors and buildings, cruise lines and other marine vessels, handrails, schools and childcare facilities, and/or playgrounds.
Minimise the risk of spread of infections from harmful pathogens arising from everyday human activities.
Enhance economic benefits through reduction of lost hours of work through illness.
Leadership in producing materials that provide solutions for clean, toxic/pollutant free environment, decarbonising industry, and safeguarding civil infrastructure.
Create a healthier living and working environment and offer holistic solutions to people with health issues.
Boost research, development and innovation in the EU and Provide business opportunities especially for SMEs.
Improve citizen health and enhance the EU’s reputation as a public health best practice region.
Sustainable synthesis of nanocoatings (including bio-based materials) especially with effectiveness against a range of pathogens.
Contribution to increased autonomy in key strategic value chains for resilience industry specifically and specially on new sustainable by design materials with enhanced functionalities and applications in a wide range of industrial processes and consumer products.
Work Plan
The SUSAAN project will work in the production of sustainable by design antimicrobial and antiviral nanocoating with a holistic approach considering from the beginning main challenging aspects such as fast response and durable effects, low toxicity and environmental impact, scalability and mass production and regulatory requirements. In order to ensure the successful achievement of the project, bringing the required expertise and existing knowledge in new developments and results SUSAAN project will benefit from the multidisciplinary collaboration between materials researchers, advance manufacturing experts, environmental and social science experts, nano safety and regulator experts and of course producers and manufacturers of final products.
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After definition of requirements on WP1, the work packages will deal with development and production of active nanomaterials (ANMs) which will later be incorporated into previously selected matrices to develop and production of coatings for metal, plastic and textiles industrial sectors.
- To fully specify substrate requirements and quality standard according to final products and applications.
- To exhaustively define and agree on requirements and testing procedures.
- To define Sustainable Performance Indicators and Sustainable design methodology.
- Synthesis and screening of highly efficient AM/AV inorganic nanoparticles with decreased toxicity including ZnO, ZnO@SiO₂ , ZnONPs supported on mesoporous with well defined morphologies.
- Developing and producing bioactive extracts and purified fractions with AM/AV activity from natural resources including anthraquinones rich-extract, isothiocyanate-rich extract and chitosan.
- Synthesis and screening of functionalised hybrid NPs improving AM/AV properties and their integration in the coating matrices.
- Development of stable biobased AM/AV filled nanocapsules with biocompatibility and validated improved stability for coating matrices and substrates.
- Application of laser surface texturing on metal and plastic substrates for increasing coating adherence.
- Formulation and application of sustainable coating formulations with well distributed AM/AV additives and tailored to the substrate nature ensuring good adhesion onto plastic, metal and textiles.
- Screening of combinations of formulation and AM/AV additives according to efficiency, durability of effects/integrity of the coating and toxicity results at lab-scale flat samples.
- Optimization of application parameters on real products (spraying, immersion and pad/dry/cure).
- Production of demonstrators of concealed cistern panels, switches, sockets, woven and knitted (food industry and home) fabrics.
- Validation of the reproducibility, quality and durability of the results by applying standard end-user procedures.
- Obtention of real data on the processes, technical performance and economics for the business strategy.
- Develop toxicological, ecotoxicological and releasing experiments for the new active substances and resulting coatings selected in the project.
- Carry out a risk & regulatory assessment of ANMs, selected mixture and final products identifying BPR requirements and authorisation pathway for the proper registration of final biocidal products to be made available on the European market.
- Perform a full sustainability assessment including the evaluation of environmental and socio-economic impacts of proposed and selected ANMs and coatings, which will support the design and selection of final sustainable and marketable products.
- Promote the project and its results to multiple audiences establishing a two-way dialogue to ensure cooperation.
- Ensure effective dissemination of project results, maximizing the uptake of SUSAAN technologies and products by research.
- Community, industry and policy makers (commercialization strategy).
- Develop an Exploitation and Business Plan to provide potential promoters, decision-makers and end-users with a sound business plan and strategy.
- Define of a robust IPR management strategy.
Promote the overall coordination, the administrative, financial and contractual management of the SUSAAN project. LUREDERRA according to their expertise will act as coordinator but all of the partners will collaborate. Detailed management structure and procedures will be reflected in the Consortium Agreement which will be based on DESCA templates.
Partners
