Can Silver-Based Antimicrobial Coatings Defend Against Covid-19?

New research by Biomaster and James Cropper has found that silver-based antimicrobial coatings on paper may be effective in defending against the Covid-19 virus.

Currently no commercial lab has the authority to test the theory against Covid-19. But feline coronavirus, which comes from the same Coronaviridae family of viruses, has been tested using the ISO 18184 testing method to determine anti-viral activity on antimicrobial-treated paper. The tests showed that the viral strain was reduced by over 95% in just two hours.

Silver is well-recognised in the medical industry for its antibacterial and antimicrobial features, with Science magazine explaining that “scientists have long known that the metal is a potent antibacterial agent” and praising silver’s “long-lasting power”.

Silver-based antimicrobial coatings – like our in-house XtraProtect – work by binding silver ions to the cell wall, preventing the growth of bacteria. Enzyme production is also interrupted, stopping bacterial microbes from producing energy. Meanwhile, the cell’s DNA is interrupted by the silver ions too, preventing new cell formation of replication.

Our unique XtraProtect antimicrobial coating kills 99.9% of bacteria, and comes with scratch-resistant and life extension features. Offered at no extra cost, we create and apply XtraProtect in-house, meaning it adds no increase to lead times.

 Find out more about XtraProtect here.