Originally Published EMDM May/June 2002
MATERIALS
Antimicrobial-coated steel suppresses bacteria
Flat-rolled stainless and carbon steels coated with a silver-ion antimicrobial compound prevent the growth of a variety of destructive microbes including bacteria, moulds, and fungi. AK Steel (Middletown, OH, USA), in alliance with AgION Technologies (Wakefield, MA, USA), presented an antimicrobial steel at the MD&M West show suitable for a wide range of medical equipment and surfaces, such as exam tables, countertops, instrument trays, racks, and equipment casings.
AgION antimicrobial coating is an inorganic material with an active ionic silver ingredient within a zeolite structure. The compound is available in a transparent epoxy coating or pigmented coating, and is applied to the steel with either a roll coating or powder coating method. The powder coating method is achieved by separating the resin into a fine powder, which is then electrostatically attracted to the steel.
"Studies have shown that consumers want microbe-resistant products," says Richard Wardrop, chairman and CEO of AK Steel. "Our full line of antimicrobial-coated steels represents a cost-effective way for manufacturers to meet this demand and help inhibit the growth of damaging bacteria," he says.
AK Steel offers antimicrobial-coated carbon- and stainless-steel products up to 60 in. wide in gauges from 0.018 to 0.060 in. Products are also available up to 48 in. wide in gauges from 0.060 to 0.075 in.
Benjamin Lichtman, Norbert Sparrow, Kelly Donoghue, and Zachary Turke
Copyright ©2002 European Medical Device Manufacturer
