Here’s why Antibacterial Glass is making a wave in the Industry. All that we must know about Antibacterial Glass. Due to increasing among people about maintaining hygiene to prevent infectious diseases. Antibacterial Glass finds its application in various sectors such as healthcare, military, food and beverage, and others for providing an architectural solution to maintain hygiene. Due to an increase in disposable income, antibacterial glass is used household to decrease the growth of bacteria and fungi in damp places like bathrooms, washrooms, and kitchen. To avoid the risk of getting contracting with hospital-acquired infection in hospitalized patients, antimicrobial glasses are widely used in the infrastructure of hospitals.
Meaning of Antibacterial Glass?
Antibacterial glass is a thin reflective surface that have bactericidal and fungicidal properties. They are able to destroy and bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. Glass is coated with substances having antibacterial properties. These coated substances have the ability to prevent the growth and propagation of bacteria on the surface. It increases hygiene in both industrial and domestic use.
Antibacterial Glass has brought an innovation in the glass design industries. It is believed that about 99.9% of the bacteria are destroyed by this glass along with this it also prevents the spread of fungi on the surface. Due to this incredible property, antibacterial glass is used at the places where strict hygiene is mandatory.
Materials used in the manufacturing of Antibacterial Glass
The main elements that are used in the manufacturing of antibacterial glass include silver, copper, zinc, etc. They are coated to make the glass antibacterial in nature.
Silver
Silver is mainly used to manufacture antibacterial glass. It has a better ability to impede chemical bonds present in the cell wall of bacteria that imparts improved antibacterial properties. Several forms of silver such as silver zeolite, silver nanoparticles, and silver salts can be used for microbial inhibition. On the glass substrate, a thin coating of silver is done. Sometimes titanium oxide is also used in combination with silver as a coating material.
Other Active Ingredients
Metals like zinc and copper are also able to prevent bacterial and fungal growth. Occasionally a combination of copper and zinc is used for coating the surface of the glass. These metal ions are produced in the upper layer of the glass which interact with growing bacteria, interfere with their metabolism and division resulting in their disruption.
Benefits of using Antibacterial Glass
As compared with traditional glasses, there are many advantages of using antibacterial glass. It is easier to maintain, is more hygienic, has high sterilization, as well as they have self-cleaning properties under ultraviolet (UV) light. Antibacterial glass is able to kill about 99.9% of bacteria and it also prevents the fungal growth therefore use of antibacterial glasses prevents the spread of infection of many diseases.
Uses of Antibacterial Glass in various sectors
Due to the need to provide a hygienic architectural solution in various sectors such as healthcare, food, and beverage, military, etc. antimicrobial glasses are nowadays widely used.
Food & Beverages
The demand for antibacterial glass is increasing in the food and beverage industries. It is considered that preventing the growth and spread of microbial germs is a better option than choosing any other alternatives. Food and beverage companies are more focused on consumer safety. To prevent the contamination of the products, these companies are using antibacterial glass.
Hospitals
As healthcare providers always try to provide the best possible hygienic environment to their patients in the hospitals. In hospitals, antibacterial glass is used for making doors, windows, in geriatric oncology, maternity ward, infirmaries, and burn unit where there is a higher risk of getting contaminated by bacteria or fungi. According to WHO, more than 10% of patients in developing and around 7% in developed countries who are hospitalized acquire the infection during treatment. Therefore it is mandatory to ensure a higher level of sanitization and hygiene in hospitals to effectively prevent such infections.
Residential
There is an increasing demand for the use of antibacterial glasses in households, in order to prevent bacterial and fungal diseases. Damp places in the homes such as bathrooms and washrooms etc. are more susceptible to to the growth of bacteria. The standard living of urban population is increasing along with the increase disposable income, therefore demand for antibacterial glass rising in homecare appliances.
Other Applications
The use of antimicrobial products in consumer electronics like tablets, phones, and phablets will encourage the adoption of antibacterial glass on the screens. Antibacterial glass is used in the manufacturing of screens of smartphones, tablets, and laptops as bacteria and other microorganisms may reside on the screens of mobile.
Trends in adoption Antibacterial Glass
Increasing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)
Those who are involved in manufacturing healthcare furnishings are aiming to develop new products that have antimicrobial properties in order to protect materials from degradation and to reduce the chances of degradation product surfaces due to microbial burden. It is predicted that antibacterial glass will help in reducing the risk of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs)
Impact of COVID-19
The outbreak of COVID-19 has revealed that several developing as well as developed economies are not able well-equipped that could prevent the spread of the disease. COVID-19 is caused by a coronavirus and is highly infectious which affects the respiratory system. Most of the countries are lacking proper healthcare infrastructure to fight this disease.
In the future to fight with similar kinds of diseases, it is expected that the government of many countries will spend more money to increase their healthcare facilities. And this will increase the demand for infrastructure products including antibacterial glass.
The bottom line
The Antibacterial Glass Market has been witnessing rapid growth as awareness is increasing about the infectious diseases among the people. Smart and intelligent architectural ideas can be a crucial factor that will ensure consumer health and safety and will fulfill the new hygiene measures. Especially places like public laboratories, restaurants, offices, railway stations, etc. need to be reconsidered.
As healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) is also increasing, therefore to reduce microbial burden and infection caused by them, healthcare sectors are adopting antibacterial glasses, and therefore it is expected to drive the market. Along with this, increasing healthcare spending and better personal and private hygiene practices among the population are the factors that will have a positive impact on the growth of the market.
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