Nano Technology’ today has taken the world by storm, finding applications right from electronics to engineering to health and hygiene. Use of nano to maintain hygiene has led to its usage in not just refrigerators but also in washrooms. The technology is now rapidly revolutionising the cleaning and health industry in myriad ways.
Though the concept of using nano technology as a means for hygiene at places of public conveniences is yet to gain ground in India, in foreign countries, the technology is fairly effectively implemented. Treatment of key surfaces with nano-fluids can lead to major benefits for the hygiene and cleanliness of public conveniences. In addition, these innovations bring environmental and cost savings benefits like:
• Reduced risk of public cross-infection
• Lowering carbon emissions
• Easy-clean methodology reducing labour time
• Reduction in use of water by 30 to 40%
• Doing away with aggressive chemicals
• Reduction in cleaning cycle
Multiple Usages
It’s a household story that the washroom of a brand new apartment which looks sparkling clean when bought, with passage of time, down the years, the same begins to look pretty old and stained with seemingly indelible marks and scratches showing up on the floor and wall tiles. The once grand looking washroom is now reduced to a lacklustre bathroom.
Well, here is where nano surface coating has made the difference. In fact, washroom is the most ideal place to have many applications including nanotechnology coating which gives anti-microbial effect by way of which the door knobs become “germ-free”. This is especially effective in public washrooms in malls and hotels where the traffic is high and the possibility of contamination of some transmittable diseases is higher.
Nanotechnology is used in almost all glass surfaces for scratch free cleaning and as a protective covering. It also improves the longevity and provides protection from various external elements like harmful UV rays, dust, dirt, debris, moisture, daily wear and tear, and other hazards. In fact it is totally environment friendly. Moreover, nano coating keeps stainless steel gleaming and free from fingerprints, scratches and oxidation. Besides, nanotechnology also provides preventive coatings in materials like fibre, metal, ceramics, marble, and wood too.
Nano coated bathroom tiles
Use of nano in bathroom fittings has revolutionised the way we clean and protect the washroom. These treatments have been created in order to satisfy the demand for self cleaning and easy clean surfaces, which possess background bacterio-static effects.
A germ 1/10th the size of a pinhead can cause dreaded diseases. These germs are most commonly and in abundance found in washroom areas, on wall and floor tiles. Leading wall and floor tiles manufacturers around the world are manufacturing tiles which are germ free. Besides, being aesthetic in style and design, these tiles come with anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties that do not let dangerous germs breed on them.
These germ-free tiles are the result of a groundbreaking technology called Silver Nano technology. The technology incorporates a special silver based compound into the glaze that inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi. These tiles are also water and dust repellent and acid and alkali resistant, making them easy to clean and maintain.
Understanding Silver Nano
Silver Nano ions have proven their ability to sterilize over 650 types of bacteria. These particles typically measure 25nm and have extremely large relative surface area, increasing their contact with bacteria or fungi and vastly improving its bactericidal and fungicidal effectiveness.
Silver Nano, when in contact with bacteria and fungus adversely affects cellular metabolism and inhibit cell growth. It suppresses respiration, basal metabolism of electron transfer system, and transport of substrate in the microbial cell membrane. It inhibits multiplication and growth of those bacteria and fungi which cause infection, odour, itchiness and sores.
With ever-evolving lifestyle and increasing awareness towards health and hygiene, nano-science and nano-technology may significantly change the functioning of the construction industry in the near future. For this reason, the technology offers longer life and sustainability to any product with less efforts and low maintenance cost.
While washrooms remains the most important part of any commercial or residential place, its hygiene and maintenance requires special attention. But with the use of nano products like water sealers, scratch resistant coatings on vinyl or showers enclosures, insulation coatings, etc., maintenance issues can be resolved easily. Moreover, nanotechnology based coatings which enables self-cleaning surfaces are already being embedded into window glasses and plumbing fixtures.
Nanotechnology is the science of producing and utilizing nano-sized particles that measure in nanometers (1nm = 1 billionth of a metre). Nano technology allows the engineering of nano scale particles and coatings. Central to one of the most effective forms of nano technology is the Sol Gel process. This process, which was established more than 50 years ago, has recently been refined by German research engineers, with the result that they can now consistently manufacture SiO2 i.e. liquid glass. This glass, which is particle free, can be applied to any surface thus creating a nano layer of super-phobic protection which rejects soiling of any form leading to a future of self-cleaning bathroom suites.
Not only does this invisible super durable, flexible yet breathable nano coating protect against soiling , abrasion, acids, alkalis, UV rays, solvents and temperature fluctuations but, it can be laced with anti-bacterial components which remain active for the life of the coating; up to 10 years.
Compiled from various sources