In the News – Microban Secures Patents for Antimicrobial Technology in Ceramics

Microban International has been granted two U.S. patents relating to antimicrobial technology in ceramics. These patents reportedly cover incorporating antimicrobials into ceramic-based products such as floor and wall tile, and sanitaryware.

“These patents cover the latest state-of-art approaches to creating antimicrobial ceramic surfaces and represent the culmination of seven years of research effort and more than $1 million in development costs,” said Ivan Ong, vice president of research and development. “Bringing this technology to ceramic products is another example of Microban combining science with creative approaches to develop inventive solutions. In addition, our antimicrobial technologies are structured to pass the new ASTM E3031 2015 test standard for evaluating antimicrobial performance of ceramic articles.”

Microban antimicrobial technology is added to the ceramic product during the normal manufacturing process to become an integral and permanent part of the glaze. Ceramic products infused with Microban technology reportedly provide continuous protection for the life of the product. The technologies have a long history of effective use, and will not wash off or wear away. Unlike photocatalytic technologies, Microban antimicrobial technology does not require strong light (e.g., sunlight) to provide efficacy, and hence can be used for indoor environments such as bathrooms and kitchens. The technologies comply with the EU Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) and have U.S. EPA Registration.

For more information visit, Ceramic Industry