| Hygiene requirements in the medical sector and in the food, cleanroom and pharmaceutical industries are extremely high. All surfaces and items which staff touch have to be sterile. The surfaces of frequently used membrane keypads are potentially a breeding ground for germs, bacteria and other microorganisms, but this risk can be minimised by means of antibacterial coatings.
Hoffmann und Krippner GmbH in Buchen, Germany, now offer a new membrane keypad with antimicrobial properties that was specially developed for hygiene-critical surface applications in medical and laboratory environments.
The most important component of this new system is Autotex AM hard-coated polyester film developed by MacDermid Autotype, the leading global innovator and manufacturer of specialist film coatings. This film offers integrated and durable antimicrobial protection of the keyboard against bacterial contamination and inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria as well as mould fungi and mildew. The new material is primarily employed for protecting surfacing of keyboards for use in hygiene critical environments, such as A&E wards, medical laboratories and so on.
The new film combines the proven advantages of a hard, resistant surface with antimicrobial protection. This is especially important at man-machine interfaces, such as keyboards and data entry systems. The material is also resistant to scratching and chemicals, enabling it to withstand everyday wear and tear as well as aggressive cleaning agents and methods.
MacDermid Autotype builds the antimicrobial protection into the textured hard coating of the Autotex AM film during the manufacturing process. This ensures that the antimicrobial agent is evenly distributed over the entire film surface, providing effective protection throughout the entire service life of the product. The new film has been proved to inhibit the growth of a number of bacteria, mould fungi and other germs such as MRSA, Salmonella enteriditis, Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes.
The antibacterial effect is produced when the agent penetrates the cell walls of microorganisms that enter into contact with the substrate surface. It interrupts the cell functions of these organisms and prevents their growth or reproduction.
Using the antimicrobial polyester film does not mean there is no further need for observing the usual cleanliness and hygiene requirements, the Hoffmann und Krippner company explains, but it does offer an extremely high level of security and a constant level of protection against bacterial contamination. |