Got this from the Discovery Channel website: Spiky Paint Kills Bugs on Contact
Klibanov’s coating is made up of microscopic polymer spikes, rather than chemicals. The polymer spikes are mixed into a solvent. When the solvent is applied to a surface, it evaporates, leaving behind a clear, spiky coating.
When a bacterium lands on the polymer, the spikes poke holes into the pathogen’s protective outer membrane.
In an experiment, 99 percent of bacteria that were exposed to a coated surface died.
So with this new kind of anti-microbial coating, your walls and ceilings would become literally a ‘bed of nails’ for bacteria and viruses that would land on them.
Aside from home benefits this would be great for hospitals and other facilities that get exposed to high levels of bacterial or viral count. I just wonder though if this would have any effect on Spiderman’s ability to crawl on walls and ceilings? Kidding aside, this kind of new technological innovations are great and I wish that these would be made available to developing countries like ours, the Philippines. It would save the government lots of money from massive pesticide sprays and become more environment-friendly in the process and ultimately lead to healthier Filipinos.
In 2002 alone, the third leading cause of illness in the county is Bronchitis/Bronchiolitis. Which is caused by certain air-borne pathogens like the viruses Rhinovirus, Adenovirus and the bacteria Mycoplasma pneumoniae among others aside from air pollutants like smog, dust and cigarette smoke.
Now I wonder if this spike-laden coating material could also be used to prevent mosquitoes from landing on house walls and ceilings where they wait to find the person to come along and be bitten, thus further preventing malaria, and dengue fever from spreading. House flies would be next on the list as these irritating insects carry many pathogens as well.
Wait a minute, aren’t insect-repelling products like these already commercially available?