Pilkington to launch antimicrobial glass

07 Nov 2020

Business

Pilkington is set to launch a new glass product to help reduce the transmission of infections in shared spaces and public transport.

The launch of the new glass product, Pilkington SaniTise™, follows the company’s Ormskirk based research and development team fast tracking its research into antimicrobial coatings in the wake of the pandemic.

Pilkington SaniTise™ believes the glass is suited for building façades of offices, schools, hospitals, restaurants and hotels as the interior surface on any exterior wall system.

SaniTise™ has been designed for use in all types of public transport such as buses, trains and passenger boats.
The transparent coated glass is activated through UV exposure. When the glass is exposed to UV light, its antimicrobial activity is significantly increased compared to using uncoated glass. It has a pyrolytic coating, which provides antimicrobial properties and acts against enveloped viruses on the glass surface.

With many viruses surviving on glass surfaces for days if left untreated, this can create a huge risk for people to become infected through contact transmission. Pilkington SaniTise™ ultimately helps to reduce the chances of this happening, which could make a big difference in high-touch applications such as shopping centre doorways or passenger windows on a bus.