Antivirus coatings aid in epidemic prevention

Nippon Paint China, a subsidiary of Nipsea Group, Asia's largest paints and coatings manufacturer by sales revenue, and United States-based Corning Incorporated jointly donated 5 million yuan ($715,500) worth of antivirus paint to four Hubei coronavirus-designated hospitals, with a total coating area of 120,000 square meters.

The paint is especially produced for frontline hospital use and not available in the market yet, according to these two companies. Nippon Paint adopted Corning's latest antimicrobial particles, an emerging technology from the US material provider.

Nippon Paint hopes this antiviral coating can help frontline health workers by offering an additional layer of protection against the coronavirus.

The four hospitals in Hubei province that received Nippon Paint's coatings are Xiangyang No 1 People's Hospital, Xiangyang Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital, Xiangyang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Suixian People's Hospital.

Nippon Paint started to work with Corning on antivirus coating in June 2019. Nippon Paint's Antivirus Kids Paint, an innovative product combining Corning Guardiant Antimicrobial Particles and Nippon Paint kids paint, has been tested by Microchem Laboratory, an accredited, independent laboratory in the US on January 29, 2020.

"Nippon Paint has always tried to push beyond the limits in the coating industry, developing sustainable products backed with constant technological innovation," said Eric Chung, president of Nippon Paint China.

The coronavirus outbreak has prompted the firm to be highly innovative, and Nippon Paint is happy to work jointly with Corning at this particular time to complete development, tests and production of the antivirus coating, he said.

Joydeep Lahiri, division vice-president and program director for specialty surfaces at Corning Incorporated, said the company believes the paint created and manufactured by two partners can offer an additional layer of protection by reducing the risk of infection from viruses on the painted surfaces of hospitals and medical centers.

To prevent potential risk, both China's Center for Disease Control and its US counterpart have declared it is possible for a person to contract COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their mouth, nose or eyes.

Experts estimate coronaviruses can live up to nine days on a surface depending on environmental conditions and surface type. With no vaccines or cures identified, the best way to combat this epidemic is through prevention, which includes disinfecting surfaces in hospitals, medical centers, offices, homes and elsewhere.

Nippon Paint China also donated 2 million yuan to Hubei Xianning Red Cross Society in Xianning, Hubei province to participate in China's battle against the epidemic.