Antimicrobial Technologies: New materials innovations to meet new demand
Channel: IDTechEx
Date: 24/02/2021

Companies are successfully innovating as an old technology pivots quickly to tackling a global problem.

"COVID-19 is driving 3- and 4-digit growth for antimicrobial companies"

Principal Analyst Dr Nadia Tsao joins Raghu Das, CEO of IDTechEx to discuss the new IDTechEx report "Antimicrobial Technology Market 2021-2031", www.IDTechEx.com/Antimicrobial

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the world's worst public health emergencies in living memory and has affected all aspects of life around the world. The pandemic has also propelled awareness of antimicrobial technology and antimicrobial products to new heights. Players in the antimicrobial technology market are developing additives and coatings to meet unprecedented demand for new antimicrobial products, with industry players seeing double-, triple-, or even quadruple-digit growth.
 
What are antimicrobial technologies?
Antimicrobial technologies, as covered in this IDTechEx report, refers to additives and coatings that decrease or even eliminate the activity of microorganisms, including bacteria, virus, and fungi. While regular cleaning can remove and kill the microorganisms present on a surface, antimicrobial technologies offer continuous protection between cleans.
 
But even before the COVID-19 pandemic, antimicrobial technologies have been saving lives and money across a broad number of sectors. A key driver for the use of antimicrobial technologies is their ability to address hospital-acquired infections (or healthcare-associated infection). When used in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, antimicrobial technologies have been demonstrated to significantly decrease the rates of infection. By doing so, thousands if not tens of thousands of deaths can be prevented, and billions of dollars can be saved.
 
There are many opportunities beyond the healthcare sector, including food, agriculture, aquaculture, construction (including HVAC systems), and public settings. The use of antimicrobial paints, coatings and additives in the built environment can not only extend the lifetime of the protected product, but also indirectly improve human health through addressing indoor air quality. Antimicrobial textiles can provide anti-odour effect to clothing, curtains, carpets, and soft furnishings. With the world moving against the prophylactic use of antibiotics in agriculture, antimicrobial companies are beginning to fill in the gap. And now, the COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of cleaning high-touch surfaces in public settings, and the role of antimicrobial technologies in providing safe environments for people in a post-pandemic world.
 
What is in this report?
This report takes a deep dive into key antimicrobial technologies. The mechanism of action of each antimicrobial technology is explained and a comparison of efficacy claims from companies commercializing antimicrobial technologies is provided. Profiles of both major and emerging players, including primary interviews, are included in the report.
 
The key technologies covered in the report are:
- Silver, including silver chloride, silver zeolite, silver nanoparticles
- Copper, including copper oxide and copper nanoparticles
- Zinc, including zinc oxide and zinc pyrithione
- Silane quaternary ammonium compounds
- Titanium dioxide
 
The report also highlights a further 10 technologies either commercialized or in development, including new materials, innovative methods to stabilize and localize traditional disinfectants, biomimetic technologies such as surface patterning techniques, and antimicrobials derived from nature, such as enzymes, peptides, and dyes.
 
IDTechEx have identified over 100 companies that are actively developing antimicrobial technologies and products, including over 60 companies focused entirely in this area. Discussion on market sizing, market outlook, market forecast, and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic are also included in the report.
 
Why is this important?
The information provided in this report will be helpful to those seeking to follow this rising antimicrobial trend by clarifying considerations in developing antimicrobial technology. While technologies may appear similar at first glance, the pandemic is driving a rise in companies looking to make quick wins by operating in grey areas. With public awareness at an all-time high, now is the time to develop environmentally responsible, sustainable, effective, and future-proof antimicrobial products. Antimicrobial technologies have significant potential beyond exiting the COVID-19 pandemic safely, but can also bring about worse problems when used incorrectly.

Download a report sample: www.IDTechEx.com/Antimicrobial