As the world works to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, businesses everywhere are actively searching for ways to manufacture products with anti-microbial properties. Although people are eager to begin shopping and dining in social settings once again, it is still important for businesses to install products that help significantly reduce the growth and spread of disease.
There are many anti-microbial solutions to choose from at Piedmont Plastics and each of them have their own collective benefits. However, in this article we will be closely examining the anti-microbial properties of copper film and how it can be used as an asset in a variety of applications.
Effectiveness of Copper Film
To begin, let’s examine how anti-microbial copper films can help prevent the spread of illness. For thousands of years, copper has been used for health-related purposes dating back to the Ancient Egyptians. Copper is known to have anti-microbial properties, which means that it can significantly reduce the lifespan of many microorganisms such as bacteria.
To give us a better understanding of how copper can kill bacteria, let’s examine the process step-by-step. The destruction begins once a bacterium lands on an application with a copper surface. Bacteria naturally recognize copper-ions as essential nutrients, so they will absorb the ions into their cell where it eventually penetrates the cell membrane. This causes the cell to lose the nutrients and water within, and the copper-ion then pulls the active oxygen through the penetrated hole of the cell membrane.
As a result, the bacterium’s respiratory and metabolic functions will become disrupted, and damage to the DNA will eventually kill the bacterium. Copper has also been shown to have a negative impact on viruses such as COVID-19. In fact, a new study published by the New England Journal of Medicine mentioned that after four hours of contact with a copper surface, the COVID-19 virus was no longer considered infectious. Although scientists are aware of copper’s ability to eliminate harmful germs, they are still working hard to unlock the full health benefits of the metallic element.
Benefits and Features of Copper Film
While copper film’s primary benefit is clearly its effectiveness against harmful diseases, there are many other benefits that come with using the product. Some of these benefits include:
Good translucency
Removable adhesive with residue free removability
Scratch resistance
Easily cleaned with most cleaners (bleach, alcohol, etc.)
There are also a few features to be aware of when using copper film in your applications. The first feature to be aware of is the high purity level of the copper film. The copper films available from Piedmont Plastics are 99.9% pure, which enables the highest level of anti-microbial protection.
The second feature to know is that our copper films do not have a topcoat. This means that the protection cannot be worn through unless it becomes physically damaged through improper use. Lastly, the polyethylene core that comes with the copper films allow for excellent chemical and wear resistance.
Applications with Copper Film
Copper film can be used in a variety of applications. Some of the more popular uses include:
Restrooms
POS Systems and Kiosks
Stair/Escalator Handrails
Elevator Buttons
Credit Card Machines
Counters/Desks
Doors/Handles
Contact Us
At Piedmont Plastics, we offer a variety of anti-microbial solutions for your applications, including copper films. Contact us today to inquire about our solutions or call us today to speak with a plastic films specialist! You can also read our social distancing solutions brochure which includes more information about our social distancing products and solutions!