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Buttons and door handles are the most exposed objects in any building, making them the targets of sanitation efforts caused by the ongoing global pandemic. From ancient permits to new transparent panels, new technologies that claim to provide self-cleaning contact points may make our buildings safer, but they are not very helpful for COVID-19. 

Self-cleaning materials have existed for centuries. Due to the microdynamic effect, brass can naturally clean itself. The origin of brass as a metal alloy can be traced back to 3,000 BC, and Sushruta Samhita, an ancient Indian medical document dating back to the 12th century, promoted the use of specific metals by surgical producers. It was not until the 19th century that scientist Carl Nägeli officially determined the disinfection properties of brass for the first time. A small amount of certain heavy metals is fatal to bacteria, but harmless to the human body. Scientific understanding is still evolving, but it believes that heavy metal ions can inactivate the proteins in the cell wall by affecting them, thereby causing membrane damage to bacteria. Copper is the only product with antiviral residue claims registered and used nationwide by the US Environmental Protection Agency. 

"Providing Americans with new tools and information to fight the virus that causes COVID-19 is one of EPA's top priorities," said Michal Freedhoff, Acting Assistant Director of the EPA's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. "Today's action marks another step forward in EPA's efforts to listen to science and provide effective tools to help protect human health."

The problem is that considering how many touch points there are in the building, the cost of cooper is prohibitively high. Self-cleaning coatings provide a more cost-effective option. As a film substrate, self-cleaning materials work by oxidizing organic compounds at the microscopic level. The titanium dioxide in the film acts as a photocatalyst when it is activated by light to generate hydroxyl radicals. This substance has twice the oxidizing power of bleaching agents. The oxidation process breaks down compounds into harmless by-products. The self-cleaning material does not remove the container, it only reduces its risk. Titanium dioxide is cheap, chemically inert, does not require light, is easy to handle, and can be easily made into a thin film. It has become a safe household product that can be used in cosmetics, paints and food. 

Nantouch Materials sells green self-cleaning film oxidized by titanium dioxide, which can be used almost anywhere. The sheet material can be wrapped on door handles, door mats and buttons. Nanotech claims that the product has been extensively tested by independent, EPA, FDA and GLP compliance laboratories. Nanotouch has worked with CB Richard Ellis, Marriott and the US Navy and has been installed on 10 million surfaces. The product won the 2021 Vision Award issued by FacilitesNet.com 

Nanotouch co-founder Dennis Hackemeyer said: “Winning the recognition of judges who are experts is a testament to the trust that thousands of facility managers and others around the world place in our surface and create a cleaner and safer environment for all. ". 

For the coronavirus pandemic, it does not matter whether Nanotuch can be used as a surface disinfectant. Nearly two years after this outbreak, we know that COVID-19 rarely spreads on the surface. The CDC even said that surface transmission "is not considered the main method of virus transmission." Self-cleaning door handles and buttons may make our buildings safer. Airborne diseases are not the only diseases, but they must not be wrapped in the same health room that occurs all over the world. Self-cleaning products still need to be cleaned. 

See also how construction technology can help the real estate industry understand post-pandemic risks

Self-cleaning products often give way to a false sense of security. Some studies have shown that antimicrobial surfaces in high-contact areas are associated with a higher microbial load compared to other types of hardware. Researchers speculate that antibacterial surfaces may increase hardware usage and reduce cleaning frequency. The problem with heavy metals and oxidation is that the process is not instant, and disinfection may take several minutes, sometimes several hours. They may be effective measures, but they are passive. Fighting infection requires more aggressive solutions. Almost all solutions revolve around good "elbow grease". Nanotouch recommends regular replacement of its products with non-abrasive cleaners, and replacement of the skin of each contact point every 90 days or earlier in areas with high traffic. 

"Normally, there is not enough time between exposure to copper to kill most of the bacteria on the surface," wrote Linda Lybert, president of Healthcare Surface Consulting. "So the possibility of spreading bacteria is very real. If someone thinks they don't have to clean the copper surface, can you imagine what will happen over time?"

Science is still evolving, but self-cleaning solutions have potential for virus mitigation. The biggest problem may be the brand. They are not "self-cleaning" at all, so they are referred to as the type of false security that promotes the material to fight against. It is more appropriate to call them anti-microbial or anti-bacterial surfaces, so that facility managers can better understand the value proposition. 

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