Studies have shown that the COVID-19 virus can survive for up to 72 hours on surfaces made of plastic and stainless steel. This has led to a rising interest in antimicrobial coatings for frequently-touched surfaces like door handles, shopping carts, elevator buttons and handrails. These coatings have the ability to kill a variety of microorganisms and reduce the risk of virus transmission in public and healthcare settings.

Researchers at Hong Kong University recently developed an antiviral coating that is effective against COVID-19. The coating called MAP-1 consists of millions of nanocapsules containing disinfectant which remain active for 90 days and was made available for commercial use this year following clinical tests at a Hong Kong hospital. Other companies developing antimicrobial coatings include Kastus, CytaCoat and NanoSeptic. Both Kastus and NanoSeptic offer antimicrobial coatings effective against coronaviruses for surfaces such as touchscreens, door handles and elevator buttons. CytaCoat has developed a coating for use in intensive care settings that prevents secondary bacterial infections responsible for many of the deaths from COVID-19.

We have included a selection of our most popular market research on coatings below.