TechDesign Silver Knight sheet flooring with photocatalytic disinfecting surface

• The nosocomial (hospital-origin) infections are caused by viral, bacterial and funghal pathogens.

• Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) cause extreme extra costs to healthcare facilities

– About 3 times longer hospital stay

– Three times the cost

– Five times higher risk of in-hospital death

In the US alone, HAIs cause about 1.7 million cases per year (cc. 5%)

The results are approximately 99 000 deaths and an added expenditure in excess of $17 billion a year.(acc. to The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention)

Defined problems in healthcare

Most dangerous bacteria in hospital environment are:

• MRSA (methillicin-resistant staphilococcus aureus)

• Enterococcus species (like VRE (Vancomicin Resistant Enterococcus)

• C-difficile

• E-coli

• Klebsiella species

• Acinetobacter baumanii

• Pseudomonas aeruginosa

• Enterobacter species (like ESBL)

Different dangerous bacteria cause nosocomial infections

Gram positive bacteria

Forming spores to survive on surfaces even under extreme circumstances

They are resistant to a large group of antibiotics

Superbugs

Nanotechnology

80 000th of diameter of a hair Nanoparticles in an atom

• Nanoparticles have a vast surface area compared to their volume

- at this size, a relatively inert material can become highly reactive

- and less material is needed for same effect

High efficiency, less toxicity, less weight, and/or less cost!High efficiency, less toxicity, less weight, and/or less cost!

Nanotechnology is used in e.g. cosmetic industry, textile industry, cars, construction industry , medicine, life sciences and pharmaceutics, …

TechDesign Silver Knight

• Vinyl sheet flooring with active disinfecting surface

• Dedicated for HealthCare applications

• Due to the double defense line build up from nanosilver and nanoTiO2 particles

Technical parameters

Standard Result

Thickness EN 428 2.0 mm

Wear layer EN 429 0.7 mm

Chemical resistance

EN 423 Excellent

Slip resistance DIN 51130 R9

Classification EN 685 34/43

Elimination of bacteria Standard Result

MRSA ISO 27447:2009 >99%

VRE ISO 27447:2009 >99%

ESBL ISO 27447:2009 >99%

E-coli ISO 846:1997 >99%

1st line of defense: NanoSilver

• Antibacterial properties of silver have been known for more than 3000 years

• The antibacterial effect results from the ongoing slow diffusion of silver ions

• The silver ions hinder the process of cell division, secondly destabilize the cell membrane, walls or plasma and thirdly interrupt the enzyme’s transport of nutrients

Bacteria can be lastingly eradicated without the use of

chemicals.

2nd line of defense:nano Titanium-dioxide

• Titanium dioxide is a photocatalyst

• It helps to transform harmful organic and inorganic substances into harmless compounds through a chemical oxidation process

• For the function to work, only UV light, oxygen and air humidity are required

• The level of UV light present in normal day-light is enough

Speeding up the decomposition process of harmful bacteria and

organic dirt rapidly

Independent laboratory tests of Silver Knight

Changes in quantity of viable bacteria compared to Staphylococcus aureus bacteria counts after 8 hours on alternate surfaces

• Nanoscale TiO2 gives hydrophillic properties

• When washing the floor, water runs off in a film rather than droplets, taking with it any dirt

• Through the photocatalytic reaction any organic dirt will be oxidized

Additional benefits: Self-cleaning

Fewer detergents are required, resulting in less environmental pollution

Additional benefits: Air-purifying function for well-being

• The use of nanomaterials makes it possible to improve the quality of air

• Through photocatalysis smells can be decomposed into their harmless constituent parts

• The purifying function does not wear off, either

• It works in the same way with case of pollutants such as nicotine and formaldehyde

TechDesign Silver Knight helps to improve indoor air quality.

Silver Knight – effective asset in infection-control and protection of environment

• Most effective infection-control

• Lower risk of a hospital-acquired infection

• Lower risk of longer hospital stay

• Less cost per patients

• Significantly extended cleaning cycles

• Thus reduced personnel and detergents costs

• Significantly reduced life cycle cost

• Air purifying attribute for well-being

TechDesign Silver Knight floorings help to create a safer healthcare environment.