Surface World May 2020 Surface World May 2020 | Page 10
BCF: BRITISH COATINGS FEDERATION
Anti-viral surfaces could
tackle COVID-19 crisis
Some of the world’s
leading coatings specialists
gathered virtually at the
Royal Society of Chemistry
to discuss how special
surface technologies could
be used to tackle the global
COVID-19 pandemic.
More than 130 academics, technical industry
specialists and representatives of major
healthcare and transport organisations
remotely gathered at the event hosted in
collaboration with the British Coatings
Federation, the UK Trade Association
representing paints, coatings, printing inks
and wallcoverings manufacturers and
suppliers in the UK. The webinar set out
to identify the challenges and share
knowledge on techniques that could
prevent the spread of infection, both in
the present and the future.
Anti-viral coatings contain agents that
prevent microorganisms growing on the
surfaces of materials, and are increasingly
being researched for potential use in clinics,
industry and domestic environments. As well
as technical challenges, there are regulatory
hurdles that need to be overcome before
these materials could be deployed in public
spaces.
Helen Pain, Acting CEO of the Royal Society
of Chemistry said: “Bringing together the
biggest and brightest names in materials
research to tackle this issue is of paramount
importance, especially now, and we are
proud to be able to facilitate this level of
discussion. While we already have a number
of technologies and techniques at our
disposal, there is a clear need to accelerate
research output and this meeting represented
a crucial step towards advancing that.”
“It’s crucial that the direction taken from here
is representative of the diverse range of views
and experience from across the anti-viral
community, which is why we are calling on
anyone with relevant insights to join our
Surface Coatings Interest Group as we
further these discussions.”
The event was led by Stuart Clarke, Professor
of Surface Science at Cambridge University
and Chair of the Technical Committee of the
Surface Coatings Interest Group, and hosted
by Tom Bowtell, CEO of the British Coatings
Federation.
Professor Clarke said: “There is an acute
need to provide new information and insight
about anti-viral surfaces and coatings in the
current climate, particularly to confirm
antiviral behaviour and get appropriate
products to market and into use promptly.
“The Surface Coatings Group is trying to
connect individuals and organisations with
relevant products to specialised anti-viral
testing facilities. In the longer term, activities
may centre on informed reformulation of
products and even longer-term exploration of
new anti-viral approaches.”
Tom Bowtell, CEO of the British Coatings
Federation, said: “There has been a terrific
response from our members, many of whom
have products or technologies with the
potential to address urgent needs in the
current crisis.
“Tackling regulatory hurdles will be one of
the major challenges for such bio-active
technologies, and our regulatory affairs team
will be actively engaging with the relevant
authorities at UK and EU level to support the
efforts of companies as an urgent priority.”
Advanced discussions are now continuing on
a dedicated collaborative Slack platform,
which remains open to new participants on
request to the group secretary.
The Surface Coatings Group and British
Coatings Federation (BCF) will continue to
facilitate the connection of academic and
industrial organisations to contribute to this
important work.
Royal Society of Chemistry
We are an international organisation
connecting chemical scientists with each
other, with other scientists, and with society as
a whole. Founded in 1841 and based in
London, UK, we have an international
membership of over 50,000. We use the
surplus from our global publishing and
knowledge business to give thousands of
chemical scientists the support and resources
required to make vital advances in chemical
knowledge. We develop, recognise and
celebrate professional capabilities, and we
bring people together to spark new ideas and
new partnerships. We support teachers to
inspire future generations of scientists, and
we speak up to influence the people making
decisions that affect us all. We are a catalyst
for the chemistry that enriches our world.
British Coatings Federation
The British Coatings Federation is the
sole UK Trade Association representing
the interests of paint, printing ink and
wallcovering manufacturers and suppliers
in the UK. BCF's membership totals 250
companies, representing 95% of the industry,
covering a wide range of small/medium sized
enterprises as well as large multi-nationals.
Find out how to get involved in the
Surface Coatings Interest Group at
rsc.li/surfacecoatings and become
a member of the Royal Society of
Chemistry at: rsc.org/join
For more informaiton on the British
Coatings Federation visit:
www.coatings.org.uk
8 MAY 2020
read online: www.surfaceworld.com