When it comes to 3D printing, the sky is the limit. As 3D printing technology continues to advance, applications can be as far reaching as airplane and automobile parts to medical devices and even anatomically correct, biocompatible models. Although 3D printing technology is developing at a rapid pace, the technology itself is not new. It emerged in the 1980s as a means of creating rapid prototypes. In recent years the applications for 3D printed models have evolved with the available hardware, software, and printable materials. Evolving technology, paired with the creative and innovative minds of scientists, engineers, and physicians, has been the launching pad for developments within 3D printing technology specific to healthcare. One way 3D printing technology is poised to create better patient outcomes is in creating an anatomically and patient-specific models to aid in surgery and medical procedures. With the capability to 3D ...
Scientists in the U.S. have come up with novel antimicrobial polymers that can make clothing permanently germ-free, reports the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). The polymers can be made into a spray-on solution that can be applied to existing clothes, including socks so that they won’t be smelly after wear.
The new polymers can be applied to natural and synthetic materials, including plastic, to provide everlasting, non-leaching antimicrobial surfaces on top of the materials. The treatment withstands multiple hot-water laundry cycles.
Jason's team at the University of Georgia showed in its research paper that the polymer treatment kills a wide range of dangerous microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, which causes a range of illnesses; and Escherichia coli, of which some strains can cause food poisoning.
According to the research paper by Locklin and colleagues, the polymer treatment was developed by making antimicrobial copolymers from a commercially available polymer. The antimicrobial polymers were then attached to surfaces of synthetic polymers, cotton, and other materials using flashes of light. The result was a covalently cross-linked polymeric coating that gave a permanent, non-leaching antimicrobial surface.
The BBC story notes that the most important and immediate application for these polymers is in the medical field. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that approximately one in every 20 hospitalized patients contracts a healthcare-associated infection.
The BBC quotes Locklin:
‘The spread of pathogens on textiles and plastics is a growing concern, especially in healthcare facilities and hotels, which are ideal environments for the proliferation and spread of very harmful micro-organisms,’ said Dr Locklin.People are also trying to get rid of dangerous microbes at home, especially when it comes to food packaging, plastic furniture and their children’s bath toys.
There are other anti-bacterial products, but some of them suffer from high cost or ineffectiveness. The researchers think their novel antimicrobial polymers will be an easy, cheap, and scalable chemistry to guard against pathogens.
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