Nanostructured zinc oxide surface coatings for bacterial growth inhibition (Market Assessment)

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Bacterial antimicrobial resistance was associated with almost 4.95 million deaths in 2019. One of the most common ways that pathogens spread is by contact with a contaminated surface. This problem is more critical in crowded areas where traditional disinfection methods are limited to a certain number of applications per day. Door handles and lift buttons are examples of surfaces that are touched by many individuals between each round of cleaning. Controlling antibiotic-resistant bacteria in hospitals is another major challenge. A safe, effective, and complementary strategy to mitigate the spread of pathogens on surfaces is to use multifunctional antibacterial surface coatings. However, these have had limited use so far. Chemically prepared ZnO nanorod coatings are known to be durable in harsh working conditions and possess antibacterial properties. The preparation method for such coatings requires reasonably mild conditions and is adaptable to almost any surface. We have recently adapted the synthetic procedure to alter the nanoscale topology of the coatings beyond the nanorods towards nano-needles and nano-porcupine topologies. Moreover, we have explored the influence of this on bactericidal properties. This proposal aims to perform a market study related to development and commercialization of a novel nanostructured ZnO films as permanent antibacterial coatings. We strongly believe that a market study for this new technology is extremely timely and will contribute to understanding the potential of this innovative technology for Canadian stakeholders.