Rudolf introduces coating against bacteria, viruses

Rudolf Group has introduced an antimicrobial coating for textile applications with antibacterial and antiviral properties. With COVID-19 causing an increase in demand for products with antimicrobial properties, Rudolf invested in adding antiviral feature to one of its leading technologies. This resulted in a new antibacterial and antiviral textile finishing.

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As a consequence of COVID-19 global pandemic the demand for chemical auxiliaries with antimicrobial effect has boomed. Rudolf Group invested important resources in the meticulous assessment of a new antiviral feature which is now added to one of its leading technologies.

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Such an effort led to the most comprehensive antibacterial and antiviral textile finishing – Ruco-Bac Agp. The powerful antimicrobial effectiveness of Ruco-Bac Agp is rooted in the properties of silver. Already known by the ancient Romans, Greeks and Egyptians, water and milk were preserved by using silver coins through the early modern age. R and D at Rudolf Group mounted silver on highly sophisticated, functional and registered microstructures that strengthen and amplify the qualities of this metal. Rudolf’s proprietary microstructures are the key technical breakthrough behind both efficacy and durability of Ruco-Bac Agp.

This innovation is now the preferred solution to help reduce proliferation and cross-contamination of bacteria and enveloped-viruses on textiles.

One gram of microstructures has superficial area of about 60 square metres. The advantage of a much higher surface is that the consumption of resources and dosages can be minimised by the factor 100 and that makes Ruco-Bac Agp a highly preferable choice.

“Due to the microstructures, a virtually infinite protective shield is created in the textile from which highly effective positive silver ions are set free in small, exactly dosed quantities,” says Dr. Dirk Sielemann, R and D director at Rudolf Group.

Ruco-Bac Agp effectively protects any textile against bacteria (harmful and odour causing). Its superior antiviral performance on textiles has been independently demonstrated by modern testing methods. Assessments were carried out on enveloped Coronaviridae families known to cause a broad spectrum of animal and human diseases.

The microstructures in Ruco-Bac Agp trigger their powerful antibacterial and antiviral effects based on three distinctive inhibiting mechanisms – blocking of oxygen-transporting enzymes therefore leading to impaired growth; crushing of disulfide bonds and therefore structure of sulphur-containing proteins; and possible interference with bacteria and virus surface protein in the membrane.

Ruco-Bac Agp is suitable for next-to-skin applications and cytotoxicity tests show that Ruco-Bac Agp has no influence on the natural microflora of the skin. Because of the adhesion mechanism of its microstructures, Ruco-Bac Agp is only active in/on the textile and is non-migrating.

“The year 2020 has seen widespread introduction of antimicrobials on textile and to a myriad of vague, misleading or unsubstantiated marketing claims,” states Dr. Gunther Duschek, managing director at Rudolf Group. He concludes, “As a highly responsible company, we move cautiously and stand for technologies and practices that are effective, truthful and limit the exposure of apparel manufacturers, retailers and buyers to any risk”.