A pinch of gold is the key ingredient in a new coating that promises to be a major boost to the battle against infections. The substance could help halt disease in its tracks if applied to phones, keyboards and hospital equipment.
The coating is a significant breakthrough, because its light-activated technology successfully kills bacteria in a low light intensity, such as is found in hospital wards and waiting rooms. Previous efforts had required light that was ten times stronger to prove effective.
A new study says that, along with phone screens and keyboards, the bacteria-killing coating should be applied to the inside of catheters and breathing tubes, which are a major source of healthcare-associated infections.
The clever coating is made of tiny clusters of chemically modified gold that are embedded in a polymer with crystal violet — a dye with antibacterial and antifungal properties.
cont. https://www.rt.com/news/482418-gold-phone-screen-coating-kill-bacteria/