Results
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WP1 Plasma chemical etching for c-Si photovoltaics
WP3 Structuring of TCO layers for TF-Photovoltaics
WP5 Infection control: Process and Materials studies
WP7 Energy storage – Process and materials R&D
WP9 Interface technologies for durable adhesion
WP11 Cross-cutting equipment development
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WP5 Infection control: Process and Materials studies
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Objectives for WP5 on infection control are to develop a highly active biocidal coating and cleaning protocols to allow a minimum 5 year activity in application environment, and a targeted viability count of 5log reduction in 4 hours in laboratory testing and 3 log reduction in the field. A further aim is to explore the influence of nano structuring on viability and demonstrate the developed technology in a real application area such as a hospital and link research into studies on hospital infection monitoring.
Work done in first 18 months involved the growth of biocidal films using FA-CVD (flame assisted) and DBD plasma and PVD sputtering technology (for tailored materials development) and combinations of these, using Ag/Cu and functionalised siloxanes as active agents.
Characterisation of films has been undertaken involving GDOES, SEM ,AFM, XPS and VIS/UV spectroscopy to determine structure, layering, distribution and thickness also durability and hardness testing has been undertaken.
Significant efforts have been invested in testing –both in the laboratory and in simulated real application situations. A range of in situ retrieval methods have been assessed and compared for use in hospital testing. A protocol for both lab and application testing has been defined.
Furthermore, films have been bio tested using gram positive and gram negative bacteria with and without interfering agents using a standard operating procedure. Simulated lifetime testing has been initiated.
Results to date have achieved up to a 5log reduction in under an hour for best performing CVD films and 5log reduction in 24 hours for metal/functionalised siloxanes by DBD plasma.
Patents have been filed and are being evaluated.
Expected final results at month 30 end of the work package, are (i) to define and conclude on the optimised technology to best achieve the targeted properties of activity and stability (ii) to define and design a prototype application demonstrator to take forward into work package 6.
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