Reliance EU project

RELIANCE project aims to develop innovative self-disinfectant antimicrobial surfaces based on organic and inorganic biobased nanocoatings which combine the bacterial repelling action provided by the chemistry and physics of the nanocoating, with the antibacterial action provided by the additives incorporated to the coatings. These additives will consist on mesoporous copper nanoparticles, with contact killing antibacterial action, modified with biobased bioactive compounds.

The antibacterial action of these additives will be adjusted to the specific application, according to the dosages and durability requirements. In this way, two alternatives to incorporate the bioactive compounds will be considered:

- The incorporation of the biobased additives into the porous substrate, to allow a controlled release of the bioactive compounds to the environment,

- The attachment of the bioactives to the nanoparticle’s surface, to allow a long-term action of the bioactive compound to the environment.

RELIANCE project combines contact killing and leachable antibacterial actions ascribed to the additive with the non-sticking action due to the coating’s formulation, thus providing an integral holistic solution to antimicrobial problems on different surfaces. The nature of the coatings, their characteristics (hydrophobicity and surface roughness) and their application methods will be specifically designed to allow not only the microbial repelling action, but also the adhesion of the coatings to different substrates commonly found in our living environments, such as metals, plastics or textiles, and to maximize their durability (in terms of performance and antibacterial properties). Beyond the present-day possibilities of conventional chemicals, sustainability and eco design criteria will be considered in the selection of the bioactives, and on the development of the nanocoatings.