Photo courtesy BE&K and Wausau Window and Wall Systems
This architectural coating with antimicrobial technology consists of a three-coat finishing process designed to meet the requirements of American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) 2605-20, Voluntary Specification, Performance Requirements and Test Procedures for Superior Performing Organic Coatings on Aluminum Extrusions and Panels. This is the most stringent, high-performance specification standard used for architectural coatings published by the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance (FGIA).
For building teams seeking these high-performance architectural coatings with antimicrobial protection to inhibit the effects of non-pathogenic bacteria including stain- and odor-causing mold and mildew, specifiers can include such language as:
PVDF-based, AAMA 2605-20, fluoropolymer finish containing minimum 70% PVDF resin, three-coat system with antimicrobial protection, [paint code].
The architectural coating’s antimicrobial protection safeguards the finished aluminum product’s surface throughout its useful lifetime. Incorporated during the coating’s manufacturing process, the antimicrobial additives operate on the cellular level in order to continuously disrupt and prevent uncontrolled growth of the microorganism.
Proven protection
The antimicrobial technology with the 70-percent PVDF resin-based architectural coating helps prevent the growth of stain- and odor-causing bacteria on the coating itself, while the painted finish protects the aluminum substrate. As microbes come into contact with the coating, the antimicrobial agent in the paint penetrates the microorganism’s cell wall, disrupting its ability to grow and reproduce. The enhanced coating does not replace traditional cleaning methods, but works to keep the surface cleaner longer by inhibiting microbial growth.
The proprietary antimicrobial technologies used in these architectural coating products are registered and approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for their specific use in the product in which they are incorporated. They have a history of safe use in consumer, industrial, and medical product applications around the world.
All applications must follow guidelines set by EPA, including the language that is used to market products with antimicrobial protection. EPA regulates built-in antimicrobial claims under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), which limits claims to protection of the treated product and prohibits public health claims.
Surfaces labeled to be antimicrobial, resisting odors and stains that can adversely affect the coating, must be effective against multiple bacterial species, as confirmed by approved test methodologies. International standard-setting bodies are responsible for producing and validating antimicrobial test methodologies that are unbiased and provide an accurate representation of the efficacy against bacterial species.
These standard-setting companies include the International Standards Organization (ISO), ASTM, and the Japanese Industrial Society (JIS). The most common methodologies are ISO 22196, Measurement of antibacterial activity on plastics and other non-porous surfaces, JIS Z2801, Test for Antimicrobial Activity of Plastics, and ASTM E2180, Standard Test Method for Determining the Activity of Incorporated Antimicrobial Agent(s) In Polymeric or Hydrophobic Materials—a comparison of these methods can be found in Figure 1.
Testing of antimicrobial-treated hard surfaces is similar, regardless of the standard-setting body. Testing is conducted by placing the organisms onto the protected surface and in parallel on an unprotected surface. The samples are incubated for a specified amount of time at an optimal temperature for bacterial growth. After incubation, microbiologists remove the organisms and count them. The amount of bacteria remaining on the unprotected surface is compared with that on the protected surface resulting in a percent or log reduction. Since the bacteria are counted, this quantitative test is the ‘gold standard’ of antimicrobial testing to determine if the product is effective at resisting the growth on the coating of mold, stains, and odor-causing bacteria.
