Antibacterial start-up has its eye on sports and outdoor
20/06/2014
Commission vice-president Neelie Kroes, whose remit is to promote the digital economy in Europe, introduced the Tech All Stars competition this year to encourage backing for young European start-ups and to help create the jobs.
Parx Plastics’ work with innovative biocompatible technology to make antibacterial plastics impressed the Commission. The company is based in Rotterdam and has its research facilities in Bologna. By applying biomimetics and nanotechnology, the company has developed a method of making “an intrinsic change to plastic resulting in a mechanical and physical property that acts against bacteria and microorganisms”.
The patented technology does not use chemicals, biocides, heavy metals or nano-particles. Instead, it makes use of one of the bodies most abundant trace elements: zinc.
“The technology is fully biocompatible, it is not toxic and it does not leach out of the materials and yet it will kill within 24 hours 99% of the bacteria and micro-organisms that are on the surface of a product,” chief technology officer, Michele Fiori, has said. “The technology is really what the market is desperately looking for since today’s available solutions are becoming more and more restricted because of harmful effects on humans and the environment.”
Chief executive, Michael van der Jagt, has told sportstextiles that Parx Plastics’ technology can be applied to any polymer. “So that means it can be applied to roughly any synthetic fibre,” he said. “For example fleece is made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). We can apply the treatment to PET which is used to make the fleece, or to the polyester in football shirts.”
He said the company is not yet talking to any manufacturers of sports or outdoor clothing, but said sports and outdoor represent “an interesting field of application, for sure”.
Image shows Michael van der Jagt speaking at an investment event in London.
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