Photocatalytic coating for the reduction of the COVID outbreak

Host Organisation:	YS Cypriot Catalysts Ltd
Partner Organisation(s):	PA1 Stragem Energy Ltd
Project Budget:	145.500,00 €
IDEK Funding:	119.475,00 €

The major COVID-19 outbreak the world faces the last few months has turned into a big threat for the populations worldwide. Hospitals and schools are the primary organisations populated by individuals in risk, namely the elderly and young people, followed by supermarkets and other public urban buildings. In response to the pandemic spread, two leading companies operating in the fields of catalysis and engineering – YS CYPRIOT CATALYSTS and STRATAGEM Energy Ltd respectively – join forces to counterattack the virus. The PHOTO-COVID project aims to develop a breakthrough photocatalytic aqueous coating material based on noble metal and transition metal nanoparticles that act as catalysts to deactivate the virus strains. The coating specifications are specifically set for it to operate at ambient temperatures and be completely harmless to human organisms, while being extremely harmful towards COVID-19 that limits its lifespan to maximum one hour after it comes into contact with the coating. In addition, the innovative coating material is aimed to be utilized in all sorts of materials that are commonly found in highly populated urban buildings such as walls, ceilings, doors, handles, and floors. Furthermore, its easy installation and long-lasting effect, make the PHOTO-COVID coating a competitive product with added value compared to common photocatalytic paints. The coating will be initially introduced in the Cypriot market and soonly after in other countries that are in need of measures to fight against the COVID19 pandemic, such as Spain, Italy and the UK. As a result, the participants of PHOTO-COVID project will be in a strong position to commercialize the product which is projected to constitute a breakthrough technology in limiting the virus spread.