A fast-acting, durable self-disinfecting polymer

A patented polymer material developed by Kraton Corp. (Houston; www.kraton.com) has shown rapid antimicrobial capabilities with expected long-lasting self-disinfecting efficacy. Currently pursuing regulatory review in the U.S. and other select countries for use as an antimicrobial agent, Biaxam is a copolymer with an active sulfonated block that is permanently attached to the larger molecule, yielding a pentablock structure that balances antimicrobial activity with structural strength and flexibility (diagram). While there are other self-disinfecting products on the market, Biaxam is said to be the first to be tested against SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID-19). It demonstrated long-lasting self-sterilizing effects. “There are many sterilizing products on the market that are based on zinc, copper and silver as the active ingredient. However, many of those products are not fast-acting, unlike Biaxam, which can inactivate 99.99% of microbes in as little as five minutes,” explains Vijay Mhetar, senior vice president and chief technology officer at Kraton. Combining fast antimicrobial action with longer-lasting sanitizing sets Biaxam apart, says Mhetar, since most products currently on the market are only effective immediately,…