German Healthcare Export Group is reporting that medical device maker B. Braun Melsungen AG has entered into a partnership with HeiQ Materials AG, a Switzerland company that specializes in silver nanocomposite technology with antimicrobial properties.
Here what the company says about its HeiQ-Silver Technology (see picture above):
The HeiQ-Silver powder is a composite structure composed of silver nanoparticles supported throughout a matrix of amorphous silicon dioxide (Figure a). The agglomerated SiO2 matrix forms a particle with a typical size of 0.1 to 1 μm (Figure b). Each silica particle contains many smaller silver metal particles each with a typical size between 5 and 20 nanometers (Figure b). These silver particles are found on the surface of the silica and also embedded throughout the silica structure. The silver nanoparticles act as a reservoir for release of silver ions (Ag+) that are the active agent against bacteria. The presence of both surface and embedded silver particles gives the material a combination of immediate antimicrobial activity combined with long-term durability. The fine size of the silica particles allows them to be readily mixed into a variety of substrates including synthetic fibers and plastics.
Product page: HeiQ Medical applications …
Product brochure (.pdf)…