Planibel Easy glass from AGC helps to reduce Covid-19 contamination when exposed to daylight.

The latest glass technologies are making buildings, spaces and objects stronger, safer and healthier. AGC Glass Europe continues its pursuit of solutions to protect our health and preserve our society. Faced with the worldwide Covid-19 crisis, AGC Glass Europe now has good news to share about coated glass that helps to protect against Covid-19 contamination.

Tested and verified by universities and laboratories
Respiratory droplets and aerosols contaminated with SARS-CoV-2 viral particles represent a risk of indirect transmission of COVID-19. Infectious droplets on surfaces see their viral infectiousness decreasing with time, depending on the type of material and temperature. A study¹ published in the Coatings Journal with support from AGC was done on different substrates ranging from metallic materials to float glass, acrylic glass (such as Plexiglas®, Perspex® etc.) and coated glass (Planibel Easy). The result shows the time taken for the number of infectious viral particles TCID50² to decrease and demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 viral particles stay active for a shorter time on Planibel Easy coated glass previously exposed to daylight (photocatalytic effect).

The time needed to inactivate 90 per cent of the SARS-Cov-2 viral particles is 37.5 per cent shorter for Planibel Easy exposed to daylight than for float glass or acrylic glass. This means that using Planibel Easy greatly reduces the risk of viral transmission when we touch the surface.

Easy-clean glass and much more
Independently tested and certified, Planibel Easy was already known for the self-cleaning properties of its coating. It has now been shown that when daylight activates the coating this accelerates the destruction of SARS-CoV-2 particles (the virus responsible for Covid-19) on its surface. AGC and the university research teams wanted to find a quick and effective solution against the spread of the coronavirus. By disclosing the first results of this research on an existing product, AGC allows innovative glass processors to offer solutions at a reasonable cost, to move forward together towards a better and safer future.

Planibel Easy can be combined in double glazing with other AGC products, such as low-E glass. Resistant to corrosion and chemical damage, Planibel Easy can be delivered in toughened, laminated, bent and processed forms, and even in insulating double or triple glazing. As long as the glass is exposed to daylight and/or UV(A) light there are plenty of possibilities to make your space a safer place. With this new benefit Planibel Easy confirms AGC Glass Europe’s commitment to Health & Safety and is a socially responsible contribution to our society, making people’s life better around the world every day.

For more information on the new properties of Planibel Easy, please visit the AGC website.

1  “Survival of SARS-CoV-2 on non-porous materials in experimental setting representative of fomites” in Coatings Journal https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6412/11/4/371  
2  TCID50: Median Tissue Culture Infectious Dose @ 50 per cent. This represent a measure of number of infectious viral particle