air & health quality
nano materials with disinfection and antibacterial activity
HOSPITALS
Proven Solutions against inta-hospital Infections
Public
Buildings
Energy effective and rejuvenating public spaces
Houses
Clean indoor-air Reduction of chronic respiratory diseases
officeS
Healthy and productive
working environments
WHO we are
Innovation that excites
“Photo-Catalytic Nano Materials” ΙΚΕ is a spin-off company of the Institute of Technology and Research (FORTH) based in Heraklion, Crete.
Designed to leverage the research results of the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, and in particular a series of patents on innovative photocatalytic (PC) nano-materials that degrade gaseous and liquid pollutants, purify waste, disrupt non-polluting and non-toxic odors and degrade pathogenic organisms.
Disinfection
Utilizing the well-known photocatalytic process, our materials, based on modified TiO2, serve as strong and effective photocatalyst activated both by out-door and in-door lighting sources with the assistance of which they catalyze water/oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species (ROSs) / highly active oxidants.
Applied on a number of substrates (Glass, wood, fabric, plaster, cement, metal, etc) the materials exhibit strong disinfecting properties while are capable to inactivating airborne and waterborne pathogenic and virulent microorganisms including Antibiotic Resistant Genes (ARGs) disinfection.
Antibacterial
antiphage
Phages (bacteriophage) are ubiquitous viruses that infect and replicate within bacteria and archaea. In certain cases modified phage capsid may “stifle” a variety of viruses leading to inactivation.It was observed that perfectly fitting binding sites cause certain respiratory viruses to be enveloped by the phage capsids in such a way that it is practically impossible for them to infect lung cells any longer.
“PCN materials” has developed novel photocatalysts proven to reducing the population of the well-known MS2 phage to a level of 99,9%
photocatalytic
“PCN materials” is applying Heterogeneous photo-catalysis based on modified TiO2 , a promising technology, producing novel high-performance photocatalytic materials operating under the influence of solar and/or artificial (indoor) lighting, proved most effective both, on improving indoor air quality
(IAQ) tackling the “Sick Building Syndrome” and outdoor air particularly effective on reducing high NOx and VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) concentration levels.
Air purification (Indoor/Outdoor)
Our band-gap engineering on a set of modified TiO2 has led to patented materials with enhanced di-pollution and air cleaning properties suitable for indoor and outdoor air-clean applications.
Utilizing either solar or indoor lighting our materials were found to be able to efficiently degrade VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) such as formaldehyde and decompose harmful compounds such as BTX (Benzene, Toluene, Xylene) and NOx as verified by reports from independent National and International bodies such as the European INTROTRON facility at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in ISPRA, Italy, the Environmental REsearch Laboratory (EREL) at the National Centre of Scientific Research “Democritus” in Athens, along with the Chemistry Dpt of the University of Crete, Greece.
Disinfection / Water treatment
Novel photocatalytic materials developed at FORTH are now exploited by “PCN Materials IKE” have shown enhanced disinfection and water clean functionalities, verified by the NVENG, School of Environmental Engineering of the Technical Univ. of Crete, Chania, Greece.
In all tests our materials were proved effective on eliminating bacteria such as E-Coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus and phages such as MS2 and coli-phage while induce significant changes in some Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) profiles, such as Staphylococcus aureus, a Gram-positive bacterium.
Building Envelope Materials
“PCN Materials IKE” has developed a range high-tech, environmentally-friendly photocatalytic materials (active under artificial and natural light) with a competitive advantage over corresponding materials in the marketplace.
These materials, in powder form, may be integrated into conventional building materials – interior and exterior materials such as paint, cement, concrete, plastic or other surfaces such as wood, glass, plaster, fabric, polymeric – and proved in two large scale applications (Road tunnel and a Health centre) that provide unique attributes that clean and disinfect the air we breathe.
