Liquid crystal to fight bacteria

Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool is coating the toys in their flag with a revolutionary form of “liquid crystal”, which has been shown in tests that can reduce the number of pathogenic bacteria that live on the surface of objects.

A seriously ill children being treated at Alder Hey were not often allowed to play with the hospital pool toys due to fears that the infection passed among patients. Fears are reinforced because some children may have a weak immune system as a result of their treatment.

The liquid crystal, which is secure and completely inert and forms an invisible layer on the flexible surface of an object and repels dirt and grime.

“We look at the toys in the same frame as any other medical device that needs to be cleaned and decontaminated. Once the toy is coated with liquid crystal, you can not see any difference at all. I think it has great potential not only for toys but for other hospital settings, “said Pauline Bradshaw, director of operations for infection prevention and control at Alder Hey.

Neil McClelland, head of the project developed by a company called Nanopool, said the liquid crystal coating of a few millions of a millimeter thick and electrostatic forces in the film at the nanoscale repel water and dirt.

“The evidence shows that we can reduce the bacterial load between 25 and 50 percent in one fell swoop and I suspect it may be higher with a cleaning done as we are developing , “said McClelland.