Passengers may have heightened expectations for hygiene when flying, which FACC is addressing with Pure Cabin, a newly developed antimicrobial surface coating for aircraft cabins.
The company explained its thinking behind developing the project: ‘Safety is a word which has taken on a special meaning these days. For many things which we did not think twice about before, we are now asking ourselves: how safe is it? Humans are haptic beings; our sense of touch plays a decisive role in our perception and experience of the world. The corona pandemic has not only changed our feeling of safety, but also the way we interact with surfaces. The fear of contamination, for instance, may contribute to people feeling less safe in airplane cabins than before. This change in attitude toward touching materials and objects is a new reality and will continue even after the critical phases of the pandemic – at least for some time.’
FACC says that Pure Cabin protects surfaces from all types of viruses, bacteria and fungi. The permanent photocatalytic surface solution is based on the TiO2 plus metal complex and was developed for line-fit cabin products and retrofit cabin applications. The treatment can be applied to all surfaces, including laminates, leathers, metals, fabrics and injection-moulded parts.
FACC partnered with fellow Austrian company, Pigmentsolution GmbH, in the development of the Pure Cabin solution. The substances used in the treatment are neither toxic nor biocide-based. After cleaning a surface, the solution is applied to the material and left for five minutes, after which time a special lamp that comes with the Pure Cabin system can be used to check whether all areas have been reached. FACC says that virtually all viruses are eliminated in less than 10 minutes, and remain hygienic for up to one year. The effectiveness of Pure Cabin has been validated by means of a standardised ISO test procedure carried out by independent laboratories such as OFI.
“Pure Cabin not only enables new, and even higher, hygiene standards to be achieved – passengers can now once again embark on their journey completely relaxed without worrying, and enjoy their flight,” stated Robert Machtlinger, CEO of FACC. “This also means having a good feeling about stowing their luggage in the overhead compartments, making themselves comfortable in their seat, folding down their seat table, adjusting the light and much more besides.”
