April 1, 2021
HINGHAM, Mass.—A new metallurgical process developed by Performance Compounds Inside (PCI) is key to the manufacture of what the company is calling a “first of its kind” stainless steel with antimicrobial properties.
Advancing Medical Innovations (AMI) said in a release that its client, PCI, used a process called 3PRE Technology to activate antimicrobial properties in molybdenum. The molybdenum was then added to stainless steel in a foundry process, rendering the steel capable of destroying and inhibiting bacteria and other disease-causing micro-organisms, AMI said.
The result is a stainless steel that is said to retain the characteristics of 304 and 316 stainless steel while being manufactured with inherent antimicrobial properties, as opposed to receiving them through a coating.
Stainless Foundry & Engineering, Inc. (SFE), a manufacturer of raw and machined sand castings and investment castings, partnered with PCI on the manufacturing project. The Milwaukee-based company is a prominent supplier of corrosion-resistant, high-heat, and wear-resistant steel, stainless steel, and high-alloy parts. Its OEM customers are active in the chemical, petrochemical, nuclear, metering, and military markets, among others.
“Our foundry is pleased to have been involved in the manufacture of the first antimicrobial stainless steel,” said Jim Stachowiak, president and CEO of Stainless Foundry & Engineering, in the release. “We are impressed with the homogeneity and consistency of the end product and can anticipate multiple uses across any number of industries.”
Amod Paranjpe, Ph.D., co-founder and researcher at PCI, said in the release that the project marked the first time a stainless steel was manufactured with antimicrobial properties at the foundry process level.
“Activation of 3PRE within the steel enables a bactericidal effect with an extremely high 24-hour kill rate. We anticipate this process would be equally effective with any form of steel product,” he added.
Performance Compounds Inside specializes in the research and development of patented technologies involving antimicrobial metals. The company’s 3PRE Technology is said to have utility across a variety of industries, including, healthcare, consumer goods, agriculture, and general manufacturing.
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