In environments where every extra weight is worth considering, water isn't abundant, bacteria are still bacteria and radiation levels are high, an area like the WC, be it at an interplanetary habitat, space ship or other area of its need out in space, is a pathogen-susceptible area, requiring repetitive cleaning, often with harsh chemicals. This scenario creates a series of problems wherein:

a) bacteria develop resistance to detergents and

b) water likely in shortage becomes compromised with chemical residue.

c) chemical aerosols floating in low gravity environments become hazardous, in a closed system that can't be readily ventilated like on earth

With few to no accessible waterways (e.g. rivers, streams, etc) in exploration endeavours, it is essential to protect whatever fresh water is available, by developing alternate antipathogenic strategies within WC systems in space shuttles and interplanetary habitats, by using Quantum materials that can deliver protection, without photo-activation in sanitary systems and render ceramic systems more robust. 

THE ROOT OF STRUCTURAL FAILURE IN CERAMICS

Two factors challenge the integrity of a ceramic or porcelain tile, eventually determining its ability to resist cracks, stain and agents of degradation - pores and porosity. Porosity, basically refers to the ratio of voids to solids in a tile. These contribute to sites of mechanical weakness within a ceramic material. Porosity is measured by the amount of water a tile can hold, expressed as a percentage of it’s own weight. Pores on the other hand, are holes or openings on the outer surface of the material. 

CONSEQUENCES OF PORES & POROSITY IN CERAMICS

Porosity causes ceramics and porcelain to stain during the grouting process, especially when the grouts have a high content of coloured oxides. Pores increase the surface coefficient of friction and enhance the probability of collecting and accommodating dirt and bacteria in subsurface reservoirs. Surface pores are not measured in a quantifiable manner and hence aren’t used as part of the ceramic or porcelain standard. However, the consequence of the above factors make pores create exactly the same problems as porosity.

Basically, the entrance of agents of degradation through pores and cracks lead to structural failure. Our Quant-Ceramic nanoadditives have at least one particle dimension 100,000 times smaller than a strand of human hair. This means the nanomaterials are small enough to fill sub-micron surface crevices and pores while simultaneously, reducing the porosity of the entire ceramic composite. The reduced porosity lowers water permeability, minimising cracking caused by frost in lunar and Marsian environments.

To understand how to resolve this issue, it is important to consider the source: Porosity causes ceramics and porcelain to stain during the grouting process, especially when the grouts have high contents of coloured oxides and volatile hydrocarbons. When the ceramic or porcelain has large surface pores, the pores do two things:

A) They increase the surface coefficient of friction and enhance the probability of collecting dirt and bacteria accumulation sites.

B) They provide subsurface reservoirs to accommodate dirt and bacteria.

OUR SOLUTION

Quant-Ceramic nanoadditives serve in the following manner in ceramic bathroom and hospital tiles, bakelite & glass blends:

1. Reduce pore density, lower weight, while offering additional aspects such as corrosion-resistance, low thermal expansivity and increased mechanical strength, to consequentially facilitating polishing and vitrification

2. Reduced porosity enables increased resistance to penetration of agents of degradation (frost, bacterial, mold, corrosion)

3. By virtue of quantum effects, the nanoadditive is capable of offering sterilization/antimicrobial and anti-fungal activity even in the dark. This hence reduces bacteria survival and their ability to build resistance, minimizes disease transmittance and negates the need of harsh cleaning chemical agents - a crucial environmental aspect to prevent further pollution of water with chemical residue.

4. The overall reduction of porosity in the structure, will make it challenging for bacteria and other materials to penetrate and stain the material. Hence, aesthetic preservation, is offered, by preventing unsightliness, discolouration, retaining antifouling of the system and whitening properties (where necessary).

IMPLEMENTATION OF QUANT-CERAMIC NANOADDITIVES

Starting at doses as low as 0.001 wt %, our nanoadditives can be used as integral parts of the ceramic tile composite to enhance their strength, making them substantially robust enough to enable the manufacture of thinner tiles. 

By making thinner tiles, slabs and related ceramic features, a manufacturer can just about double their product output with the same amount of raw material they usually have in their inventory. 

Our Quant-Ceramic products can also be used as coating nanoadditives, to confer further benefits they are designed to offer porcelain and ceramics such as: 

• enhanced mechanical reinforcement

•  stain-resistance

•  antimicrobial and anti-fungal protection 

• durability as well as aesthetic preservation

• radiation shielding

SUPERIOR ANTI-PATHOGENIC PROTECTION

Quantum effects are the distinct properties, that only emerge in a nanomaterial, once it has at least one dimension, below a critical size. This varies with nanomaterial composition, as a function of the Bohr radius of its atom(s). The threshold is often well below 20 nm particle dimension. Materials below the 20 nm threshold are called quantum materials. This means nanomaterial particle sizes must be well below the threshold (20 nm), to be effective. Quantum effects, are what define nanotechnology and establish the distinguishing aspects of such niche nanosystems, from standard nanomaterials

A unique aspect of quantum materials, is their ability to deliver anti-pathogenic protection in both illuminated and dark conditions. This is critical for antimicrobial protection within cracks and crevices in ceramics and sanitary ware. 

Regular materials often need photoactivation and fail to deliver optimal antimicrobial functionality in the dark. Bacteria proliferate mostly in dark, moist places and this is what makes the adoption of Q-CERAMIC antimicrobial materials critical. Q-CERAMIC materials hence distinguish themselves from regular antimicrobial materials in terms of their unique and elevated performance, under circumstances wherein conventional material systems cannot function. The following Q-CERAMIC products are recommended:

• CERAM QUANT MG

• CERAM-QUANT NANOFILLER

• CERAM QUANTFLEX

• CERAM Q-KIN

Q-CERAMICS  -  WHAT'S DIFFERENT?

The potency of an antimicrobial material,  is defined by its zone of inhibition (ZOI). The ZOI is the clear zone surrounding an antimicrobial agent, indicating a complete absence of bacteria on, or within a given perimeter, from an antimicrobial agent. The size of a ZOI depends on the antimicrobial agent composition, particle size and concentration. 

The ZOI with quantum materials, can often double or even quadruple that of regular (nano)materials. With quantum materials, the ZOI can span several centimetres. Spread over an entire surface in the form of a coating or glaze as well as within a ceramic composite blend, they confer lasting protection, removing the need for harsh chemicals and mitigating limitations or errors in cleaning protocols.. This advantage, means coated merely on a surface at very low concentrations, antimicrobial Q-CERAMIC materials make it hard for bacteria to proliferate. 

This is crucial for the mitigation of microbial resistance and disease control in domestic as well as public venues such as hospitals, hotels, public WCs in transportation vessels and buildings. Applied within a ceramic system, they remove the need for repetitive surface disinfection.

Antimicrobial Q-CERAMIC nanoadditives can be applied as follows:

• active components within ceramic blend  composites for mechanical reinforcement, or as

• active transparent nano-glazes on ceramic surfaces (e.g. for antimicrobial protection)