PPG Industries and Penn State University are working to develop self-cleaning countertops with the ability to neutralise bacteria. The self-cleaning worktops would use technology similar to that used by PPG units SunClean self-cleaning window glass. Using the technology, glass tops would be coated with an ultra thin layer of the new chemical compounds. In the presence of ultraviolet rays from lights, the coating would produce electrically charged particles that destroy the chemical bonds of bacteria. The slightly charged coating would also be chemically slippery, preventing bacteria from sticking to the surface. US Representative Melissa Hart is working to secure a US$ 100,000 grant from US Dept Agriculture to help PPG and Penn State speed up the development of this technology and bring it to market asap.
