A sustainable means of killing harmful bacteria
Local | 24 Sep 2020 11:30 am
Covid-19 is putting a strain on all of us in terms of personal healthcare and hygiene – we are washing hands and cleaning regularly-used objects much more frequently. With that comes a surging demand for various disinfecting and sterilizing products and the question of how we can better protect ourselves from germs.
Enter Raze Technology, a Hong Kong-based biotech startup established in 2018 that is at the right place and in the right time. Having implemented the scientific achievements of materials science with over 10 years of R&D experience,
Raze has in January this year rolled out the commercial launch of a light-activated sanitizing product utilizing photocatalyst technology to rid of pathogens and pollutants for up to three months.
By transforming light energy into pollutant decomposing power, the patented nanotechnology safely works on virtually any surface without generating any nasty chemicals.
Currently adopted by various franchised bus companies and hotels, Raze is being used to sanitize public transportation and hotel rooms in Hong Kong.
Nanotechnology-based sanitizer
The science behind goes like this: spraying Raze over surface forms a coating of photocatalyst that self-sanitizes and purifies as air circulates in the indoor area.
When the nanoparticles in Raze absorb light energy – much like plants do during photosynthesis – the releasing electrons create oxidative radicals that kill pollutants, turning bacteria, viruses, mould and odours into carbon dioxide molecules and water. The trailblazing approach is sustainable as a single coating can last up to three months.
Raze Technology has invented its patented Raze UV Activator, which optimises the nanoparticles charging power to enhance its sanitizing capability. Supercharging the Raze Original on the activator base will see the liquid transform into a mesmerizing blue. The result is a visible process of nanoparticles being activated – a technology developed from years of rigorous testing.
“The reason it turns blue is that there’re a lot of nanoparticles inside the bottle. They absorb the energy and electricity is getting generated in the air, hence achieving the sanitizing effect,” explains Vincent T M Fong, Co-Founder and CEO of Raze Technology Limited.
A sustainable ecosystem
Since Raze utilizes the light energy that already surrounds you, the sanitizing process doesn’t produce any filters or waste – it’s safe for use in homes where there’re children and pets.
Besides, Raze is activated by not just UV lighting but all indoor lighting, and keeps working for up to eight hours even without light. With its durable coating, a single application provides ongoing protection for up to three months, reducing the need for constant washing and cleansing.
“As long as the nanoparticles are there and there is light, it’ll work. It’s a great complementary, long-term solution to traditional cleaning agents like bleach and alcohol, which only last a couple of minutes,” Fong adds, “We are creating a greener cleaning method that is both eco-friendly and effective.”
Creating social impacts
As the coronavirus epidemic continues, there has been an increased awareness of sanitizing habits in the populace.
“We’re lucky to be living in Hong Kong where cleaning solutions are readily available. By applying Raze in public high-tracked spaces, the coating will protect the groups most vulnerable to the virus, like children and the elderly,” says Fong.
Raze Technology is also stepping up its corporate responsibility by incorporating the technology in developing countries of poor hygiene standards. “People in these countries don’t have the resources to go and cleanse all the time, integrating Raze will help boost the hygiene standard,” he notes.
Under the partnership with Habitat for Humanity, a nonprofit organization that helps build a world where everyone has a decent place to call home, Raze is donating 600 bottles of Raze Wood to facilitate the organization’s cleaning services for local low-income families. All proceeds made from nanoraze.com on World Habitat Day (5 October 2020) will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
A global expansion
Having rolled out a series of products applicable to a wide range of textures and surfaces, from wood, leather to ceramic, Fong says the team is working on incorporating nanoparticles in different materials.
“Envision a world where the products one builds their homes with are embedded with self-sanitizing capabilities, so that the instant a consumer sees the Raze sticker on a product, they already know it is protected from bacteria,” he says.
The company is also amping up its global presence, with offices and operation lines already established in Europe, South Africa, China, etc., on top of collaboration with different partners and brands to integrate the solution.
“Our goals in the near future would be to build a sustainable ecosystem of Raze technology in the global market,” Fong says.
