Corning Unveils Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass for Smartphones That Fights Bacteria

Corning today unveiled the world's first antimicrobial cover glass that protects you from germs as it fights bacteria on your smartphone. Corning is the supplier of Gorilla Glass that is found in many Apple products such as the iPhone and iPad. Just last week the company announced it had developed a 3D Curved-shaped glass, however today the company announced its new germ-fighting Gorilla Glass.

It is the first EPA-registered antimicrobial cover glass. The glass is formulated with an antibacterial agent, ionic silver, which is incorporated into the glass surface for sustained activity. Process and metrology innovations enable the precise control of silver levels necessary to preserve the mechanical, optical, and dielectric properties of Corning Gorilla Glass.

As touch technologies proliferate, consumers are becoming aware of how bacteria can exist on mobile devices, particularly as we increasingly share touch-enabled surfaces at home, work, and elsewhere. To help address this growing concern, Corning has developed Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass.

“Corning’s Antimicrobial Gorilla Glass inhibits the growth of algae, mold, mildew, fungi, and bacteria because of its built-in antimicrobial property, which is intrinsic to the glass and effective for the lifetime of a device,” said James R. Steiner, senior vice president and general manager, Corning Specialty Materials. “This innovation combines best-in-class antimicrobial function without compromising Gorilla Glass properties. Our specialty glass provides an excellent substrate for engineering antimicrobial and other functional attributes to help expand the capabilities of our Corning Gorilla Glass and address the needs of new markets.”

Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass is being tested with numerous manufacturers for various applications, and high-volume production capability has been demonstrated. The RoomWizard by Steelcase, a web-based room scheduling system, will feature Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass and will be showcased at CES.

“As more people move through shared work spaces, there is an increased need for antimicrobial surfaces,” said Allan Smith, vice president of Product Marketing for Steelcase. “We are excited to introduce Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass on the RoomWizard scheduling device and look forward to working on future products incorporating this innovation.”

Antibacterial wipes, foams, sprays, and films exist today, but they are temporary, and many device manufacturers advise against them. Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass can be installed in electronic devices such as computers, cellular phones, calculators, telephones, and other electronic display panels. Other markets for Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass include frequently touched interior architectural surfaces in the health care, hospitality, and transportation industries.

Antimicrobial Corning Gorilla Glass is formulated to help keep touch surfaces clean of bacteria and microbes. Antimicrobial protection is limited to the product itself, and neither Corning nor Steelcase makes any direct or implied health claims about the antimicrobial properties of the product.

The glass protects you from the growth of algae, mold, mildew, fungi, and bacteria. The secret is ionic silver, which was worked into the glass at precise levels to not impact durability. Corning says that its antimicrobial properties will also remain effective for the lifetime of the device.

The new glass is currently being tested by a handful of manufacturers, but we expect to see it soon in many mobiles devices.