Due to its natural sterilizing property, “copper” can be installed on high touch surfaces such as elevator buttons as another promising and additional measure to minimize the spread of COVID-19.
Dr. Kongkiat Puparatanapong, Head of Research Center for Advanced Metal Processing (RCAMP) and lecturer at Department of Production Engineering, Faculty of Engineering together with the research team members including Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chaowalit Limmaneevichitr and Dr. Supareuk Boontien suggest using copper to fight back against Coronavirus disease or COVID-19.
The outer structure—or membrane—of the coronavirus like most viruses is made of a lipid bilayer that houses proteins which enable the virus to attach itself to host cells. Since copper ions contain natural antimicrobial and antiviral properties, they can inactivate microbes of COVID-19. The virus will be killed on the surface of the alloy of over 90 percent copper in 20 minutes according to the research in UK in 2015. Moreover, the recent medical study in 2020 shows that no viable virus could be measured after 4 hours on copper in cold weather. In tropical weather in Thailand, the virus may not even survive that long.
Due to its physical and chemical resistance of the virus, the research team has thus studied to incorporate copper plate into elevator buttons, the high-touch surface easily contaminated and thus posing high risk of transmission. Because the coronavirus cannot survive on copper surfaces for extended periods of time, doing so can reduce the risk of being infected.
Dr. Kongkiat Puparatanapong added that the sterilizing property of copper is nothing new. In the past, water container and cooking utensils were made from copper as our ancestors observed its ability to safeguard the food and water despite the lack of scientific information. Owing to its chemical reaction, copper has turns unaesthetically green and lost its appeal. Other metals such as stainless steel has become the preferred choice for making furniture e.g. doorknobs and elevator buttons since it is attractive, easy to clean and rust-free. Nevertheless, this disease-fighting super element has made a comeback to healthcare industry nowadays. The research team has then conducted additional study and discovered research studies that confirm its property to kill the virus.
In addition, pure copper foil can also be used for this purpose.
As a pilot project, 12 university elevators will be installed with 99.99 % copper elevator buttons provided by Acting Sub. Lt. Paponsan Pongsai (LUDTHUNYADAPON LIMITED PARTNERSHIP), graduated from Production Engineering Department, KMUTT.

For more information on the use of copper and consultation, please contact KMUTT at Tel. 02-4709188 or email: kongkiat.pup@gmail.com