All ArgenLab and Lacto Ag+ products use Nolla Technology, which depends on Silver Polymer as the active substance for its activity against bacteria, viruses and molds.

Why silver?

Silver is a highly attractive choice for an antimicrobial agent: its toxicity to mammals is exceptionally low, but at the same time it is extremely toxic to microbes.

Additional benefit of silver is that it is a broad spectrum biocide, which means that microbes can’t develop a resistance to it.

Due to its beneficial qualities, silver has been used in different forms to eliminate microbes for thousands of years. Currently, silver is being used in anything from water purification to medical applications.

What is Nolla?

Nolla technology uses a polymer backbone as the carrier and distribution agent of ionic silver.

Nolla's unique self-organizing structure results in optimal surface area for antimicrobial silver ions, stability and outstanding adhesion properties to different surfaces. Nolla is only true silver polymer on the market without nano particles. It is a viscous liquid and soluble to water and alcohols. All this equals performance benefits never seen before in antimicrobial silver products.

There are several different Nolla grades available. In the biocide grade Nolla silver polymer, the active component is either silver (Ag), silver chloride (AgCl) or silver nitrate (AgNO3). In cosmetic grade Nolla, the active component is silver oxide (Ag2O). The choice of active component guarantees the best performance in different applications and offers regulatory flexibility.

In Nolla the active component is dispersed evenly in ionic level to the carrier matrix, a skin-hydrating polymer. This attaches the active silver component as a self-organizing thin film on any surface, providing both an immediate antimicrobial effect and a long lasting antimicrobial protection.

Thanks to Nolla’s patented dispersion technology, only a very small amount of silver is required for the full antimicrobial effect. This explains how Nolla can eliminate up to 99.99999% of microbes and also be highly cost effective and safe to use at the same time.

Benefits of the ionomer structure in Nolla silver polymer

• Exceptionally large active surface area of active component
  Ionomer structure spreads active silver ions as widely as possible inside the self-organizing polymer matrix.
  Theoretically, compared to 20 nm sized silver nano particles, active surface area of Nolla silver polymer is over 3000 times larger.
• The ionomer structure of Nolla technology stabilizes sensitive silver ions against heat, UV-light and many chemicals
  Traditional, soluble silver salts turns black upon contact with tissues and can stain linens. This does not happen with Nolla technology.
  Unstable silver ion containing solutions form nano particles under heat, light or chemical exposure very easily. This causes remarkable decreasing of active surface area and particle sedimentation to the bottom of the container and loss of antimicrobial performance.
• The ionomer structure strips off silver ion’s ability for keratolytic and escharotic behaviour in water and alcoholic solutions
  This is due to ionic bonding of silver ions to polymer backbone. Nolla polymer is not caustic in solutions, and does not cause chemical cauterization or cell deaths like soluble silver salts.
• The ionomer structure enhances antimicrobial activity by keeping silver ions activated for contact killing.
  In solutions or other matrices that contain only silver particles, microbes are killed only after silver ions are released relatively slowly from particles and come into contact with them.
• The ionomer structure is flexible. It is capable of changing shape and penetrating into very small cavities.
  Nolla polymer is a highly viscous liquid without particles. Nolla solutions based on water or alcohol have low viscosities and are able to penetrate small cavities. This improves antimicrobial performance compared to particle based technologies.
• The ionomer structure has attraction forces to many types of surfaces, like skin and paper.
  The ionomer structure forms invisible molecular layers on skin in disinfectants or sanitizers. This improves its ability to inactivate microbes.
• Nolla's ionomer structure stabilizes silver ions
  Free ionic silver is extremely unstable. Ionic silver has a strong tendency to agglomerate and react with itself and with other ionic species.
  In Nolla silver polymer silver ions are already bonded with the polymer backbone of Nolla. This ionomer structure effectively prevents silver ions from agglomerating and forces silver ions into an optimal position for antimicrobial purposes.
• How does Nolla acts against microbes
  Nolla silver polymer performs against microbes in several ways via its silver ions and polymer structure. Silver ions have ability to bind to proteins and cause denaturation of the molecules. Silver ions also have oxidizing properties and make cell membranes more permeable.

Polymer backbone of Nolla is cationic in nature and thus adheres effectively to cell membranes, disrupting ion exchange and promoting antimicrobial performance of silver ions.