Antibacterial Fibers and Materials

Abstract

Antimicrobial fibers that include antimicrobial nanoparticles dispersed substantially uniformly in a polymer matrix. Textiles and other materials can be formed from such fibers. The fibers may be formed via a masterbatch process or in a process wherein the antimicrobial nanoparticles, polymeric component, and additive(s) are melt processed together directly. Devices can be at least partially formed from polymer materials that include antimicrobial nanoparticles dispersed substantially uniformly in a polymer matrix.

Description

[0001]The present disclosure claims priority on U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62 / 740,121 filed Oct. 2, 2018; 62 / 749,280 filed Oct. 23, 2018; and 62 / 837,956 filed Apr. 24, 2019, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.[0002]The present disclosure relates to antimicrobial materials and methods for making the same. In one non-limiting application of the disclosure, there is provided antimicrobial fibers, methods of manufacturing the same, and articles including the antimicrobial fibers. More particularly, the antimicrobial fibers include antimicrobial nanoparticles substantially uniformly dispersed in a polymer matrix and, even more particularly, the antimicrobial fibers include metal antimicrobial nanoparticles substantially uniformly dispersed in a polymer matrix. In another non-limiting application of the disclosure, there is provided a device that is at least partially formed of a polymer material that includes antimicrobial nanoparticles substantially unif...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present patent provides an antimicrobial fiber with a non-circular-shaped cross section that includes antimicrobial nanoparticles dispersed substantially uniformly throughout the polymer matrix. The non-circular cross-sectional shape of the antimicrobial fibers improves moisture absorption properties, quick drying properties, breathability properties, flexibility properties, and resilience properties as compared to circular-shaped fibers. The antimicrobial fiber retains its antibacterial effectiveness after many standard wash cycles and does not cause skin irritation. The antimicrobial fibers have good antibacterial effect, durable antibacterial property, hygroscopicity, fast drying resistance, ultraviolet resistance, softness, resilience, and smoothness. Chemical modification of the nanoparticles is not required.

Problems solved by technology

However, a small number of those undesirable microorganisms can multiply on and through the skin, respiratory tract, digestive tract, and / or genital tract mucosa and potentially cause harm to an individual.

Textiles, in the nature of human wear, come into contact with sweat, sebum and other human secretions, and are also contaminated by environmental exposures (e.g., dirt, food, smoke, etc.) which can also spread pathogens.

Although this type of antibacterial textile is commonly used, these treated textiles do not adequately maintain antibacterial effectiveness after continuous washing and reuse because the antimicrobial material tends to fall off or be removed after one or more washing or uses of the textiles.

In some cases, almost all of the antibacterial effectiveness is lost (e.g., antibacterial fibers no longer have antibacterial properties) after only a few uses or washes.

However, antibacterial activity alone is not the only criteria for use in a fiber since some metals can be harmful to the human body.

For example, mercury, cadmium, and lead have antibacterial properties, but they are harmful to the human body.

However, the color of copper can affect the performance of the product.

Silver is limited in use due to its easy oxidation and discoloration, high price, and tendency to high agglomeration.

Some devices have included metal salts incorporated into a polymer material; however, such salts generally do not disperse properly in the plastic, thereby limiting the effectiveness of the antibacterial properties of the device.

However, nano-powders are very fine, easy to agglomerate, have poor compatibility with fiber resins and other types of polymers, and are very difficult to uniformly disperse in a formed fiber or polymer device.

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