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

[0025]In accordance with another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided an antimicrobial fiber that has a substantially uniform dispersion of antimicrobial nanoparticles in the fiber, and wherein such fiber retains its antibacterial effectiveness after many standard wash cycles (i.e., a standard wash cycle in a commercially available household washing machine for about 20-60 minutes at water temperatures of 20-70° C. and wherein commercially available household washing detergent that is approved for the commercially available household washing machine may or may not be used). After testing by independent testing institutions, the antibacterial effectiveness of the antimicrobial fiber of the present disclosure against Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Candida albicans (C. albicans) after one wash was at least 90% the antibacterial effectiveness of the unwashed antimicrobial fiber. In one non-limiting embodiment, the antibacterial effectiveness of the antimicrobial fiber of the present disclosure against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans after one standard wash cycle was at least 95% the antibacterial effectiveness of the unwashed antimicrobial fiber, and more typically the antibacterial effectiveness of the antimicrobial fiber of the present disclosure against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans after one standard wash cycle was at least 99% the antibacterial effectiveness of the unwashed antimicrobial fiber. In one non-limiting embodiment, the antibacterial effectiveness of the antimicrobial fiber of the present disclosure against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans after 100 standard wash cycles was at least 85% the antibacterial effectiveness of the unwashed antimicrobial fiber, typically the antibacterial effectiveness of the antimicrobial fiber of the present disclosure against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans after 100 standard wash cycles was at least 90% the antibacterial effectiveness of the unwashed antimicrobial fiber, more typically the antibacterial effectiveness of the antimicrobial fiber of the present disclosure against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans after 100 standard wash cycles was at least 95% the antibacterial effectiveness of the unwashed antimicrobial fiber, and yet more typically the antibacterial effectiveness of the antimicrobial fiber of the present disclosure against E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans after 100 standard wash cycles was at least 98% the antibacterial effectiveness of the unwashed antimicrobial fiber. During the testing of the fibers, the fibers were washed in pure water, and in water that included a standard consumer washing machine detergent and the temperature of the water was set at all common temperature settings for consumer washing machines. The antimicrobial fiber was also tested for irritation to skin; no evidence of irritation occurred for prewashed and post-washed fibers. The antibacterial fibers of the present disclosure have good antibacterial effect and durable antibacterial property, as well as good hygroscopicity, fast drying resistance, ultraviolet resistance, softness, resilience, and smoothness. At the same time, chemical modification of the nanoparticles (e.g., forming metal salts or metal oxides) 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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