Peroxide Antimicrobial Textile Treatment for Wash-Durable Fabrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current antimicrobial textiles face challenges in achieving durable and long-lasting antimicrobial properties, especially on apparel fabrics and film surfaces, as existing agents like triclosan wash off easily and may cause skin irritation, and existing methods using zinc acetate result in costly and hazardous acetic acid fumes, odor issues, and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A process using an acetate-free complex of a metal derivative and hydrogen peroxide, applied as a colloidal suspension, which imparts durable antimicrobial activity to textiles, maintaining effectiveness after 50 laundering cycles without acetic acid or volatile organic compounds, suitable for white, colored, and synthetic fibers, and reducing environmental and health hazards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If triclosan is used as an antimicrobial agent in textiles, then antimicrobial effectiveness is achieved, but wash durability is poor and skin irritation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by using zinc peroxide instead of triclosan, and by controlling the pH of the treatment solution to between 2 and 7. This parameter change enables the antimicrobial agent to bond durably to textile fibers while maintaining effectiveness and reducing skin irritation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the problematic triclosan compound from the textile treatment and replaces it with a zinc-based peroxide system. This extraction eliminates the skin irritation issue while maintaining antimicrobial properties and improving wash durability through a different chemical mechanism.
2Reliability
If zinc acetate is used to treat textiles, then antimicrobial properties are imparted, but acetic acid fumes and odor issues occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful acetic acid byproduct into a benefit by using zinc peroxide instead of zinc acetate. The zinc peroxide system produces water and oxygen as decomposition products, eliminating the harmful acetic acid fumes while maintaining antimicrobial effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter from zinc acetate to zinc peroxide, and controls the pH to be between 2 and 7. This parameter change eliminates the generation of acetic acid fumes while preserving the antimicrobial properties through the zinc peroxide decomposition mechanism.
3Reliability
If existing antimicrobial treatments are applied to textiles, then germicidal properties are achieved, but the treatments are costly and environmentally hazardous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the environmentally hazardous treatment process into a benign one by using zinc peroxide, which decomposes into water and oxygen. This eliminates environmental hazards while maintaining germicidal properties, making the treatment both effective and eco-friendly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical parameters by using zinc peroxide instead of traditional antimicrobial agents, and by controlling the pH to be between 2 and 7. This parameter change reduces environmental hazards while maintaining germicidal effectiveness through the decomposition products water and oxygen.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The acetate-free antimicrobial treatment formulation achieves a 3-log to 6-log reduction of bacteria, is environmentally friendly, and does not cause discoloration or skin irritation, maintaining efficacy and aesthetic quality throughout multiple washes.
Implementation Method 1
Certain peroxygen compounds, chlorine compounds, phenolics, quaternary ammonium compounds and surface active agents are known for their germicidal properties
Implementation Method 2
A process using an acetate-free complex of a metal derivative and hydrogen peroxide, applied as a colloidal suspension, which imparts durable antimicrobial activity to textiles
Data Source
AI summary
This invention pertains to method for imparting a durable antimicrobial activity to substrates, particularly textiles. An acetate-free metal and peroxide antimicrobial treatment formulation is prepared by adjusting the pH of a mixture of a metal salt in aqueous hydrogen peroxide to about 7.5. The substrate is treated with the composition and dried to afford the treated substrate with antimicrobial activity. Zinc salts, ions, or complexes are preferred.