Nanoparticle treated fabrics, fibers, filaments, and yarns and related methods
Inventors
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10190253-B2
Publication Date
2019-01-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
Nanoparticle treated fibrous articles, such as fabrics, fibers, filaments, or yarns, include a plurality of exposed, nonionic metal nanoparticles non-covalently affixed thereto. Metal nanoparticles, particularly spherical-shaped metal nanoparticles which have solid cores, can be strongly affixed to fibrous articles without covalently bonds and/or without being encapsulated within a polymer or adhesive. Spherical metal nanoparticles appear to adhere to fibrous articles by Van der Waals forces. Because they are nonionic, spherical nanoparticles are not easily removed by solvents, water, surfactants, and soaps and remain after several washings, sometimes up to 50 or more washings. Nonetheless, they readily detach from fibrous articles when contacted by microbes and then kill or denature the microbes. Coral-shaped nanoparticles can be used in conjunction with spherical nanoparticles to assist in affixing the spherical nanoparticles and/or by themselves or in combination with spherical particles to kill or denature microbes.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to nanoparticle treated fibrous articles comprising a fibrous article selected from a fabric, fiber, filament, or yarn and a plurality of exposed, nonionic, spherical-shaped metal nanoparticles. At least a portion of the metal nanoparticles are silver nanoparticles formed through a laser-ablation process, and the metal nanoparticles are free of angled edges or external bond angles.
The metal nanoparticles remain exposed at the surface and are non-covalently affixed to the fibrous article through Van der Waals forces. The nanoparticles are without electrostatic forces, without being embedded within a fiber, filament, or yarn of the fibrous article, and without being encapsulated within a polymer or adhesive coating.
The metal nanoparticles are configured to remain affixed to the fibrous article when exposed to one or more of water, soap, a surfactant, or a solvent. The silver nanoparticles provide effective microbial control without significant release of toxic silver ions, while also enabling anti-odor effect via antimicrobial activity and, in embodiments, catalyzing breakdown of odorous molecules using gold nanoparticles.
Claims Coverage
The document includes three independent claims that cover a nanoparticle-treated fibrous article, a method of manufacturing that structure, and a dual-metal anti-odor configuration. The claims center on exposed, nonionic, spherical metal nanoparticles formed through laser-ablation, non-covalently affixed by Van der Waals forces, and retaining attachment after exposure to water, soap, surfactant, or solvent.
Exposed nonionic spherical metal nanoparticles van der waals affixed to a fibrous article for microbial control
A nanoparticle treated fibrous article including a fibrous article and exposed, nonionic, spherical-shaped metal nanoparticles free of angled edges or external bond angles, the metal nanoparticles being formed through a laser-ablation process, where at least a portion are silver nanoparticles providing effective microbial control without significant release of toxic silver ions, and the metal nanoparticles being non-covalently affixed to the fibrous article through Van der Waals forces without electrostatic forces, without being embedded within the fibrous article, and without being encapsulated within a polymer or adhesive coating, wherein the metal nanoparticles remain affixed when exposed to one or more of water, soap, a surfactant, or a solvent.
Manufacturing by applying a liquid-carrier nanoparticle composition and removing the carrier to yield van der waals affixed exposed nanoparticles
A method of manufacturing a nanoparticle treated fibrous article including applying a nanoparticle composition comprised of a liquid carrier and a plurality of nonionic, metal nanoparticles to an outer surface of a fibrous article, the metal nanoparticles being spherical-shaped and free of angled edges or external bond angles and being formed through a laser-ablation process, wherein at least a portion are silver nanoparticles providing effective microbial control without significant release of toxic silver ions, and removing the liquid carrier to yield a nanoparticle treated fibrous article in which the nonionic, metal nanoparticles are exposed and non-covalently affixed to the fibrous article through Van der Waals forces without electrostatic forces, without being embedded within the fibrous article, and without being encapsulated in a polymer or adhesive coating, wherein the metal nanoparticles remain affixed when exposed to one or more of water, soap, a surfactant, or a solvent.
Silver antimicrobial anti-odor plus gold catalytic anti-odor on the same fibrous article
A nanoparticle treated fibrous article including a fibrous article and a plurality of exposed, solid, nonionic, spherical-shaped silver nanoparticles free of angled edges or external bond angles non-covalently affixed to the fibrous article through Van der Waals forces without electrostatic forces, without being embedded within the fibrous article, and without being encapsulated within a polymer or adhesive coating, and a plurality of solid, nonionic, gold nanoparticles non-covalently affixed to the fibrous article, wherein the silver nanoparticles remain affixed when exposed to one or more of water, soap, a surfactant, or a solvent, wherein the silver nanoparticles provides an anti-odor effect via anti-microbial activity and the gold nanoparticles provides an independent anti-odor effect via catalyzing the breakdown of odorous molecules.
Overall, the independent claims concentrate on fibrous articles bearing exposed nonionic spherical metal nanoparticles formed through laser-ablation, non-covalently affixed via Van der Waals forces and excluding electrostatic forces, embedding, and polymer or adhesive encapsulation, with durability against water, soap, surfactant, or solvent exposure and with silver microbial control and anti-odor, and gold independent catalytic anti-odor.
Stated Advantages
Effective microbial control without significant release of toxic silver ions.
Metal nanoparticles remain affixed to the fibrous article when exposed to one or more of water, soap, a surfactant, or a solvent.
Anti-odor effect via anti-microbial activity (silver nanoparticles).
Independent anti-odor effect by catalyzing the breakdown of odorous molecules (gold nanoparticles).
Documented Applications
Antimicrobial control and anti-odor effects on nanoparticle treated fibrous articles.
Microbe-contact selective behavior is described conceptually as nanoparticles remaining affixed through exposure to water, soap, surfactants, or solvents while enabling antimicrobial activity, including embodiments involving microbial control and anti-odor effects.
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