Antimicrobial textiles comprising peroxide

Inventors

Toreki, William • Mikhaylova, Albina • Leander, Susan • Liesenfeld, Bernd • Olderman, Gerald M.

Assignees

Quick Med Technologies Inc

Abstract

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.

Core Innovation

The invention relates to an antimicrobial article and antimicrobial textile material prepared by forming an acetate-free complex of magnesium, zinc, or zirconium derivatives. The process provides an aqueous mixture consisting essentially of hydrogen peroxide and one or more chloride, bromide, nitrate, or sulfate salts of magnesium, zinc, or zirconium, and introduces hydroxide ion to adjust a degree of neutralization of about 50 to 100%. The mixture incorporates a hydroxide and a peroxide as an acetate-free complex or complex/precipitate.

The invention further requires a hydrogen peroxide to salts molar ratio equal to or greater than 1:1, followed by applying the antimicrobial treatment formulation to an article selected from woven, knitted, and non-woven textiles and then drying. In another process approach, an aqueous binder composition is prepared by mixing and homogenizing a source of hydroxide ion with the aqueous metal salts, hydrogen peroxide is added to provide the same 1:1-or-greater ratio, the formulation is applied to the textile, then the textile is dried after treatment.

Durable antimicrobial activity is imparted, which is effective for at least 10 laundering cycles, and the invention is described as maintaining durable antimicrobial performance while avoiding acetate-based issues in the treated products. The disclosed textile formulations and related embodiments include optional durability-enhancing agents and additional binder additives, and the treated article is described as showing no significant or objectionable discoloration or staining, including for colored or dyed textiles.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims are directed to an antimicrobial article prepared by producing and applying an acetate-free metal hydroxide/peroxide complex formulation from hydrogen peroxide and specific magnesium, zinc, or zirconium salts with partial neutralization, and an antimicrobial textile material prepared by forming an aqueous hydroxide binder with the salts and then adding or exposing the textile to hydrogen peroxide followed by drying. Across the independent claims, the key inventive setup is the acetate-free complex incorporating a mixture of a hydroxide and a peroxide, with a hydrogen peroxide-to-salts molar ratio of at least 1:1 and durable antimicrobial activity effective for at least 10 laundering cycles.

Across the independent claims, coverage is centered on producing an acetate-free complex of magnesium, zinc, or zirconium derivatives comprising a mixture of a hydroxide and a peroxide by using hydrogen peroxide with magnesium, zinc, or zirconium chloride, bromide, nitrate, or sulfate salts and hydroxide ion at a degree of neutralization of about 50 to 100%, with a hydrogen peroxide-to-salts molar ratio of at least 1:1, and then applying to and drying textiles or broader articles to impart durable antimicrobial activity effective for at least 10 laundering cycles. The independent claim set also spans two process architectures: forming an aqueous mixture and applying it, or forming an aqueous binder first and then exposing or applying with hydrogen peroxide followed by drying.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications