ANTI-VIRUS HYDROPHILIC POLYMERIC MATERIAL

1 . A method for imparting antiviral properties to a hydrophilic polymeric material comprising preparing a hydrophilic polymeric slurry, dispersing an ionic copper powder mixture containing cuprous oxide and cupric oxide in said slurry and then extruding or molding said slurry to form a hydrophilic polymeric material, wherein water-insoluble particles that release both Cu ++ and Cu + are directly and completely encapsulated within said hydrophilic polymeric material.

2 . A method according to claim 1 wherein said ionic copper powder mixture is prepared by oxidation-reduction.

3 . A method according to claim 2 wherein said reduction is carried out using formaldehyde as a reductant.

4 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus comprising a mixture of water-insoluble particles that release both Cu ++ and Cu + , which particles are directly and completely encapsulated within said hydrophilic polymeric material and are the primary active component therein.

5 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to claim 4 wherein said particles are of a size of between about 1 and 10 microns.

6 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to claim 4 wherein said particles are present within said hydrophilic material in a concentration of about 1 to 3 w/w %.

7 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to claim 4 , wherein said hydrophilic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of latex, nitrite, acrylics, polyvinyl alcohol and silastic rubber.

8 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to claim 4 , wherein said polymeric material is a multi-layered polymeric material comprising at least one layer provided with water-insoluble particles that release both Cu ++ and Cu + which are directly and completely encapsulated within said hydrophilic polymeric layer and a second hydrophilic polymeric layer which is substantially free of such water-insoluble particles.

9 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to claim 8 , wherein said at least one layer and said second layer are formed of the same polymeric material.

10 - 26 . (canceled)

27 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus comprising a mixture of water-insoluble particles that release both Cu ++ and Cu + , which particles are directly and completely encapsulated within said hydrophilic polymeric material and are the sole antiviral component therein.

28 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to claim 27 wherein said polymeric material is in the form of a film.

29 . A device for inactivating a virus, said device comprising a hydrophilic polymeric material of claim 4 .