Graphene-based antiviral polymer

1. An antiviral material comprising:

a polymeric matrix; and

graphene particles dispersed in the polymeric matrix at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.05 wt. % to less than or equal to about 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the antiviral material,

wherein the antiviral material comprising the graphene particles exhibits antiviral activity;

wherein the graphene particles have greater than or equal to 6 to less than or equal to 10 layers, wherein each layer comprises carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional lattice;

wherein the antiviral material inactivates than or equal to about 99% of viral particles in contact with the antiviral material in less than or equal to about 1 hour.

2. The antiviral material according to claim 1 , comprising:

greater than or equal to about 90 wt. % to less than or equal to about 99 wt. % of the polymeric matrix; and

greater than or equal to about 0.05 wt. % to less than or equal to about 0.5 wt. % of the graphene particles or greater than or equal to about 4.5 wt. % to less than or equal to about 10 wt. % of the graphene particles,

wherein the wt. % is based on the total weight of the antiviral material.

3. The antiviral material according to claim 1 , wherein the antiviral material is flexible and the polymeric matrix includes a polymer comprising polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or a combination thereof.

4. The antiviral material according to claim 3 , wherein the TPE comprises a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO), thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV), or combinations thereof.

5. The antiviral material according to claim 3 , wherein the antiviral material comprises a layer comprising the polymeric matrix and a foam layer, wherein the layer comprises the polymeric matrix is disposed on the foam layer.

6. The antiviral material according to claim 1 , wherein the antiviral material is rigid and the polymeric matrix includes a polymer comprising polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), PC/ABS, PC/PP, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or combinations thereof.

7. The antiviral material according to claim 1 , further comprising:

metal oxide particles dispersed in the polymer matrix, the metal oxide particles comprising at least one of cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) particles or zinc oxide (ZnO) particles.

8. The antiviral material according to claim 7 , comprising:

greater than or equal to about 50 wt. % to less than or equal to about 98 wt. % of the polymer;

greater than or equal to about 0.05 wt. % to less than or equal to about 10 wt. % of the graphene particles;

greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 20 wt. % of the Cu 2 O particles; and

greater than or equal to about 0 wt. % to less than or equal to about 20 wt. % of the ZnO particles,

with the proviso that at least one of the Cu 2 O particles or the ZnO particles is present in the antiviral material.

9. The antiviral material according to claim 1 , wherein the antiviral material inactivates greater than or equal to about 99% of viral particles in contact with the antiviral material in less than or equal to about 1 hour and maintains the viral inactivation for at least 24 hours.

10. The antiviral material according to claim 1 , further comprising a vehicular interior panel including the polymeric matrix and graphene particles, the panel further comprising a flexible fastener.

11. An automotive vehicle instrument panel having a surface comprising the antiviral material according to claim 1 .

12. A seat having a surface comprising the antiviral material according to claim 1 .

13. An electrical device comprising an exterior surface having the antiviral material according to claim 1 .

14. An automotive vehicle interior panel comprising:

a flexible exterior surface comprising an antiviral material, wherein the antiviral material is powder and the flexible exterior surface is formed by molding with the powder;

a rigid substrate; and

a compressible foam disposed between the flexible exterior surface and the rigid substrate,

wherein the antiviral material comprises a polymeric matrix, and graphene particles dispersed within the polymeric matrix at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.05 wt. % to less than or equal to about 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the antiviral material, and

wherein the antiviral material exhibits antiviral activity including viral inactivation of greater than or equal to about 50% of viral particles in contact with the antiviral material in less than or equal to about 1 hour;

wherein the graphene particles have at least 2 layers, wherein each layer comprises carbon atoms arranged in a two-dimensional lattice.

15. The automotive vehicle interior panel according to claim 14 , wherein the antiviral material further comprises at least one of cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) particles or zinc oxide (ZnO) particles.

16. The automotive vehicle interior panel according to claim 15 , wherein the at least one of Cu 2 O particles or ZnO particles are coupled to the graphene in a graphene-metal oxide particle complex.

17. The automotive vehicle interior panel according to claim 14 , wherein the interior panel is formed at least in part by molding with a slush molding and is an A-pillar, a B-pillar, a C-pillar, an instrument panel, a steering wheel skin, an airbag cover, a door trim panel, a center console, a knee bolster, a seat mechanism cover, or a sun visor.

18. A vehicle class-A interior surface comprising an antiviral material comprising:

a polymeric matrix; and

graphene particles dispersed in the polymeric matrix at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.05 wt. % to less than or equal to about 10 wt. % based on the total weight of and to form the antiviral material,

wherein the antiviral material exhibits antiviral activity on the vehicle class-A interior surface including the viral inactivation of greater than equal to about 50% of viral particles in contact with the antiviral material in less than or equal to about 1 hour;

wherein the graphene particles have greater than or equal to 2 to less than or equal to 10 layers.

19. The vehicle class-A interior surface according to claim 18 , further comprising:

metal oxide particles dispersed in the polymeric matrix.

20. The vehicle class-A interior surface according to claim 19 , wherein the metal oxide particles comprise cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) particles, zinc oxide (ZnO) particles, or a combination thereof.

21. The vehicle class-A interior surface according to claim 18 , being a vehicle occupant-accessible surface covering an inner rigid substrate of an A-pillar, a B-pillar, a C-pillar, an instrument panel, a steering wheel, an airbag cover, a door trim panel, a door handle, a pillar handle, a roof handle, a center console, a knee bolster, a seat mechanism cover, or a sun visor.

22. An automotive vehicle instrument panel comprising:

a flexible exterior surface comprising an antiviral material;

a rigid substrate; and

a compressible foam disposed between the flexible exterior surface and the rigid substrate,

wherein the antiviral material comprises a polymeric matrix, and graphene particles dispersed within the polymeric matrix at a concentration of greater than or equal to about 0.05 wt. % to less than or equal to about 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the antiviral material, and

wherein the antiviral material exhibits antimicrobial activity on the automotive vehicle instrument panel including viral inactivation of greater than or equal to about 50% of viral particles in contact with the antiviral material in less than or equal to about 1 hour;

wherein the graphene particles have greater than or equal to 2 to less than or equal to 10 layers.

23. The instrument panel according to claim 22 , wherein the antiviral material further comprises metal oxide particles dispersed in the polymeric matrix.

24. The instrument panel according to claim 23 , wherein the metal oxide particles comprise cuprous oxide (Cu 2 O) particles, zinc oxide (ZnO) particles, or a combination thereof.

25. The instrument panel according to claim 23 , wherein the graphene particles carry the metal oxide particles.

26. The instrument panel according to claim 23 , wherein graphene particles and the metal oxide particles are independently dispersed within the polymeric matrix.

27. The instrument panel according to claim 22 , wherein the polymeric matrix comprises polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or a combination thereof.

28. The instrument panel according to claim 22 , further comprising an airbag cover comprising a frangible seam on a backside surface of the flexible exterior surface.

29. The antiviral material according to claim 1 , wherein the graphene particles have a diameter of greater than or equal to about 750 nm to less than or equal to about 250 μm, greater than or equal to about 1 μm to less than or equal to about 100 μm, or greater than or equal to about 1 μm to less than or equal to about 50 μm.