ANTIMICROBIAL COPPER BASED POLYURETHANE
Antimicrobial polyurethanes and methods of producing an antimicrobial polyurethane may comprise mixing a plurality of hydrophobic antimicrobial metal compound particles to the reaction mixture. The reaction mixture may comprise a polyol and an isocyanate. The method may comprise mixing the polyol with the plurality of hydrophobic copper oxide particles to produce a polyol slurry and, subsequently, mixing the polyol slurry with an isocyanate to form a polyurethane foam. Other polyurethane articles and methods may be utilized.
1 . A method of producing a polyurethane, comprising:
mixing a polyol and a plurality of hydrophobic copper oxide particles to form a polyol slurry; and
mixing the polyol slurry with as methylene diphenyl diisocyanate to form a polyurethane foam.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic copper oxide particles are surface modified copper oxide particles.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the copper oxide particles are surface modified by reaction with a fatty acid.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the fatty acid is stearic acid.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the fatty acid comprises a hydrophobic tail.
6 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the copper oxide particles are surface modified by a reaction oleic acid or palm oil.
7 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the copper oxide particles are surface modified by reaction with a saturated fatty acid.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane foam has a density greater than 3.0 g/cc.
9 . (canceled)
10 . The method of claim 1 , comprising mixing at least one of a polymeric thickener and a surfactant with the polyol and copper oxide.
11 . The method of claim 1 , comprising reacting the copper oxide surface moieties with a hydrophobic compound.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic compound is a fatty acid.
13 . An antimicrobial polyurethane article, comprising:
a polyurethane; and
a plurality of copper oxide particle, wherein at least a portion of the copper oxide particles have a hydrophobic coating on their surface.
14 . The antimicrobial polyurethane article of claim 11 , wherein the polyurethane comprises monomers derived from at least one of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate.
15 . The antimicrobial polyurethane article of claim 11 , wherein the polyurethane article is a polyurethane foam and has a density greater than 2.0 g/cc.
16 . The antimicrobial polyurethane article of claim 11 , wherein the polyurethane article is a polyurethane foam and has a density greater than 3.0 g/cc.
17 . The antimicrobial polyurethane article of claim 11 , wherein the polyurethane article is at least one of a mattress, a pillow, carpet padding, insulation, a seat cushion, a vehicle seat, a wound dressing, a kitchen sponge, a sponge, packaging, footwear including insoles, a laminate, fibers, and, spandex fiber.