ANTIMICROBIAL MASTERBATCHES AND POWDERS COMPRISING A SYNERGISTIC BLEND OF COMPONENTS
The antimicrobial compositions such as antimicrobial masterbatch, powders, liquid dispersions may include a mixture of at least one antimicrobial metal compound and at least one synergistic compound. For example, the antimicrobial composition may comprise at least one antimicrobial metal compound and a boric compound blended into a masterbatch, a mixture of powders, or a liquid dispersion. The composition may further include at least one pH adjuvant that creates an acidic environment within or exterior to the composition. It has been surprisingly found that these components create a synergistic relationship within a composition that provides a more tailored antimicrobial polymeric composition or article.
1 . A thermoplastic polymer masterbatch, comprising:
a thermoplastic polymer in a concentration range from 30 wt. % to 83 wt. %;
a blend of antimicrobial particles embedded in the thermoplastic polymer in a concentration range from 8 wt. % to 60 wt. %, wherein the blend of antimicrobial agents comprising particles of water insoluble particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid and particles of boric compounds embedded in the polymer.
2 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 1 , comprising 1 wt. % to 30 wt. % of a polymeric wax.
3 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 1 , comprising 1 wt. % to 6 wt. % of an agent for occupying the charge of particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound.
4 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound are exposed and protrude from a surface of the polymeric masterbatch.
5 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 1 , wherein the blend of antimicrobial particles further comprises particles comprising a pH adjuvant.
6 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 1 , wherein the particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound are at least one of copper oxide, copper iodides, copper carbonates, silver oxide, zinc oxide, zinc pyrithione, gold oxide, or combinations thereof.
7 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 6 , wherein the particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound are characterized by an average particle size between 0.2 microns and 10 microns.
8 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 2 , wherein the polymeric wax is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers, oxidized homopolymers, high density oxidized homopolymers and co-polymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, ionomer waxes, micronized polyolefin waxes, and co-polymers of ethylene-acrylic acid, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and a combination thereof.
9 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 2 , wherein the polymeric wax is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and co-polymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, ionomer waxes, and a combination thereof.
10 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 3 , wherein the agent for occupying the charge is selected from the group consisting of a metal deactivating phosphite, a phenolic antioxidant, potassium iodide, potassium bromide, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, and a combination thereof.
11 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 1 , wherein the polymeric masterbatch comprises a metal deactivator.
12 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefins, polyester, polystyrene, polyoxymethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether sulfones, polysulfones, polyether ketones, polystyrene copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers, polyamides such as nylon 6 or nylon 6.6, polyvinyl chloride and copolymers of ethylene.
13 . A process of preparing a thermoplastic polymer masterbatch, comprising:
preparing a polymeric slurry of 30 wt. % to 83 wt. % of a thermoplastic polymeric resin and 8 wt. % to 60 wt. % of an antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral blend of particles comprising particles of water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid and particles comprising boric compounds embedded in the polymer;
extruding the polymeric slurry to form antimicrobial, antifungal and antiviral polymeric masterbatch chips.
14 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the polymeric slurry further comprises 1 wt. % to 30 wt. % of a polymeric wax.
15 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the polymeric slurry further comprises 1 wt. % to 6 wt. % of an agent for occupying the charge of particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound.
16 . The process of claim 13 , wherein particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound are exposed and protrude from a surface of the polymeric masterbatch chips.
17 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the particles of water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid and particles comprising both water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid and boric acid or a compound that produces boric acid upon contact with water.
18 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the polymeric slurry further comprises a pH adjuvant.
19 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound are at least one of copper oxide, copper carbonates, silver oxide, zinc oxide, gold oxide, or combinations thereof.
20 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound are characterized by an average particle size between 0.2 microns and 10 microns.
21 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the polymeric wax is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers, oxidized homopolymers, high density oxidized homopolymers and co-polymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, ionomer waxes, micronized polyolefin waxes, and co-polymers of ethylene-acrylic acid, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and a combination of any of the foregoing.
22 . The process of claim 14 , wherein the polymeric wax is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and co-polymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, ionomer waxes, and a combination of any of the foregoing.
23 . The process of claim 15 , wherein the agent for occupying the charge is selected from the group consisting of a metal deactivating phosphite, a phenolic antioxidant, potassium iodide, potassium bromide, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, and a combination thereof.
24 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the polymeric masterbatch comprises a metal deactivator.
25 . The process of claim 13 , wherein the polymeric resin comprises at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefins, polyester, polystyrene, polyoxymethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether sulfones, polysulfones, polyether ketones, polystyrene copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers, polyamides such as nylon 6 or nylon 6.6, polyvinyl chloride and copolymers of ethylene.
26 . A thermoplastic polymer masterbatch, comprising:
a thermoplastic polymer in a concentration range from 20 wt. % to 60 wt. %;
particles comprising a pH adjuvant, wherein the pH adjuvant is in concentration range from 8 wt. % to 60 wt. % embedded in the polymer.
27 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 26 , comprising 1 wt. % to 30 wt. % of a polymeric wax.
28 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 26 , comprising 1 wt. % to 6 wt. % of an agent for occupying the charge of particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound.
29 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the particles of the pH adjuvant are exposed and protrude from a surface of the polymeric masterbatch.
30 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 26 , wherein the pH adjuvant is at least one of a compound that produces an acidic environment on contact with water, acidic oxide, acidic salt, molybdenum oxide, chromium oxide, chromium chloride, molybdenum chloride, and combinations thereof.
32 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 30 , wherein the particles comprising the pH adjuvant are characterized by an average particle size between 0.2 microns and 10 microns.
33 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 27 , wherein the polymeric wax is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers, oxidized homopolymers, high density oxidized homopolymers and co-polymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, ionomer waxes, micronized polyolefin waxes, and co-polymers of ethylene-acrylic acid, ethylene-vinyl acetate, and a combination thereof.
34 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 27 , wherein the polymeric wax is selected from the group consisting of homopolymers and co-polymers of polyethylene, polypropylene, ionomer waxes, and a combination thereof.
35 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 28 , wherein the agent for occupying the charge is selected from the group consisting of a metal deactivating phosphite, a phenolic antioxidant, potassium iodide, potassium bromide, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, and a combination thereof.
36 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 26 , wherein the polymeric masterbatch comprises a metal deactivator.
37 . The thermoplastic polymer masterbatch of claim 26 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises at least one of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyolefins, polyester, polystyrene, polyoxymethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, polymethyl methacrylate, polyether sulfones, polysulfones, polyether ketones, polystyrene copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymers, polyamides such as nylon 6 or nylon 6.6, polyvinyl chloride and copolymers of ethylene.
38 . A synergistic blend of an antimicrobial powder, comprising:
particles comprising water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid; and
particles comprising boric compounds.
39 . The synergistic blend of antimicrobial powder of claim 38 , wherein a weight ratio of particles comprising water insoluble antimicrobial compounds to particles comprising boric compounds is between 1:0.2 and 1:10
40 . The synergistic blend of antimicrobial powder of claim 38 , wherein the antimicrobial metal compound is at least one of copper oxide, copper carbonates, silver oxide, zinc oxide, zinc pyrithione, gold oxide, or combinations thereof.
41 . The synergistic blend of antimicrobial powder of claim 40 , wherein the antimicrobial metal compound is a copper oxide.
42 . The synergistic blend of antimicrobial powder of claim 38 , wherein the particles comprising water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound are characterized by an average particle size between 0.2 microns and 10 microns.
43 . The synergistic blend of antimicrobial powder of claim 38 , particles comprising a pH adjuvant.
44 . The synergistic blend of antimicrobial powder of claim 43 , wherein the pH adjuvant is a compound that produces an acidic environment on contact with water.
45 . The synergistic blend of antimicrobial powder of claim 43 , wherein the pH adjuvant is one of acidic oxide, acidic salt, molybdenum oxide, chromium oxide, chromium chloride, molybdenum chloride, and combinations thereof.