ANTIMICROBIAL POLYMER FOAMS COMPRISING A SYNERGISTIC BLEND OF COMPONENTS
Polymer foams, polyurethane foams, laminates, polymer coatings, or polyurethane coatings may comprise antimicrobial particles, flame-retardant articles, or combinations thereof. The antimicrobial polymer foams, laminates, polyurethane foams, polymer coatings, or polyurethane coatings may include a mixture of at least one antimicrobial metal compound and at least one synergistic compound. These articles 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 . An antimicrobial polyurethane foam, comprising:
a polyurethane foam;
a plurality of particles comprising antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid in the polyurethane foam; and
a plurality of particles comprising boric compounds embedded in the polyurethane foam.
2 . The polyurethane foam of claim 1 , wherein the particles comprising water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid in a concentration from 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. % of the antimicrobial polyurethane foam.
3 . The polyurethane foam of claim 1 or 2 , wherein the particles comprising boric compounds in a concentration from 0.05 wt. % to 15 wt. % of the antimicrobial polyurethane foam.
4 . A polyurethane foam of claim 1 , wherein the particles comprising water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid are of a size of between 0.2 microns and 20 microns.
5 . A polyurethane foam of claim 1 , wherein the particles comprising boric compounds are of a size of between 0.2 microns and 20 microns.
6 . A polyurethane foam of claim 1 , wherein the water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid are selected from one of copper oxide, copper iodides, copper carbonates, silver oxide, zinc oxide, zinc pyrithione, gold oxide, or combinations thereof.
7 . A method of making a polyurethane foam with antibacterial, antifungal and/or antiviral properties comprising:
adding particles comprising an antimicrobial metal compound and particles comprising a boric compound to at least one of an isocyanate and a polyol to form a polyurethane foam precursor;
blending the polyurethane foam precursor with the other of the isocyanate and the polyol; and
providing polymerization conditions for production of polyurethane foam.
8 . A method of producing a polyurethane foam, comprising:
treating a plurality of particles comprising an antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid to produce a plurality of hydrophobic antimicrobial particles;
mixing a polyol, particles comprising boric compounds, and the plurality of hydrophobic antimicrobial particles to form a polyol slurry; and
mixing the polyol slurry with an isocyanate to form a polyurethane foam.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hydrophobic antimicrobial particles are surface modified antimicrobial particles.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the antimicrobial particles are surface modified by reaction with a fatty acid.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the fatty acid is stearic acid.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the fatty acid comprises a hydrophobic tail.
13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the antimicrobial particles are surface modified by a reaction oleic acid or palm oil.
14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the antimicrobial particles are surface modified by reaction with a saturated fatty acid.
15 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the polyurethane foam has a density greater than 3.0 lb./sq. ft.
16 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the isocyanate is at least one of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and toluene diisocyanate.
17 . The method of claim 8 , comprising mixing at least one of a polymeric thickener and a surfactant with the polyol and copper oxide.
18 . The method of claim 8 , comprising reacting the antimicrobial agents surface moieties with a hydrophobic compound.
19 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the isocyanate is a diphenyl methyl diisocyanate.
20 . An antimicrobial polyurethane article, foam, or coating, comprising:
a polyurethane substrate;
a plurality of particles comprising at least one boric compound embedded in the polyurethane substrate; and
a plurality of copper oxide particles embedded in the polyurethane substrate, wherein at least a portion of the copper oxide particles have a hydrophobic coating on their surface.
21 . The antimicrobial polyurethane article, foam, or coating of claim 20 , wherein the polyurethane comprises reacted monomers derived from at least one of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate and toluene diisocyanate.
22 . The antimicrobial polyurethane article, foam, or coating of claim 20 , wherein the polyurethane article is a polyurethane foam and has a density greater than 2.0 lb./sq. ft.
23 . The antimicrobial polyurethane article, foam, or coating of claim 20 , wherein the polyurethane article is a polyurethane foam and has a density greater than 3.0 lb./sq. ft.
24 . A polymeric foam, comprising
a polymer foam;
particles comprising water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid embedded in the polymer foam; and
particles comprising boric compounds embedded in the polymer foam.
24 . The polymeric foam of claim 24 , wherein the water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that releases antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid in a concentration from 0.01 wt. % to 10 wt. %.
25 . The polymeric foam of claim 24 , wherein the boric compounds are in a concentration from 0.05 wt. % to 15 wt. %
26 . The polymeric foam of claim 24 , wherein the water insoluble antimicrobial metal compound that release antimicrobial ions upon contact with a fluid are water insoluble particles of copper oxide and a portion are exposed and protruding from the surface of the foam, wherein said particles release Cu++ when exposed to water or water vapor.
27 . The polymeric foam of claim 23 , wherein the particles have an average particle size between 0.5 and 2 microns.
28 . The polyurethane foam of claim 26 , wherein the water insoluble particles of copper oxide are selected from the group consisting of cupric oxide particles, cuprous oxide particles, copper iodide, copper carbonates, and mixtures thereof.
29 . A method of making a polyurethane foam with antibacterial, antifungal, and/or antiviral properties comprising adding copper oxide particles to a reaction mixture of an isocyanate and of a polyol, mixing the reaction mixture, and providing polymerization conditions to the reaction mixture.