Article with reactive metals bound to its surface and method of application
A polymeric carrier composition including a polymer synthesized from monomers selected from acrylic acids, methylacrylates and urethanes and at least one metal having an oxidation state of +1 or +2, including salts and coordination complexes thereof. The composition may be a suspension having 0.5 to 10% by weight of the polymer prepared from monomers selected from a group consisting of acrylic acids, methylacrylates and urethanes, and a viscosity less than 1,000 cps. The composition is applied to substrates, such as woven fabrics, to create metal-infused articles.
1. A polymeric carrier composition for use in the manufacture of metal-infused fabric and garments comprising:
a polymer consisting of polyurethane;
copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate present at 50 to 70% by weight of the composition; and
at least one water soluble zinc salt or coordination complex having an oxidation state of +1 or +2;
wherein the composition is a suspension, wherein the polyurethane is synthesized from a polyol and an isocyanate compound, and wherein the zinc is reactive after combination with the polymer.
2. The polymeric composition of claim 1 , comprising 0.5 to 10% by weight of the polymer.
3. The polymeric carrier composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises zinc pyrithione.
4. The polymeric carrier composition of claim 3 , wherein the zinc pyrithione is present in the composition at 0.5 to 10% by weight of the suspension.
5. The polymeric carrier suspension of claim 1 , further comprising an oxyalkylene poly amino ether.
6. The polymeric carrier composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyol is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyl-terminated polybutadienes (HTPB), hydroxy-terminated polyethers (HTPE), hydroxy-terminated caprolactone ethers (HTCE), and a mixture of poly-1,4-butanediol and polyethylene glycol (TPEG); and wherein the isocyanate compound is selected from the group consisting of toluene diisocyante (TDI), diphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyante (MDI), polymeric MDI, isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), and hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI).
7. The polymeric carrier composition of claim 1 , wherein the polyurethane has a free NCO in the range of 3-25%.
8. A metal-infused article comprising:
a substrate; and
the polymeric carrier composition according to claim 1 applied to the substrate.
9. The metal-infused article of claim 8 , wherein the substrate is a woven fabric.
10. The metal-infused article of claim 9 , wherein the woven fabric is comprised of at least one of cotton, nylon, polyester, and spandex.
11. The metal-infused article of claim 8 , wherein the polymeric carrier composition is applied to the substrate at 2 to 20% by weight.
12. A polymeric carrier suspension for use in the manufacture of metal-infused articles comprising:
a polymer consisting of polyurethane present at 0.5 to 10% by weight of the suspension;
copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate present at 50% to 70% by weight of the suspension; and
at least one zinc compound having an oxidation state of +1 or +2, or a salt or coordination complex thereof;
wherein the polyurethane is synthesized from a polyol and an isocyanate compound and the suspension has a viscosity less than 1,000 cps; and
wherein the copper and the zinc are reactive after combination with the polymer.
13. The polymeric carrier suspension of claim 12 , wherein the ratio of copper (II) sulfate pentahydrate to zinc salt is 2.45:3.
14. The polymeric carrier suspension of claim 12 , wherein the zinc compound consists of zinc pyrithione or zinc-2-pyridinethiol-1-oxide.