US 10,501,587 B2 · Processes for producing an antimicrobial masterbatch and products thereof

Abstract

A masterbatch may be blended with virgin polymer to add desired color or other properties to the virgin polymer prior to further processing. Methods and processes for producing an antimicrobial and/or antiviral polymeric masterbatch that may be used to add antimicrobial, antiviral and/or antifungal properties to a virgin polymer without significantly degrading the properties of the virgin polymer. The masterbatch may be extruded into pellets or formed into other particles for subsequent blending with the virgin polymer to add antimicrobial and antiviral properties to the polymeric materials. The method includes a heat treatment after compounding the base polymer with the antimicrobial, antiviral and/or antifungal are compounded together. The heat treatment comprises heating the masterbatch blend to a temperature between the glass transition temperature and the melting point of the base polymer.

Claims23

Dependent claims

A method of producing an antimicrobial masterbatch, comprising:

compounding antimicrobial particles with a base polymer wherein the ratio of antimicrobial particles to base polymer is between 1 to 7 and 1 to 1 to produce an antimicrobial polymer, wherein the antimicrobial polymer comprises antimicrobial particles in a concentration from 12 wt. % to 50 wt. %;
adding a water scavenger during the compounding of the antimicrobial particles with the base polymer, wherein the compounding includes blending the antimicrobial particles, the base polymer, and the water scavenger to produce a polymer blend and extruding the polymer blend;
and
after compounding, heating the polymer blend to react the polymer in the masterbatch with hydroxyl groups attached to the antimicrobial particles to a reaction temperature between the glass transition temperature and the melting temperature of the base polymer to produce an antimicrobial masterbatch.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Processes for producing an antimicrobial masterbatch and products thereof

Life of this patent

Processes for producing an antimicrobial masterbatch and products thereof

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims23