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US 12,041,931 B2Granted
Antimicrobial polymer compositions, fibers, and yarns
AssigneeAscend Performance Materials Operations LLC
InventorsScott E Osborn, Wai-shing Yung
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates the polymer compositions, fibers, and yarns having near-permanent antimicrobial activity, and a method of producing the same. In one embodiment, the antimicrobial polymer composition from 50 wt % to 99.9 wt % of a polymer, from 5 wppm to 1000 wppm of zinc, and from 0.005 wt % to 1 wt % of phosphorus, wherein fibers formed from the polymer composition demonstrate a zinc retention rate of greater than 20% when tested in a dye bath test.
Claims14
A polymer composition having antimicrobial properties, the composition comprising:
- from 50 wt % to 99.9 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer;
- from 5 wppm to 900 wppm of zinc from a zinc compound comprising zinc oxide, zinc ammonium adipate, zinc acetate, zinc ammonium carbonate, zinc stearate, zinc phenyl phosphinic acid, or zinc pyrithione, or combinations thereof;
- and
- less than 1 wt % of phosphorus;
- wherein the weight ratio of the zinc to the phosphorus is at least 1.5:1 or less than 0.5:1;
- wherein the polymer composition has a relative viscosity ranging from 25 to 70;
- wherein the polymer composition demonstrates a Klebsiella Pneumoniae reduction greater than 95% as measured by ISO 20743:2013;
- and
- wherein fibers formed from the polymer composition demonstrate a zinc retention rate of greater than 20% when tested in a dye bath test with dyeing at a pH of 4.0 to 5.5 and have a denier less than 12 dpf.
6 more elements
Antimicrobial fibers comprising:
- from 50 wt % to 99.9 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer;
- from 5 wppm to 900 wppm of zinc from a zinc compound comprising zinc oxide, zinc ammonium adipate, zinc acetate, zinc ammonium carbonate, zinc stearate, zinc phenyl phosphinic acid, or zinc pyrithione, or combinations thereof;
- and
- less than 1 wt % of phosphorous;
- wherein the weight ratio of the zinc to the phosphorous is at least 1.5:1 or less than 0.5:1;
- wherein the antimicrobial fibers are formed from a polymer composition and the polymer composition has a relative viscosity ranging from 25 to 70;
- wherein the fibers have an average fiber diameter less than 20 microns and a denier less than 12 dpf;
- wherein the fibers demonstrate a Klebsiella Pneumoniae reduction greater than 95% as measured by ISO 20743:2013 and a zinc retention rate of greater than 20% when tested in a dye bath test with dyeing at a pH of 4.0 to 5.5.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.