Self-sterilizing protection for surfaces

A method of making a laminate structure for protecting surfaces prone to microbial contamination, the method comprises:

• applying an antimicrobial composition to a self-adhering peel and stick substrate having a removable liner and an adhesive layer disposed substantially on entire surface of the removable liner, for the antimicrobial composition to substantially coat the entire surface of the adhesive layer forming an antimicrobial layer,
• wherein the antimicrobial composition consists of a sulfonated polymer, wherein the sulfonated polymer is a selectively sulfonated negatively-charged block copolymer having a general configuration of:
• A-B-A, (A-B)n(A), (A-B-A)n, (A-B-A)nX, (A-B)nX, A-D-B, A-B-D, A-D-B-D-A, A-B-D-B-A, (A-D-B)nA, (A-B-D)nA (A-D-B)nX, (B-D-B)nX, (A-B-D)nX or mixtures thereof, wherein
• n is an integer from 0 to 30,
• X is a coupling agent residue,
• each A and D block is a polymer block resistant to sulfonation,
• each B block is susceptible to sulfonation,
• the A block is selected from polymerized (i) para-substituted styrene monomers, (ii) ethylene, (iii) alpha olefins of 3 to 18 carbon atoms;
• (iv) 1,3-cyclodiene monomers, (v) monomers of conjugated dienes having a vinyl content less than 35 mol percent prior to hydrogenation, (vi) acrylic esters, (vii) methacrylic esters, and (viii) mixtures thereof;
• the B block is a vinyl aromatic monomer,
• the D block is a hydrogenated polymer or copolymer of a conjugated diene selected from isoprene, 1,3-butadiene and mixtures thereof;
• wherein the block B is selectively sulfonated to contain from 10-100 mol % of the monomer units in block B bear sulfonic acid (—SO3H) groups in their free acid form, and are not neutralized or converted to salts, esters, or other derivatives;
• wherein the laminate structure when applied onto surfaces, adheres to the surfaces electrostatically or adhesively;
• and
• wherein the antimicrobial layer has thickness of at least 1 μm to kill at least 90% of microbes within 120 minutes of contact with the surfaces protected by the laminate structure;
• and
• wherein the antimicrobial layer has a surface pH of <3.0.

A method of making a laminate structure for protecting surfaces prone to microbial contamination, the method comprises:

• applying an antimicrobial composition to a first structural element to form a coating on the first structural element;
• removing at least a portion of one or more solvents from the antimicrobial composition to form an antimicrobial layer;
• applying an adhesive layer to the outer surface of the antimicrobial layer;
• removing at least a portion of one or more solvents from the adhesive layer to form an support layer;
• and
• optionally, adding a second structural element to cover the support layer,
• wherein the antimicrobial composition consists of a sulfonated polymer, wherein the sulfonated polymer is a selectively sulfonated negatively-charged block copolymer having a general configuration of:
• A-B-A, (A-B)n(A), (A-B-A)n, (A-B-A)nX, (A-B)nX, A-D-B, A-B-D, A-D-B-D-A, A-B-D-B-A, (A-D-B)nA, (A-B-D)nA (A-D-B)nX, (B-D-B)nX, (A-B-D)nX or mixtures thereof, wherein
• n is an integer from 0 to 30,
• X is a coupling agent residue,
• each A and D block is a polymer block resistant to sulfonation,
• each B block is susceptible to sulfonation,
• the A block is selected from polymerized (i) para-substituted styrene monomers, (ii) ethylene, (iii) alpha olefins of 3 to 18 carbon atoms;
• (iv) 1,3-cyclodiene monomers, (v) monomers of conjugated dienes having a vinyl content less than 35 mol percent prior to hydrogenation, (vi) acrylic esters, (vii) methacrylic esters, and (viii) mixtures thereof;
• the B block is a vinyl aromatic monomer,
• the D block is a hydrogenated polymer or copolymer of a conjugated diene selected from isoprene, 1,3-butadiene and mixtures thereof;
• wherein the block B is selectively sulfonated to contain from 10-100 mol % of the monomer units in block B bear sulfonic acid (—SO3H) groups in their free acid form, and are not neutralized or converted to salts, esters, or other derivatives;
• wherein the antimicrobial layer has thickness of at least 1 μm to kill at least 90% of microbes within 120 minutes of contact with the surfaces protected by the laminate structure;
• and
• wherein the antimicrobial layer has a surface pH of <3.0.