Nonwoven roll towels having antimicrobial characteristics
OwnerRaymond C. Sturm, Jason L. Kreiderinventors
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to roll towels made from a nonwoven fabric and treated with a silver-ion containing compound to impart antimicrobial characteristics to the fabric. Specifically, the nonwoven fabric of one preferred embodiment is comprised of composite fibers that are at least partially split into their microdenier elementary components. Such structure provides a greater surface area onto which the silver ions may adhere, thus increasing the amount of surface-available silver. This structure further causes the fabric to be highly absorbent, despite being made of synthetic materials.
Claims40
A microdenier nonwoven fabric having a surface, at least a portion of which is coated with a non-electrically conductive finish,
- wherein said finish comprises at least one silver-ion containing compound selected from the group consisting of silver zirconium phosphate, silver zeolite, silver glass, and any mixtures thereof, and at least one binder material;
- and
- wherein said coated nonwoven fabric exhibits a silver-ion release retention level of at least 4.5%, with an initial amount of available silver ion of at least 1700 ppb, as measured by an artificial sweat test, wherein said silver-ion release retention level is measured after at least 10 washes, said washes being performed with bleach in accordance with the Industrial Wash Procedure described herein.
A microdenier nonwoven fabric having a surface, at least a portion of which is coated with a non-electrically conductive finish,
- wherein said finish comprises at least one silver-ion containing compound selected from the group consisting of silver zirconium phosphate, silver zeolite, silver glass, and any mixtures thereof, and at least one binder material;
- and
- wherein said coated nonwoven fabric exhibits a log kill rate for Klebsiella pneumoniae after a 22-hour exposure in accordance with AATCC Test Method 100-1993 of at least 3.69, wherein said log kill rate is measured after at least five washes, said washes being with bleach in accordance with the Industrial Wash Procedure described herein.
A microdenier nonwoven fabric having a surface, at least a portion of which is coated with a non-electrically conductive finish,
- wherein said finish comprises at least one silver-ion containing compound selected from the group consisting of silver zirconium phosphate, silver zeolite, silver glass, and any mixtures thereof, and at least one binder material;
- and
- wherein said coated nonwoven fabric exhibits a log kill rate for Staphylococcus aureus after a 22-hour exposure in accordance with AATCC Test Method 100-1993 of at least 2.00, wherein said log kill rate is measured after at least twenty washes, said washes being with bleach in accordance with the Industrial Wash Procedure described herein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.