Antimicrobial substrates

A method for forming an antimicrobial coating on a substrate, the method comprising:

• providing a laminate structure having at least two layers, with at least one outer layer comprises entangling fibers having void spaces therein, the fibers comprising a thermoplastic polymer having a melting point of less than 120oC;
• providing sulfonated copolymer in powder form having an average particle size of 10-850 micron for forming the antimicrobial coating, the sulfonated copolymer selected from the group of perfluorosulfonic acid polymers, polystyrene sulfonates, sulfonated block copolymers, polysulfones, polyketones, sulfonated poly(arylene ether), and mixtures thereof,
• the sulfonated copolymer has an Ion Exchange Capacity of at least 1.0 meq /g to reduce a microbe concentration by at least 1 log 10 CFU within about 120 minutes contact with the coating comprising the sulfonated copolymer,
• dispersing the sulfonated copolymer powder into the void spaces of the outer layer;
• and
• applying an external energy source on the outer layer for the sulfonated copolymer powder to be fusion bonded into void spaces, forming the antimicrobial coating layer on the substrate.