Antimicrobial carpet and carpet tile

An antimicrobial carpet with a secondary backing comprising a polymeric or bitumen base material that includes a biocidally effective amount of a phosphoric acid ester of the general formula:

• ##STR6## wherein R and R' are alkyl, oxyalkyl, polyoxyalkyl, aryl, aralkyl or alkaryl groups of C.sub.1 to C.sub.24, and one of R or R' can be H;
• X is a Group I metal ion, Group II metal ion, transition metal ion, or NY.sub.1 Y.sub.2 Y.sub.3 Y.sub.4, where Y.sub.1-4 are hydrogen, a hydrocarbon of C.sub.1 to C.sub.24, or a hydroxyalkyl group;
• of C.sub.1 to C.sub.24 ;
• and there is at least one free hydroxyl group;
• and when X is a Group I metal ion, n is 1, when X is a Group II metal ion, n is 2;
• and when X is a transition metal, n is equal to the valence of the metal.

A method of preparing an antimicrobial carpet that includes fibers attached to a primary backing with a primary adhesive, comprising:

• applying the primary adhesive to the primary backing, wherein the primary adhesive includes:
• (i) a biocidally effective amount of a phosphoric acid ester of the general formula:
• ##STR7## wherein R and R' are alkyl, oxyalkyl, polyoxyalkyl, aryl, aralkyl or alkaryl groups of C.sub.1 to C.sub.24, and one of R or R' can be H;
• X is a Group I metal ion, Group II metal ion, transition metal ion, or NY.sub.1 Y.sub.2 Y.sub.3 Y.sub.4, where Y.sub.1-4 are hydrogen, a hydrocarbon of C.sub.1 to C.sub.24, or a hydroxyalkyl group of C.sub.1 to C.sub.24 ;
• and there is at least one free hydroxyl group;
• and when X is a Group I metal ion, n is 1, when X is a Group II metal ion, n is 2;
• and when X is a transition metal, n is equal to the valence of the metal;
• and
• (ii) a latex polymer;
• and wherein the phosphoric acid ester is capable of migrating from the primary adhesive to the carpet fibers.