Microporous membrane material for preventing transmission of viral pathogens
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsWilliam K. Weimer, Gretchen E. Keenan, Robert J. Kinney, James S. Mrozinski, Philip D. Radovanovic
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Abstract
The invention discloses a method of preventing transmission of viral pathogens between a source of viral pathogens and a target of said viral pathogens comprising positioning between said source and said target a microporous membrane material comprising (1) a thermoplastic polymer or polytetrafluoroethylene and (2) a water- and oil-repellent fluorochemical compound which provides said membrane with oleophobic, hydrophobic and viral barrier properties.
Claims22
A microporous membrane material for preventing transmission of viral pathogens comprising (1) a thermoplastic polymer, (2) a processing compound which is miscible with the thermoplastic polymer at the melting point of the polymer but phase separates on cooling to or below the crystallization temperature of the polymer and (3) a water- and oil-repellent fluorochemical compound which provides said membrane with oleophobic, hydrophobic and vital barrier properties prepared by the steps of melt blending said thermoplastic polymer, said processing compound and said fluorochemical compound, forming a microporous membrane from the melt blend, cooling the microporous membrane to a temperature at which said thermoplastic polymer crystallizes to cause phase separation to occur between said processing compound and said thermoplastic polymer.
A microporous membrane comprising (1) a polyolefin resin or a blend of polyolefin resins (2) inorganic filler material having a melting point above the polyolefin degradation temperature(s) and (3) a fluorochemical compound which provides the membrane with viral barrier properties, the membrane being oriented in at least one direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.