Actively sterile surfaces
AssigneeWestaim Technologies, Inc.
InventorsRobert Edward Burrell, Aron Marcus Rosenfeld, Timothy J. N. Smith
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An actively antimicrobial surface for a substrate and for use in a biologically dynamic environment, such as for treating and preventing microbial infections, comprises a film consisting of at least an antimicrobial element and another electrochemically nobler element and which forms multitudinous galvanic cells with electrolyte containing biological fluids, such as body fluids from wounds, etc., for releasing the antimicrobial element at the surface.
Claims21
On a substrate for use with biological fluids, an actively antimicrobial surface film, comprising:
- at least a pair of superimposed layers on the substrate, the layers of each pair being in electrical contact with each other, one of the layers in each pair being formed from a first element, the other of the layers in each pair being formed from a second element different from the first element, the second element being electrochemically nobler than the first element, at least the first element being an antimicrobially active metal element, each of the layers not in contact with the substrate being substantially discontinuous such that the layer below is exposed, whereby the first element releases ions of the antimicrobially active metal element when a biological fluid is brought into contact with the actively antimicrobial surface film.
A process for the production of an actively antimicrobial surface film on a substrate for use with electrolytes containing biological fluids, comprising the steps of:
- forming a first layer comprising one of a first element or a second element on a surface of the substrate;
- forming a second layer on the first layer, comprising the other of the first element or the second element of the first layer;
- and
- texturing at least the second layer to expose the first layer;
- wherein at least the first element is an antimicrobially active metal element, the second element being different from, and electrochemically nobler than the first element, and the first and second elements in the first and second layers being in electrical contact with each other, and
- whereby when a biological fluid is brought into contact with the actively antimicrobial surface film, both the first and second layers are contacted and the first element releases ions of the antimicrobially active metal element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.