Light-activated antimicrobial and antiviral materials
AssigneeFiberMark, Inc.
InventorsJohn E. Wilson, Christopher Bull
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A substrate such as a woven or nonwoven fabric bound with a light-activated dye alone or in combination with additional conventional antimicrobial agents. The substrate is impregnated with a light-activated non-leachable dye having antimicrobial and/or antiviral characteristics which can be imparted to the substrate. The dye is bound by a cationic or anionic binder such as a water soluble polymer or carrageenan. Upon exposure to normal light, the dye generates singlet oxygen that kills microorganisms and viruses.
Claims9
A method of making a substrate that generates singlet oxygen having antimicrobial properties, said method comprising:
- preparing a solution comprising a binding agent and a singlet-oxygen generating substance;
- impregnating a base substrate with said solution to yield an impregnated substrate comprising a base substrate, a binder and a light-activatable singlet-oxygen-generating substance, and
- drying said impregnated substrate to yield a singlet-oxygen-generating antimicrobial substrate;
- said light-activatable, singlet-oxygen-generating substance being present in said singlet-oxygen-generating antimicrobial substrate in an amount and in a manner effective to maintain the light-activatable singlet-oxygen-generating substance able to generate singlet oxygen and to inactivate bacteria or viruses in the presence of light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.