Process for making antimicrobial articles by reacting chitosan with amino-reactive polymer surfaces

A polymeric material comprising

• a) a polymer that as polymerized, presents a surface that contains amino-reactive functional groups, wherein the amino-reactive functional groups are metal ions, ammonium ions, anhydrides, carboxylic acids, sulfonic acid, isocyanates, epoxides, acid chlorides, enones, and combinations thereof;
• wherein the polymer is provided in the form of film or yarn, wherein said surface has not been subjected to chemical or physical modification or priming by treatment with caustic, acid or plasma etching prior to contacting the surface with a chitosan solution to form a chitosan coating;
• b) a chitosan coating on the surface of the polymer, wherein the chitosan coating is formed by contacting the surface with a chitosan solution such that the chitosan is reacted with said functional groups and then drying the chitosan coating, and wherein the surface of said polymeric material has a chitosan concentration sufficient to reduce microbial growth;
• and
• c) one or more metal salts wherein the metal salt has been applied by dipping, spraying or padding a dilute solution consisting of the salt in water onto the dried chitosan-coated surface of the polymeric material.