Antimicrobial yarn having nanosilver particles and methods for manufacturing the same

• US 20030190851A1
• Filed: 03/27/2002
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CC Technology Investment Company Limited
• Original Assignee: CC Technology Investment Company Limited
• Inventors: Yan, Jixiong, Cheng, Jiachong
• Granted Patent: US 6,979,491 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/123
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/449 Yarns or threads with antibacterial properties filaments containing agents inhibiting growth of microorganisms D01F1/103
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/65 Salts of oxyacids of nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 16/00 Biochemical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. enzymatic
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/08 Processes in which the treating agent is applied in powder or granular form adhesives for multi-layer textile fabrics D06M17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/907 Resistant against plant or animal attack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2907 with coating or impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2915 including textile, cloth or fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2525 Coating or impregnation functions biologically [e.g., insect repellent, antiseptic, insecticide, bactericide, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2533 Inhibits mildew

Abstract

The present invention provides a yarn with antimicrobial effects. The antimicrobial antifungal effect of the yarn is derived from nanosilver particles (diameter between 1 and 100 nm) which are adhered to the yarn. The yarn contains fibers which are made of cotton, linen, silk, wool, leather, blending fabric, synthetic fiber, or any combination thereof. The yarn can be used to make cloth to be used particularly for treating patients with burns or wound. The cloth made from the antimicrobial yarn can be further used to make clothes such as underwears, socks, shoe cushions, shoe linings, bed sheets, pillow cases, towels, women hygiene products, laboratory coats, and medical robes. The present invention also provides a method for making the antimicrobial yarn.

Claims

1. A yarn containing antimicrobial activity comprising:

nanosilver particles which are attached to fibers of said yarn;

wherein said nanosilver particles are 1-100 nm in diameter; and

wherein said nanosilver particles-containing fibers contain about 0.2 to 1.5% by weight of silver based on the total weight of said yarn.

2. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein said silver of said nanosilver particles is made by reducing silver nitrate without the use of ammonia water as reducing agent.

3. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein said silver of said nanosilver particles is reduced by a reducing agent which is glucose, vitamin C, or hydrazine hydrate.

4. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein said fibers of said yarn are made of at least one selected from the group consisting of cotton, linen, silk, wool, blending fabric, and synthetic fiber.

5. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein said yarn is in natural color or dyed with different color.

6. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein said yarn inhibits growth of bacteria, fungi, or chlamydia.

7. The yarn according to claim 6, wherein said bacteria, fungi or chlamydia are at least one selected from the group consisting of Escherichia coli, Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Chlamydia trachomatis, Providencia stuartii, Vibrio vulnificus, Pneumobacillus, Nitrate-negative bacillus, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, Bacillus cloacae, Bacillus allantoides, Morgan'"'"'s bacillus (Salmonella morgani), Pseudomonas maltophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus foecalis alkaligenes, Streptococcus hemolyticus B, Citrobacter, and Salmonella paratyphi C.

8. An antibacterial or antifungal cloth, wherein said antibacterial or antifungal cloth comprises said yarn according to claim 1.

10. The antibacterial cloth according to claim 8, wherein said cloth makes antibacterial clothes.

12. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein said yarn is produced by:

mixing an aqueous solution of silver nitrate with an aqueous solution of a reducing agent to form a nanosilver particle-containing solution;

wherein said reducing agent is not ammonia water;

soaking said yarn in said nanosilver particle-containing solution to attach said nanosilver particle to said yarn; and

dehydrating and drying said nanosilver particle-attached yarn to form said yarn with antimicrobial activity.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said yarn is pre-degreased before soaking in said nanosilver particle-containing solution.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said aqueous silver nitrate solution and said aqueous solution of reducing agent are mixed at 0-40°

C.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said mixture of said aqueous silver nitrate solution and said aqueous solution of reducing agent is colorless and transparent.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said soaking of said yarn in said nanosilver particle-containing solution is replaced with spraying said nanosilver particle-containing solution to said yarn by a jet sprayer.

17. The method according to claim 12, further comprising a step of treating said nanosilver particle-attached yarn with heat at 120-160°

C. for about 40-60 minutes.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein said reducing agent is glucose, vitamin C, or hydrazine hydrate.

19. The method according to claim 12, wherein said nanosilver particle is sized between 1 to 100 nm.

20. The method according to claim 12, wherein each liter of said nanosilver particle-containing solution comprises 2-40 g of silver nitrate and 0.5-62 g of reducing agent.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein said reducing agent is glucose.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein said silver nitrate and said glucose is at a ratio of about 0.03-80:

1 by weight.

9. The antibacterial or antifungal cloth according to claim 9, wherein said antibacterial cloth is used to treat patient with burn and scald-related skin infection, wound-related skin infection, dermal or mucosal bacterial or fungal infection, surgery cut infection, vaginitis, and acne-related infection.

11. The antibacterial cloth according to claim 9, wherein said antibacterial clothes are at least one selected from the group consisting of underwears, socks, shoe cushions, shoe linings, bed sheets, pillow shams, towels, women hygiene products, laboratory coat, and medical robes.

23. The method according to claim 11, wherein said yarn contains about 0.2% to 1.5% by weight of silver in a form of attached nanosilver particles.