Silver coatings and methods of manufacture

• US 20060233889A1
• Filed: 01/13/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Burton, Scott A., Holm, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,399,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/618
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 15/46 Deodorants or malodour counteractants, e.g. to inhibit the formation of ammonia or bacteria
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/104 Silver, e.g. silver sulfadiazine
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/404 Biocides, antimicrobial agents, antiseptic agents
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2300/606 Coatings

Abstract

A silver composition comprising silver sulfate and a method of coating the composition on a substrate is disclosed.

Claims

1. A method of making an antimicrobial article, comprising:

preparing a composition comprising silver sulfate with the proviso that stabilizing agents are present in the composition in an amount less than 100 ppm;

coating the silver sulfate composition on a substrate; and

drying the coated substrate at a temperature that causes the silver sulfate composition to develop an initial color;

wherein the dried silver sulfate composition is color stable.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stabilizing agents are present in amounts less than 50 ppm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stabilizing agents are present in amounts less than 20 ppm.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial article is maintained in an environment of no more than 50% RH at room temperature.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial article is maintained in an environment of no more than 20% RH at room temperature.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the silver sulfate composition further comprises silver compounds other than silver sulfate.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the silver compounds are selected from the group consisting of silver oxide, silver nitrate, silver acetate, silver citrate, silver chloride, silver lactate, silver phosphate, silver stearate, silver thiocyanate, silver carbonate, silver saccharinate, silver anthranilate and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising silver metal.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the silver compounds comprise less than 20 wt % of the composition based on the total weight of the silver components of the composition.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the silver sulfate is present in an amount of at least 60 wt % of the composition based on the total weight of the silver components of the composition.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the silver sulfate is present in an amount of at least 90 wt % of the composition based on the total weight of the silver components of the composition.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the coating solution is at least 4.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the coating solution is no greater than 9.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the silver sulfate composition is essentially free of any acid.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the initial color is selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, gold, tan, and brown.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature is less than 190°

C.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the temperature is less than 170°

C.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the temperature is less than 140°

C.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the temperature is less 70°

C.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a nonwoven gauze, a woven gauze, a film, or a hydrocolloid.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a cellulosic material, polyester, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene difluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyoxymethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, styrene-ethylenebutylene-styrene elastomer, styrene-butylene-styrene elastomer, styrene-isoprene-styrene elastomer, and combinations thereof.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the substrate comprises a cellulosic material.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the cellulosic substrate comprises cotton.

24. An antimicrobial medical article comprising a silver sulfate composition coated on a substrate, wherein stabilizing agents are present in the antimicrobial article in an amount less than 1000 ppm and wherein the coated silver sulfate composition is color stable.

25. The article of claim 24, wherein the stabilizing agents are present in amounts less than 500 ppm.

26. The article of claim 25, wherein the stabilizing agents are present in amounts less than 100 ppm.

27. The article of claim 24, wherein the antimicrobial article is maintained in an environment of no more than 50% RH at room temperature.

28. The article of claim 24, wherein the antimicrobial article is maintained in an environment of no more than 20% RH at room temperature.

29. The article of claim 24, wherein the silver sulfate composition further comprises silver compounds other than silver sulfate.

30. The article of claim 29, wherein the silver compounds are selected from the group consisting of silver oxide, silver nitrate, silver acetate, silver chloride, silver lactate, silver phosphate, silver stearate, silver thiocyanate, silver carbonate, silver saccharinate, silver anthranilate, and combinations thereof.

31. The article of claim 29, wherein the silver compounds comprise less than 20 wt % of the composition based on the total weight of the silver components of the composition.

32. The article of claim 29, wherein the silver sulfate is present in the composition in an amount of at least 90 wt % of the composition based on the total weight of the silver components of the composition.

33. The article of claim 29, further comprising silver metal.

34. The article of claim 29, wherein the silver sulfate composition has an initial color selected from the group consisting of white, yellow, gold, tan, and brown.

35. The article of claim 29, wherein the substrate is a nonwoven gauze, a woven gauze, a film, or a hydrocolloid.

36. The article of claim 35, wherein the substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of a a cellulosic material, polyester, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene difluoride, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyoxymethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, styrene-ethylenebutylene-styrene elastomer, styrene-butylene-styrene elastomer, styrene-isoprene-styrene elastomer, and combinations thereof.

37. The article of claim 36, wherein the substrate comprises a cellulosic material.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the cellulosic substrate comprises cotton.

39. A method of making an antimicrobial article, comprising:

preparing a composition of silver sulfate and water;

coating the silver sulfate composition on a substrate;

drying the coated substrate at a temperature that causes the silver sulfate composition to develop an initial color; and

maintaining the dried silver sulfate composition at a relative humidity of no more than 50%;

wherein the antimicrobial article is color stable.

40. A method of making an antimicrobial article, comprising

preparing a composition comprising silver sulfate;

coating the silver sulfate composition on a substrate; and

drying the coated substrate at a temperature that causes the silver sulfate composition to develop an initial color;

wherein the dried silver sulfate composition is color stable; and

wherein stabilizing agents are present in the antimicrobial article in an amount less than 1000 ppm.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the stabilizing agents are present in amounts less than 500 ppm.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the stabilizing agents are present in amounts less than 100 ppm.