Antimicrobial Silver Silica Composite
First Claim
1. An antimicrobial metal composite, wherein the composite comprises an antimicrobial metal and a filler which composite is prepared comprising the steps of:
- A) providing an antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor;
B) entraining said metal or metal precursor in a stream of gas for transport to a plasma torch;
C) creating a plasma in said stream of gas vaporizing the antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor;
D) cooling said metal vapor in the presence of a fluidized gas carrying a filler powder, wherein said cooling results in nucleation of the antimicrobial metal vapor onto the filler to form the compositeorE) alternatively, the filler or a filler precursor is entrained with the antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor in step B) vaporized in step C) and upon cooling the antimicrobial metal vapor and filler vapor condense to form the composite;
andF) collecting the composite.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention is directed to an antimicrobial metal composite formed by vaporizing an antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal salt such as silver, copper or salts thereof using an plasma system and cooling the formed vapor in the presence of a fluidized gas of filler powder. Alternatively, the filler or a filler precursor is entrained with the antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor and vaporized and then upon cooling the antimicrobial metal vapor and filler vapor condense to form the composite. The composite shows high antimicrobial activity and can be incorporated into or onto polymers, coatings, textiles, paper, gels (for example for wound care), lubricants, adhesives and cosmetics or pharmaceutical, especially medical devices.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. An antimicrobial metal composite, wherein the composite comprises an antimicrobial metal and a filler which composite is prepared comprising the steps of:
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A) providing an antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor; B) entraining said metal or metal precursor in a stream of gas for transport to a plasma torch; C) creating a plasma in said stream of gas vaporizing the antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor; D) cooling said metal vapor in the presence of a fluidized gas carrying a filler powder, wherein said cooling results in nucleation of the antimicrobial metal vapor onto the filler to form the composite or E) alternatively, the filler or a filler precursor is entrained with the antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor in step B) vaporized in step C) and upon cooling the antimicrobial metal vapor and filler vapor condense to form the composite; and F) collecting the composite. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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9. An antimicrobial composite comprising antimicrobial metal nanoparticles ranging from 1 to 20 nm dispersed onto a filler, wherein the antimicrobial metal nanoparticles are surface accessible on and within the filler matrix;
and the antimicrobial metal ranges from 25 to 75 wt. percent of the composite, wherein the antimicrobial nanoparticles are silver and/or copper and the filler is silica, silicates, metal oxides or barium sulfate.
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19. A process for the formation of an antimicrobial metal composite, comprising the steps of
A) providing an antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor; -
B) entraining said antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor in a stream of gas for transport to a plasma torch; C) creating a plasma in said stream of gas vaporizing the antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor; D) cooling said metal vapor in the presence of a fluidized gas carrying a filler powder, wherein said cooling results in nucleation of the antimicrobial metal vapor onto the filler to form the composite or E) alternatively, the filler or a filler precursor is entrained with the antimicrobial metal or antimicrobial metal precursor in step B) vaporized in step C) and upon cooling the antimicrobial metal vapor and filler vapor condense to form the composite; and F) collecting the composite.
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Specification