Surfaces with antimicrobial cured in place

Abstract

A nonabsorbent, abrasive scrubbing pad, especially for domestic use in the kitchen or bathroom, comprising a nonwoven web of fibers in which the fibers have coated thereon a mixture of antimicrobial compounds. The antimicrobial compounds are dispersed in a coating material that is applied to the fibers and then cured to anchor the antimicrobial compounds in the coating and prevent their being leached. The coating preferably also has dispersed therein abrasive particles to provide an abrasive scrubbing pad. More broadly, any substrate can be provided with an antimicrobial coating by mixing into a curable, film-forming composition an antimicrobial compound, coating the substrate with the mixture, and curing the mixture on the substrate.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A non-absorbent antimicrobial surface, comprising: 
 A. a substrate; and    B. a cured polymeric coating on the substrate, said coating comprising at least one antimicrobial compound being present when said coating is cured on the substrate.    
     
     
         2 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is synthetic and selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The surface of  claim 2 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of nylons, poly(ethylene terephthalate), and polypropylene.  
     
     
         4 . The surface of  claim 4 , wherein the substrate is nylon.  
     
     
         1 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein the coating is formed from a polymer selected from the group consisting of phenol-formaldehydes, acrylic latexes, and styrene butadiene latexes.  
     
     
         2 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial compound is a sulfone.  
     
     
         3 . The surface of  claim 6 , wherein the antimicrobial compound is selected from the group consisting of diidomethyl p-tolyl sulfone, diiodomethyl p-chlorophenyl sulfone, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial compound is an alkali alkyl sulfate.  
     
     
         5 . The surface of  claim 8 , wherein said compound is sodium lauryl sulfate.  
     
     
         6 . A method for making a non-absorbent, antimicrobial, surface, comprising the steps of: 
 A. providing a substrate;    B. providing a liquid, film-formable binder effective to coat the surface;    C. admixing an antimicrobial compound with the binder to produce a binder mix; and    D. coating the substrate with the binder mix, curing the binder, and repeating the coating and curing as desired.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the substrate are selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyesters, polyolefins, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group consisting of nylons, poly(ethylene terephthalate), and polypropylene.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the coating is formed from a polymer selected from the group consisting of phenol-formaldehydes, acrylic latexes, and styrene butadiene latexes.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said antimicrobial compound is a sulfone.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said antimicrobial compound is selected from the group consisting of diidomethyl p-tolyl sulfone, diiodomethyl p-chlorophenyl sulfone, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein one antimicrobial compound is an alkali alkyl sulfate.  
     
     
         13 . The surface of  claim 8 , wherein said compound is sodium lauryl sulfate.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising a mixture of antimicrobial compounds including sodium lauryl sulfate and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of diidomethyl p-tolyl sulfone, diiodomethyl p-chlorophenyl sulfone, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The surface of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate is metal or wood.