Anti-Virus Hydrophilic Polymeric Material

Abstract

The invention provides a method for imparting antiviral properties to a hydrophilic polymeric material comprising preparing a hydrophilic polymeric slurry, dispersing an ionic copper powder mixture containing cuprous oxide and cupric oxide in said slurry and then extruding or molding said slurry to form a hydrophilic polymeric material, wherein water-insoluble particles that release both Cu ++ and Cu + are directly and completely encapsulated within said hydrophilic polymeric material.

1 . A method for imparting antiviral properties to a hydrophilic polymeric material comprising preparing a hydrophilic polymeric slurry, dispersing an ionic copper powder mixture containing cuprous oxide and cupric oxide in said slurry and then extruding or molding said slurry to form a hydrophilic polymeric material, wherein water-insoluble particles that release both Cu ++  and Cu +  are directly and completely encapsulated within said hydrophilic polymeric material. 
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said ionic copper powder mixture is prepared by oxidation-reduction. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein said reduction is carried out using formaldehyde as a reductant. 
     
     
         4 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus comprising a mixture of water-insoluble particles that release both Cu ++  and Cu + , which particles are directly and completely encapsulated within said hydrophilic polymeric material and are the primary active component therein. 
     
     
         5 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to  claim 4  wherein said particles are of a size of between about 1 and 10 microns. 
     
     
         6 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to  claim 4  wherein said particles are present within the hydrophilic material in a concentration of about 1 to 3 w/w %. 
     
     
         7 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to  claim 4 , wherein said hydrophilic polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of latex, nitrile, acrylics, polyvinyl alcohol and silastic rubber. 
     
     
         8 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to  claim 4 , wherein said polymeric material is a multi-layered polymeric material comprising at least one later provided with water-insoluble particles that release both Cu ++  and Cu +  which are directly and completely encapsulated within said hydrophilic polymeric layer and a second hydrophilic polymeric layer which is substantially free of such water-insoluble particles. 
     
     
         9 . A hydrophilic polymeric material for inactivation of a virus according to  claim 8 , wherein said at least one layer and said second layer are formed of the same polymeric material. 
     
     
         10 - 28 . (canceled)