Enhancing and preserving anti-microbial performance in fibers with pigments

Abstract

A method for producing fibers with improved color and anti-microbial properties is described. One embodiment includes a method for generating a halogen stable anti-microbial synthetic fiber, the method comprising creating a mixture that includes a polymer, an anti-microbial agent, and a cationic pigment, and extruding the mixture to form an anti-microbial synthetic fiber.

1 . A method for generating a halogen stable anti-microbial synthetic fiber, the method comprising:
 creating a mixture, the mixture comprising a polymer, an anti-microbial agent, and a cationic pigment; and   extruding the mixture to form an anti-microbial synthetic fiber.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from a group consisting of a thermoplastic polymer, polyester, nylon, rayon, polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG), co-PET, polylactic acid (PLA), and polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT). 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic pigment is a non-halogen pigment. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic pigment includes halogen bonding sites. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-chlorine pigment comprises an element with known anti-microbial properties. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic pigment is Phthalo Blue. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the mixture further comprises Titanium Dioxide. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the non-chlorine pigment is selected from the group consisting of CaCuSi 4 O 10 , HgS, FeO, Na 2 OSAl 2 SiO 6 , BaCuSi 2 O 6 , ({CuC 2 H 3 O 2 } 2 -3Cu(AsO 2 ) 2 ), and CuHA 5 O 5 . 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 creating the mixture comprises mixing polymer pellets, the non-chlorine pigment, and the anti-microbial alloy powder in a mixer; and   extruding the mixture to form the anti-microbial synthetic fiber comprises:
 heating the mixture to a melt temperature; and 
 pumping the mixture through a spinneret. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 using the anti-microbial fiber to create a fabric.   
     
     
         11 . A halogen stable anti-microbial synthetic fiber comprising:
 a polymer;   an anti-microbial agent; and   a cationic pigment.   
     
     
         12 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 11 , wherein the anti-microbial agent comprises silver and/or copper and/or zinc and/or gold in metallic form, salt form or ionic form. 
     
     
         13 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 11 , wherein the cationic pigment is a non-halogen pigment. 
     
     
         14 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 11 , wherein the cationic pigment includes halogen bonding sites. 
     
     
         15 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 11 , wherein the cationic pigment contains an element with known anti-microbial properties. 
     
     
         16 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 11  wherein the cationic pigment is Phthalo Blue. 
     
     
         17 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 16 , wherein the synthetic fiber further comprises Titanium Dioxide. 
     
     
         18 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 11  wherein the non-chlorine pigment is selected from the group consisting of CaCuSi 4 O 10 , HgS, FeO, Na 2 OSAl 2 SiO 6 , BaCuSi 2 O 6 , ({CuC 2 H 3 O 2 } 2 -3Cu(AsO 2 ) 2 ), and CuHA 5 O 5 . 
     
     
         19 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 11 , wherein the fiber is 0.4 to 25 denier. 
     
     
         20 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 11 , wherein the fiber is in continuous form or cut to a staple length from 0.25″ to 7.5″.