Antimicrobial ionomer composition and uses thereof

Abstract

The invention concerns a polymeric antimicrobial composition, a method of producing the same and the uses thereof. The ionomer composition comprises an amine functional polymer compound reacted with silver halide, optionally together with a stabilizing component, such as an organic substance carrying a sulfonamide functional group. The ionomer composition can be obtained by reacting together (i) at least one polyamine and silver halide and optionally at least one organic stabilizer substance or; (ii) at least one polyamine, at least one non-halide silver salt or silver complex, hydrogen halide and/or alkaline metal halide salt and optionally at least one organic stabilizer substance. The present ionomer composition is suitable for use as an antimicrobial coating, antimicrobial finish, antimicrobial additive and as antimicrobial component for formation of new antimicrobial materials.

1 . An antimicrobial ionomer composition which comprises an amine functional cationic polymer compound and silver halide. 
     
     
         2 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a stabilizing component. 
     
     
         3 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein silver halide is in molecular form. 
     
     
         4 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein silver halide is silver chloride. 
     
     
         5 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one stabilizer substance selected from the groups of organic or inorganic substances. 
     
     
         6 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a solvent matrix. 
     
     
         7 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said amine functional polymer is selected from the group comprising; polyethyleneimine, polyvinylamine, polyacrylamine, polyhexamethylenebiguanidine, polyvinylpyridine and polyarylamine. 
     
     
         8 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said amine functional polymer comprises poly(ethyleneimine) having a molecular weight (Mw) between 200 and 3,000,000. 
     
     
         9 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , obtainable by reacting together
 (i) 70 to 99.99 parts by weight of at least one amine functional polymer and 0.01 to 30 parts by weight of at least one silver halide; or   (ii) 50 to 99.99 parts by weight of at least one amine functional polymer, 0.01 to 50 parts by weight of at least one non-halide silver salt or complex compound, and hydrogen halide, or an alkaline metal or ammonium halide salt.   
     
     
         10 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 9 , wherein
 (i) said at least one amine functional polymer and silver halide; or   (ii) said at least one amine functional polymer and at least one silver salt or complex compound and hydrogen halide, or alkaline metal or ammonium halide salt,   
       are further reacted together with at least one stabilizer substance. 
     
     
         11 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 9 , wherein the counter anion or ligand of said at least one silver salt or complex compound comprises an organic stabilizer substance. 
     
     
         12 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said silver halide comprises silver chloride, said hydrogen halide comprises hydrogen chloride and said alkaline metal halide salt comprises sodium chloride or potassium chloride. 
     
     
         13 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said reacting is carried out in a solvent matrix. 
     
     
         14 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said solvent matrix comprises alcohols. 
     
     
         15 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the amine functional groups of said amine functional polymer have a function as further attaching said composition to a molecular structure of a second material through non-covalent bonding or covalent bonding or coordinate bonding or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said amine functional polymer is polyvinylamine or copolymer having 30-100 mol-% of vinylamine. 
     
     
         17 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said amine functional polymer is graft polymer of polyvinylamine with ethyleneimine. 
     
     
         18 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said amine functional polymer is graft polymer of polyamidoamine with ethyleneimine 
     
     
         19 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said amine functional polymer is a polyarylamine copolymer 
     
     
         20 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said amine functional polymer is polyacrylamine 
     
     
         21 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition is internally cross-linked through at least one cross-linking agent. 
     
     
         22 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein said composition is attached to a second material through at least one cross-linking agent. 
     
     
         23 . The antimicrobial ionomer composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the silver content of the composition is about 0.01 to 50% by weight of the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         24 . The antimicrobial composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the silver compound to the amine compound is about 1:100 to 100:1. 
     
     
         25 . A method of producing a polymeric antimicrobial composition, comprising reacting together
 (i) at least one amine functional polymer and silver halide; or   (ii) at least one amine functional polymer and at least one non-halide silver salt or complex compound and hydrogen halide and/or alkaline metal halide salt; and,   (iii) optionally, at least one stabilizer substance.   
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25 , comprising reacting together
 (i) 70 to 99.99 parts by weight of at least one amine functional polymer and 0.01 to 30 parts by weight of at least one silver halide; or   (ii) 70 to 99.99 parts by weight of at least one amine functional polymer, 0.01 to 30 parts by weight of at least one non-halide silver salt or complex compound, and hydrogen halide, or an alkaline metal or ammonium halide salt.   
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25 , comprising reacting together in a solvent matrix
 (i) at least one amine functional polymer;   (ii) a silver halide; and,   (iii) optionally, at least one stabilizer substance.   
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25 , comprising reacting together in a solvent matrix
 (i) a non-halide silver salt or silver complex;   (ii) hydrogen halide or an alkaline metal halide salt or a combination thereof; and,   (iii) optionally, at least one stabilizer substance.   
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25  carried out in a solvent matrix. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein additive compounds are incorporated into said composition providing means for modifying the physical-chemical properties of said composition. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled)