Antimicrobial nonwoven polyamides with zinc content

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12336539-B2
Application number	US-202318451411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2023
Priority date	Dec 18, 2018
Publication date	Jun 24, 2025
Grant date	Jun 24, 2025

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a nonwoven polyamide structure having antimicrobial properties comprising: nonwoven polyamide fibers comprising less than 4000 ppm zinc dispersed within the nonwoven polyamide fibers; and less than 2000 ppm phosphorus. The fibers have an average fiber diameter of less than 25 microns; and the polyamide structure demonstrates a Staphylococcus aureus reduction of at least 90%, as measured by ISO 20743-13.

First claim

We claim:

1. A nonwoven polyamide structure having antimicrobial properties comprising:
nonwoven polyamide fibers comprising a polyamide composition comprising:
less than 4000 ppm zinc dispersed within the nonwoven polyamide fibers; and
less than 2000 ppm phosphorus, wherein the fibers have an average fiber diameter of less than 15 microns;
wherein the zinc is provided via a zinc compound and the phosphorus is provided via a phosphorus compound different from the zinc compound; and
wherein the polyamide structure demonstrates a Staphylococcus Aureus reduction of at least 90%, as measured by ISO 20743-13.

2. The nonwoven polyamide structure of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the zinc to the phosphorus is at least 1.3:1; or less than 0.64:1.

3. The nonwoven polyamide structure of claim 1 , wherein the relative viscosity of the polyamide composition is less than 100.

4. The nonwoven polyamide structure of claim 1 , wherein the polyamide composition comprises less than 3100 ppm of zinc, wherein the polyamide composition comprises a delusterant including at least a portion of the phosphorus, and wherein the polyamide demonstrates a Staphylococcus Aureus reduction of at least 90%, as measured by ISO 20743-13.

5. The nonwoven polyamide structure of claim 1 , wherein no more than 20% of the fibers have a diameter of greater than 700 nanometers.

6. The nonwoven polyamide structure of claim 1 , wherein the polyamide comprises nylon 66 or nylon 6/66.

7. Antimicrobial fibers having antimicrobial properties comprising:
a polymer;
less than 4000 ppm zinc dispersed within the polymer; and
less than 2000 ppm phosphorus,
wherein the fibers have an average fiber diameter of less than 15 microns;
wherein the zinc is provided via a zinc compound and the phosphorus is provided via a phosphorus compound different from the zinc compound; and
wherein the antimicrobial fibers demonstrate a Staphylococcus Aureus reduction of at least 90%, as measured by ISO 20743-13.

8. The antimicrobial fibers of claim 7 , wherein the weight ratio of zinc to phosphorus is:
at least 1.3:1; or less than 0.64:1.

9. The antimicrobial fibers of claim 7 , wherein the antimicrobial fibers comprise less than 3100 ppm of zinc.

10. The antimicrobial fibers of claim 7 , wherein the antimicrobial fibers have a zinc retention greater than 70% as measured by a dye bath test.

11. The antimicrobial fibers of claim 7 , wherein the antimicrobial fibers comprise less than 3200 ppm of zinc, wherein the polymer comprises a delusterant including at least a portion of the phosphorus, and wherein the antimicrobial fibers demonstrate a Staphylococcus Aureus reduction of at least 90%, as measured by ISO 20743-13.

12. The antimicrobial fibers of claim 7 , wherein the polymer comprises nylon 66 or nylon 6/66.

13. A filtration product comprising the antimicrobial fibers of claim 7 , and having a filtration efficiency of from 1 to 99.999%, as measured via a TSI 3160 automated filter tester.

14. The filtration product of claim 13 , wherein the filtration product has an air permeability value of less than 600 CFM/ft 2 .

15. An apparel product comprising the nonwoven polyamide structure of claim 1 .

16. The apparel product of claim 15 , wherein the apparel product is an antimicrobial athletic wear.

17. A medical device comprising nonwoven polyamide fibers having a polyamide composition comprising:
less than 4000 ppm zinc dispersed within the nonwoven polyamide fibers; and
less than 2000 ppm phosphorus,
wherein the fibers have an average fiber diameter of less than 15 microns;
wherein the zinc is provided via a zinc compound and the phosphorus is provided via a phosphorus compound different from the zinc compound; and
wherein the polyamide structure demonstrates a Staphylococcus Aureus reduction of at least 90%, as measured by ISO 20743-13.

18. The medical device of claim 17 , wherein the medical device is a bone reparation device.

Assignees

• Ascend Performance Mat Operations Llc

Inventors

• Osborn Scott E
• Yung Wai-Shing
• Ortega Albert

Classifications

• Y10T442/607

  Strand or fiber material is synthetic polymer · CPC title

• D04H1/4334 Primary

  Polyamides · CPC title

• D10B2401/13

  anti-allergenic or anti-bacterial · CPC title

• D10B2331/02

  polyamides (D10B2331/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• D04H3/009

  Condensation or reaction polymers · CPC title