Antimicrobial vulcanized EPDM rubber articles
US6555599B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 26, 2001 |
| Grant date | Apr 29, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 15, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q10/06
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Ethylene-propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber-containing articles that exhibit highly desirable long-term effective antimicrobial characteristics are provided. Such articles are in either solid or blown (foam or sponge) state (or combinations of both in multilayered forms) that can be utilized in a variety of different applications. As silver-based compounds are deleteriously affected by utilization of standard curing agents and curing accelerators, such as sulfur-based compounds and/or systems, the ability to provide such an effective antimicrobial vulcanized rubber article is rather difficult. However, this invention encompasses the presence of different non-sulfur-based curing systems and agents, such as peroxides, as one example, that permit vulcanization and do not irreversibly bind silver ions thereto, thereby resulting in long-term antimicrobial performance of the ultimate rubber article itself. The rubber articles must also comprise fillers and may also include plasticizers to provide desired characteristics of dimensional stability, stiffness, flexural modulus, tensile strength, abrasion resistance, elongation, and the like, for the ultimate rubber article, while simultan…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.