Now, copper textiles with permanent potent biocidal properties!
26 Dec '06
4 min read
Figure 1 - Test Method
Copper has been used as a biocide by Celts, Hindus, American pioneers and Japanese, as well as by inhabitants of Africa and Asia for treating sores and skin diseases (1). Today, soluble copper compounds are used as bactericides, algaecides, fungicides or molluscicides. Copper has also been shown to inactivate a variety of enveloped and non-enveloped viruses (2).
Figure 1. Socks containing 12% copper impregnated fibers were washed up to 100 consecutive times by using AATCC test method (TM) 150. The copper impregnated fibers were analyzed by scanning electronic microscope (SEM). The amount of copper particles throughout the fibers was not changed. Moreover, as shown in the lower SEM picture, there was no reduction in copper oxide particles in socks used and worn 75 times.
Figure 2. The biocidal efficacy following consecutive washes of a fabric made from a 50/50 polyester/cotton blend. Fifty percent of the polyester fibers were impregnated with 1% (weight/weight) copper oxide particles. The test method used to determine the biocidal efficacy of the fabrics before and after washings was the AATCC TM 100. The tests were conducted by an independent laboratory (AminoLab, Rehovot, Israel). The fabrics were exposed to Staphylococcus aureus and to Escherichia coli for 4 hours and to Candida albicans for 24 hours.
Utilizing the properties of copper, two durable platform technologies were developed: the first one plates cotton fibers with copper oxide and the second one impregnates polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polyurethane, polyolefin, or nylon fibers with copper oxide. Both technologies endow the fibers with potent broad-spectrum anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and anti-mite properties (3,4).
These copper oxide-treated fibers are then readily introduced into the mass production of woven, knits and non-woven fabrics with no requirement for alteration of industrial procedures or machinery.
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