Biocidal plastic material

Abstract

The invention provides a biocidal concentrate including zinc pyridinethione; and a second biocide selected to be biocidally effective in a pH range complimentary to zinc pyridinethione. The second biocide may be an aromatic halogenated phenol such as triclosan, dichlorophen and trichlorcarban. The invention also provides biocidal cleaning devices and plastic materials and methods of manufacture thereof.

The claims of the present invention are as follows:  
     
         1 . A biocidal concentrate comprising: 
 a first biocide which is a metal pyridinethione; and:    a second biocide selected to be biocidally effective in a pH range complementary to said metal pyridinethione, said second biocide selected from the group consisting of: 
 halogenated phenols, phenols, derivatives of halogenated phenols,  
 derivatives of phenols, and trichlorcarbon.  
   
     
     
         2 . A biocidal concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein said metallo-pyridinethione is zinc pyridinethione.  
     
     
         3 . A biocidal concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein said metallo-pyridinethione is sodium pyridinethione.  
     
     
         4 . A biocidal concentrate according to  claim 1  wherein said metallo-pyridinethione is magnesium pyridinethione.  
     
     
         5 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of  claims 1  to  4  wherein the second biocide is dichlorophen.  
     
     
         6 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of  claims 1  to  4  wherein the second biocide is triclosan.  
     
     
         7 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of the preceding clam wherein the metal pyridinethione comprises 5-25% w/w of the mixture.  
     
     
         8 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the metal pyridinethione comprises 11-16% w/w of the mixture.  
     
     
         9 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second biocide comprises 32-37% of the mixture.  
     
     
         10 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the second biocide comprises 25-45% w/w of the mire.  
     
     
         11 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of the preceding claims further including a mineral oil.  
     
     
         12 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of the preceding claims further including polyvinlypyrrolidone.  
     
     
         13 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of the preceding claims further including an alcoholic solvent.  
     
     
         14 . A biocidal concentrate according to any one of the preceding claims further including water.  
     
     
         15 . A biocidal clean device comprising: 
 A biocidal concentrate according to any one of  claims 1  to  14 ; and    a substrate.    
     
     
         16 . A biocidal cleaning device according to  claim 15  wherein the metal pyridine thione is present in an amount of to 2.5% of the weight of the device.  
     
     
         17 . A biocidal cleaning device according to  claim 15  or  16  wherein the metal pyridine thione is present in an amount of 0.05-10% of the weight of the device.  
     
     
         18 . A biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  15 - 17  wherein the metal pyridine thione is present in an amount of 0.1-1.0% of the weight of the device.  
     
     
         19 . A biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  15 - 18  wherein the second biocide is present in an amount up to 6% of the weight of the device.  
     
     
         20 . A biocidal device according to any one of claims  15 - 19  wherein the second biocide is present in an amount of 0.05-2.0% of the weight of the device.  
     
     
         21 . A biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  15 - 20  wherein the second biocide is present im an amount of 0.1-2.0% of the weight of the device.  
     
     
         22 . A biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  15 - 21  wherein the substrate is cloth.  
     
     
         23 . A biocidal cleaning device according to  claim 22  wherein the cloth weight is from 30-200 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         24 . A biocidal cleaning device according to  claim 22  or  23  wherein the cloth weight is from 30-120 g/m 2 .  
     
     
         25 . A biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claim  22 - 24  wherein the cloth is comprised of from: 
 70-100% rayon; and  
 0-30% polyester.  
 
     
     
         26 . A biocidal cleaning device according to  claim 25  comprising 0-30% polypropylene.  
     
     
         27 . A biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  15 - 21  wherein the substrate is sponge or a synthetic equivalent.  
     
     
         28 . A biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  15 - 21  wherein the substrate is paper.  
     
     
         29 . A biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  15 - 21  wherein the substrate is woven textile.  
     
     
         30 . A method of making a biocidal cleaning device comprising the steps of: 
 combining a biocidal concentrate according to any one of  claims 1  to  14  with a binding agent;    contacting the resultant formulation with a substrate; and    binding the formulation to the substrate with binding means.    
     
     
         31 . A method according to  claim 30  wherein said binding means is in the form of a heat treatment.  
     
     
         32 . A method of making a biocidal cleaning device according to  claim 31  wherein the heat treatment is carried out by a steam heated drum.  
     
     
         33 . A method of making a biocidal cleaning device according to  claim 31  wherein the heat treatment is applied by infra red means.  
     
     
         34 . A method according to  claim 30  wherein said binding means is in the form of UV or visible light.  
     
     
         35 . A method of making a biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  30 - 34  wherein the binding agent is a polymer latex formulation.  
     
     
         36 . A method of making a biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  30 - 34  wherein the big agent is acrylate.  
     
     
         37 . A method of making a biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  30 - 36 , wherein the substrate is selected from the group comprising cloth, sponge or a synthetic equivalent, paper and woven textiles.  
     
     
         38 . A method of making a biocidal cleaning device according to any one of claims  30 - 37  wherein the absorbent material is cloth.  
     
     
         39 . Biocidal plastic material incorporating a biocidal concentrate according to any one of claims  1 - 14 .  
     
     
         40 . A method of making a biocidal plastic material comprising the steps of: 
 a) dissolving a biocidal mixture according to any one of claims  1 - 14  in a plasticiser;    b) compounding the above formed biocide-plasticiser mixture into a polymer; and    c) forming the plastic into the deed shape.    
     
     
         41 . A method of making a biocidal plastic material according to  claim 40  wherein the plasticiser is a hydrocarbon.  
     
     
         42 . A method of making a biocidal plastic material according to  claim 41  wherein the plasticiser is selected from the group comprising polybutene, low density polyethylene, low density polypropylene and paraffin wax.  
     
     
         43 . A method of making a biocidal plastic material according to  claim 40  wherein the plasticiser is an ester.  
     
     
         44 . A method of making a biocidal plastic material according to  claim 43  wherein the plasticiser is selected from the group comprising dibutyl phthalate and dioctylphthalate.  
     
     
         45 . A method of making a biocidal plastic material according to  claim 43  wherein the plasticiser is an epoxidised vegetable oil or a blend thereof.  
     
     
         46 . A biocidal concentrate substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the examples.  
     
     
         47 . A biocidal cleaning substantially herein described with reference to any one of the examples.  
     
     
         48 . A method of making a biocidal cleaning device substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the examples.  
     
     
         49 . A biocidal plastic material substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the examples.  
     
     
         50 . A method of making a biocidal plastic material substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the examples.