Compositions and methods for antimicrobial metal nanoparticles

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a composition having antimicrobial activity comprising particles comprising at least one inorganic copper salt; and at least one functionalizing agent in contact with the particles, the functionalizing agent stabilizing the particle in a carrier such that an antimicrobially effective amount of ions are released into the environment of a microbe. The average size of the particles ranges from about 1000 nm to about 4 nm. Preferred copper salts include copper iodide, copper bromide and copper chloride. Preferred functionalizing agents include amino acids, thiols, hydrophilic polymers emulsions of hydrophobic polymers and surfactants.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 : A method of inhibiting growth of or killing microbes comprising contacting a microbial environment with a composition comprising:
 preformed particles comprising at least one inorganic copper salt having an average particle size less than about 1000 nm complexed by at least one functionalizing agent, said functionalizing agent stabilizing said particles in a carrier.   
     
     
         32 : The method of  claim 31  wherein said carrier is a liquid. 
     
     
         33 : The method of  claim 31  wherein said composition is added to an article of manufacture. 
     
     
         34 : The composition of  claim 32  wherein said functionalizing agent is insoluble in said liquid carrier but stabilizes said particles in said liquid carrier. 
     
     
         35 : (canceled) 
     
     
         36 : The method of  claim 32  wherein said liquid carrier is water-based. 
     
     
         37 : The composition of  claim 32  wherein said liquid carrier is oil-based. 
     
     
         38 : The method of  claim 32  wherein said particles are suspended in said liquid carrier. 
     
     
         39 : The composition of  claim 31  wherein said carrier is a solid. 
     
     
         40 : The composition of  claim 39  wherein said solid carrier comprises a melt blend-plastic. 
     
     
         41 : The method of  claim 31  wherein said inorganic copper salt comprises a copper halide salt. 
     
     
         42 : The method of  claim 33  wherein the said article of manufacture is a coating. 
     
     
         43 : The method of  claim 31  which comprises dispersing said composition in a liquid, and then contacting a surface with said liquid dispersion. 
     
     
         44 : The method of  claim 43  wherein the liquid additionally contains a film-forming polymer or precursor which forms a polymeric coating after the said liquid is deposited on a surface. 
     
     
         45 : The method of  claim 31  which comprises dispersing said composition in a melt-blend, extrudable or injection moldable polymer. 
     
     
         46 : The method of  claim 32  which comprises applying a coating comprising said composition to a surface whereby a solvent present in the carrier evaporates leaving the remaining composition on said surface. 
     
     
         47 : The method of  claim 46  wherein said carrier additionally comprises one or more film-forming polymers or precursors which form a polymeric coating after applying to said surface. 
     
     
         48 : The method of  claim 45  further comprising the step of combining said dispersion with other melt-blend, extrudable or injection moldable-capable polymers, and then manufacturing an article from said composition dispersed in said melt-blend, extrudable or injection-moldable polymer. 
     
     
         49 : The method of  claim 31  wherein the composition contains at least about 12 ppm of copper salt. 
     
     
         50 : The method of  claim 41  wherein said halide is Iodide. 
     
     
         51 : (canceled) 
     
     
         52 : The method of  claim 31  wherein said inorganic copper salt has a solubility of less than about 100 mg/liter in water at room temperature. 
     
     
         53 : The method of  claim 31  wherein said inorganic copper salt has a solubility of less than about 15 mg/liter in water at room temperature. 
     
     
         54 : The method of  claim 31  wherein said functionalizing agent is selected from the group consisting of amino acids, thiols, hydrophilic polymers, hydrophobic polymers, amphiphilic polymers, surfactants and ligand-specific binding agents. 
     
     
         55 : The composition of  claim 54  wherein said amino acid is selected from any of aspartic acid, leucine and lysine. 
     
     
         56 : The composition of  claim 54  wherein said thiol is selected from the group consisting of aminothiol, thioglycerol, thioglycine, thiolactic acid, thiomalic acid, thiooctic acid and thiosilane. 
     
     
         57 : The composition of  claim 54  wherein said hydrophilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone, polyethyleneglycol and copolymers and blends comprising at least one of the monomers which form the said polymers. 
     
     
         58 : The composition of  claim 54  wherein said hydrophobic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyurethanes, acrylic polymers, epoxies, silicones and fluorosilicones. 
     
     
         59 : The composition of  claim 54  wherein said amphiphilic polymer is selected from the group consisting of PVP-block-polypropyleneoxide-block, polyethyleneoxide-block-polypropyleneoxide-block-polyethyleneoxide-block, and polyethyleneoxide-block-polypropylene oxide-block. 
     
     
         60 : The method of  claim 31  wherein said inorganic copper salt is selected from the group consisting of copper thiocyanate and copper oxide. 
     
     
         61 : A method of inhibiting growth of or killing microbes in an environment comprising providing a composition comprising
 preformed particles comprising at least one inorganic copper salt selected from the group consisting of CuI, CuBr and CuCl having an average particle size less than about 1000 nm complexed by at least one functionalizing agent,;   wherein said functionalizing agent is present in said composition at a weight ratio of from about 100:1 to about 0.5:1.