Methods of maintaining and using a high concentration of dissolved copper on the surface of a useful article

Abstract

A method for maintaining and using a high concentration of dissolved copper on a surface of a useful article by providing a copper surface without coatings thereon which increase the wetting angle and which isolate the copper surface and which has a surface roughness between 2 and 50 micro inches Ra, so as to kill microbes thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A product comprising:
 a copper alloy comprising a contact surface which provides copper ions or produces a copper oxide, or both, said contact surface having a roughness of between about 6 and about 14 microinches Ra;   wherein the contact surface is not coated with a polymer finish, barrier coating, tarnish inhibitor, oil, grease, or wax; and   wherein the contact surface has a lower contact angle, a higher rate of copper evolution into aqueous solution, and a higher rate of microbial inactivation, as compared to a copper alloy contact surface coated with benzotriazole.   
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the surface roughness is about 10 microinches Ra. 
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the copper alloy is copper. 
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the copper alloy is copper alloy C110. 
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous solution is an artificial sweat formulation. 
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the higher rate of copper evolution into aqueous solution is at least 10 times higher. 
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 6  wherein the higher rate of copper evolution into aqueous solution is at least 30 times higher. 
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 1  wherein the contact surface is chemically etched. 
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the higher rate of microbial inactivation comprises a reduction in  E. coli  by at least 99% within about 60 minutes. 
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 9  wherein the higher rate of microbial inactivation comprises a reduction in  E. coli  by at least 99% within about 45 minutes. 
     
     
         11 . The product of  claim 10 , wherein the higher rate of microbial inactivation comprises a reduction in  E. coli  by at least 99% within about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         12 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein said product is a rolled strip, hospital touch surface, or lighting device or control. 
     
     
         13 . A product comprising:
 a copper alloy comprising a contact surface which provides copper ions or produces a copper oxide, or both, said contact surface having a roughness of between about 6 and about 14 microinches Ra;   wherein the contact surface is not coated with a polymer finish, barrier coating, tarnish inhibitor, oil, grease, or wax; and   wherein the contact surface has a higher rate of copper evolution into aqueous solution as compared to a copper alloy contact surface coated with benzotriazole.   
     
     
         14 . The product of  claim 13  wherein the surface roughness is about 10 microinches Ra. 
     
     
         15 . The product of  claim 13  wherein the copper alloy is copper. 
     
     
         16 . The product of  claim 13  wherein the copper alloy is copper alloy C110. 
     
     
         17 . The product of  claim 13  wherein the aqueous solution is an artificial sweat formulation. 
     
     
         18 . The product of  claim 13  wherein the higher rate of copper evolution into aqueous solution is at least 10 times higher. 
     
     
         19 . The product of  claim 18  wherein the higher rate of copper evolution into aqueous solution is at least 30 times higher. 
     
     
         20 . The product of  claim 13  wherein said product is a rolled strip, hospital touch surface, or lighting device or control. 
     
     
         21 . A product comprising:
 a copper alloy comprising a contact surface which provides copper ions or produces a copper oxide, or both, said contact surface having a roughness of between about 6 and about 14 microinches Ra;   wherein the contact surface is not coated with a polymer finish, barrier coating, tarnish inhibitor, oil, grease, or wax; and   wherein the contact surface has a higher rate of microbial inactivation as compared to a copper alloy contact surface coated with benzotriazole.   
     
     
         22 . The product of  claim 21  wherein the surface roughness is about 10 microinches Ra. 
     
     
         23 . The product of  claim 21  wherein the copper alloy is copper. 
     
     
         24 . The product of  claim 21  wherein the copper alloy is copper alloy C110. 
     
     
         25 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the higher rate of microbial inactivation comprises a reduction in  E. coli  by at least 99% within about 60 minutes. 
     
     
         26 . The product of  claim 25  wherein the higher rate of microbial inactivation comprises a reduction in  E. coli  by at least 99% within about 45 minutes. 
     
     
         27 . The product of  claim 26 , wherein the higher rate of microbial inactivation comprises a reduction in  E. coli  by at least 99% within about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         28 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the higher rate of microbial inactivation comprises a 3 log 10  reduction in CFU that is at least about 40% to about 60% faster as compared to the copper alloy contact surface coated with benzotriazole. 
     
     
         29 . The product of any  claim 21 , wherein said product is a rolled strip, hospital touch surface, or lighting device or control. 
     
     
         30 . A product comprising:
 a touch surface comprising a copper alloy which provides copper ions or produces a copper oxide, or both, said touch surface having a roughness of between about 6 and about 14 microinches Ra;   wherein the touch surface is not coated with a polymer finish, barrier coating, tarnish inhibitor, oil, grease, or wax; and   wherein the touch surface has a lower contact angle, a rate of copper evolution into aqueous solution that is at least 15 to 25 times higher, and a rate of microbial inactivation comprising a 3 log 10  reduction in CFU that is at least about 40% to about 60% faster, as compared to a copper alloy contact surface coated with benzotriazole.   
     
     
         31 . The product of  claim 30 , wherein the touch surface is a hospital touch surface. 
     
     
         32 . A product comprising:
 a rolled strip comprising a copper alloy, said copper alloy comprising a contact surface which provides copper ions or produces a copper oxide, or both, and said contact surface having a roughness of between about 6 and about 14 microinches Ra;   wherein the contact surface is not coated with a polymer finish, barrier coating, tarnish inhibitor, oil, grease, or wax; and   wherein the contact surface has a lower contact angle, a rate of copper evolution into aqueous solution that is at least 15 to 25 times higher, and a rate of microbial inactivation comprising a 3 log 10  reduction in CFU that is at least about 40% to about 60% faster, as compared to a copper alloy contact surface coated with benzotriazole.