Antimicrobial steel and related methods

Abstract

A method of reducing viability of a microbe is provided. An illustrative method comprises contacting a microbe with an antimicrobial surface comprising a copper-alloy steel comprising an iron matrix and copper nanoprecipitates distributed throughout the iron matrix, wherein the copper-alloy steel comprises: Cu in a range from 0.5 weight % to 5.0 weight %; C in a range from 0.03 weight % to 0.10 weight %; Mn in a range from 0.20 weight % to 5.0 weight %; Ni in a range from 0.0 weight % to 6.0 weight %; Al in a range from 0.0 weight % to 4.0 weight %; Nb in a range from 0.0 weight % to 0.10 weight %; Si in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %; Mo in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %; Ti in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %; V in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %; Cr in a range from 0.0 weight % to 8.0 weight %; and a balance of Fe. The antimicrobial surfaces are also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing viability of a microbe, the method comprising contacting a microbe with an antimicrobial surface comprising a copper-alloy steel comprising an iron matrix and copper nanoprecipitates distributed throughout the iron matrix, wherein the copper-alloy steel comprises:
 Cu in a range from 0.5 weight % to 5.0 weight %;   C in a range from 0.03 weight % to 0.10 weight %;   Mn in a range from 0.20 weight % to 5.0 weight %;   Ni in a range from 0.0 weight % to 6.0 weight %;   Al in a range from 0.0 weight % to 4.0 weight %;   Nb in a range from 0.0 weight % to 0.10 weight %;   Si in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %;   Mo in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %;   Ti in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %;   V in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %;   Cr in a range from 0.0 weight % to 8.0 weight %; and   a balance of Fe.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper iron alloy does not comprise S, P, Co, Sn, and N. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper iron alloy comprises Fe, Cu, C, Mn, and one or more of Ni, Al, Nb, Si, Mo, Ti, V, and Cr. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper iron alloy comprises Fe, Cu, C, Mn, Ni, and optionally, Cr. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper iron alloy comprises Fe, Cu, C, Mn, Ni, Al and, optionally, Cr. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper iron alloy comprises Fe, Cu, C, Mn, Ni, Nb, Si, and optionally, Cr. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy steel comprises Fe, Cu, C, Mn, Ni, Al, Nb, Si, and optionally, Cr. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy steel comprises Fe, Cu, C, Mn, Ni, Nb, Si, Ti, and optionally, Cr. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy steel is characterized by an average center-to-center spacing λ between neighboring copper nanoprecipitates in a range of from 5 nm to 200 nm. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the copper nanoprecipitates are bcc copper nanoprecipitates. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the iron matrix is ferritic, martensitic, or partially martensitic. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial surface is textured. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting is carried out in an environment in which microbes are present, or are suspected of being present, in quantities that are more likely than not to result in an infection of a mammalian subject due to the microbes. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting is carried out in an indoor environment. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial surface is part of an article configured for regular contact with a human body part. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the human body part is a hand. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microbe is a virus. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the virus is SARS-CoV-2. 
     
     
         19 . An antimicrobial surface comprising a copper-alloy steel comprising an iron matrix and copper nanoprecipitates distributed throughout the iron matrix, wherein the copper-alloy steel comprises:
 Cu in a range from 0.5 weight % to 5.0 weight %;   C in a range from 0.03 weight % to 0.10 weight %;   Mn in a range from 0.20 weight % to 5.0 weight %;   Ni in a range from 0.0 weight % to 6.0 weight %;   Al in a range from 0.0 weight % to 4.0 weight %;   Nb in a range from 0.0 weight % to 0.10 weight %;   Si in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %;   Mo in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %;   Ti in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %;   V in a range from 0.0 weight % to 2.0 weight %;   Cr in a range from 0.0 weight % to 8.0 weight %; and   a balance of Fe.   
     
     
         20 . The antimicrobial surface of  claim 19 , wherein the antimicrobial surface is part of an article configured for regular contact with a human body part.