Antimicrobial glass compositions, glasses and polymeric articles incorporating the same

Abstract

Architectural structures including an inorganic material carrier including cement and particles or fibers of a glass including a plurality of Cu1+ ions. In aspects, the glass may have a glass phase and a cuprite phase. In aspects, the glasses may include a plurality of Cu1+ ions, a degradable phase including B2O3, P2O5 and K2O and a durable phase including SiO2. In other aspects, the glass can have a plurality of Cu1+ ions disposed on the surface of the glass and in the glass network and/or the glass matrix. The glasses and articles disclosed herein can exhibit a 2 log reduction or greater in a concentration of at least one of Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and E. coli, under the EPA Test Method for Efficacy of Copper Alloy as a Sanitizer testing condition and under Modified JIS Z 2801 for Bacteria testing conditions.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An architectural structure comprising:
 an inorganic material carrier comprising cement; and   particles or fibers of a glass comprising a plurality of Cu 1+  ions.   
     
     
         2 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein the particles or fibers of glass are dispersed in the inorganic material carrier. 
     
     
         3 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein
 the glass further comprises a degradable phase and a durable phase;   the degradable phase comprises the plurality of Cu 1+  ions and at least one of B 2 O 3 , P 2 O 5 , and R 2 O, where R is any one or more of K, Na, Li, Rb, and Cs; and   the durable phase comprises SiO 2 .   
     
     
         4 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , further exhibiting a resistance against bacterial contamination by  Pseudomonas aeruginosa  and  Enterobacter aerogenes  as evidenced by no bacterial recovery under ASTM D2574, Standard Test for Resistance of Emulsion Paints in the Container to Attack by Microorganisms. 
     
     
         5 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , further exhibiting a resistance to fungi as evidenced by no observed growth every seven-days and after a twenty-eight day period under ASTM D5590, Standard Test Method for Determining the Resistance of Paint Films and Related Coatings to Fungal Defacement by Accelerated Four Week Agar Plate Assay. 
     
     
         6 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , further exhibiting resistance to algae as evidenced by no observed growth every seven-days and after a twenty-one day period under ASTM D5589, Standard Test Method for Determining the Resistance of Paint Films and Related Coatings to Algal Defacement. 
     
     
         7 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , further exhibiting a 2 log reduction or greater in a concentration of any one or more of  Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa  bacteria, Methicillin Resistant  Staphylococcus aureus , and  E. coli , under the EPA Test Method for Efficacy of Copper Alloy Surfaces as a Sanitizer testing condition, 
     
     
         8 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , further exhibiting a 4 log reduction or greater in a concentration of any one or more of  Staphylococcus aureus, Enterobacter aerogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa  bacteria, Methicillin Resistant  Staphylococcus aureus , and  E. coli , under the JIS Z 2801 (2000) testing conditions or a Modified JIS Z 2801 Test for Bacteria. 
     
     
         9 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , further exhibiting a 4 log reduction or greater in a concentration of  Murine Norovirus , under a Modified JIS Z 2801 Test for Viruses. 
     
     
         10 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein the particles or fibers of the glass further comprise, in mole percent:
 SiO 2  in the range from about 40 to about 70, and   at least one of (i) B 2 O 3 , (ii) P 2 O 5 , (iii) alkaline earth oxides, and (iv) R 2 O, wherein R is any one or more of K, Na, Li, Rb and Cs.   
     
     
         11 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of Cu 1+  ions is provided in the glass as a copper-containing oxide. 
     
     
         12 . The architectural structure of  claim 11 , wherein the copper-containing oxide comprises at least one of CuO and Cu 2 O. 
     
     
         13 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein the glass comprises Al 2 O 3  in an amount of about 5 mole percent or less. 
     
     
         14 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein the particles of glass comprise an irregular shape. 
     
     
         15 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises talc, clay, mica, or mud. 
     
     
         16 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , a portion of the plurality of Cu 1+  ions leaches from the glass when the glass is exposed to or in contact with a leachate. 
     
     
         17 . The architectural structure of  claim 16 , wherein the leachate is an acid, water, or humidity. 
     
     
         18 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein the architectural structure is a countertop or a wall. 
     
     
         19 . The architectural structure of  claim 1 , wherein the glass comprises cuprite phase comprising crystals having an average dimension of about 5 micrometers (μm) or less.