Fibre material having an antimicrobial and odour-neutralising effect

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a fiber material having an antimicrobial effect, comprising fibers of regenerated cellulose and/or regenerated cellulose derivatives and at least one antimicrobial agent component. The present disclosure also includes a method of producing a fiber material having an antimicrobial effect, a fiber material produced by the method, and the use of the fiber material. The agent component of the fiber material comprises silver (Ag) and ruthenium (Ru), wherein silver and ruthenium are in electrical contact with one another and embedded in and/or at least partially surrounded by the cellulose and/or cellulose derivative fibers. The fiber material has not only antimicrobial properties, but also deodorising and/or odor-neutralising properties. In particular, the durability of the efficacy of the hygiene fibers is surprising. After 50 washes and even after 100 washes, no considerable deterioration in the efficacy or reduction of the antimicrobial, deodorising and/or odor-neutralising properties can be observed.

1 . A fiber material having an antimicrobial effect and comprising fibers of regenerated cellulose and/or regenerated cellulose derivatives and at least one antimicrobial agent component,
 characterized in that   the agent component comprises silver (Ag) and ruthenium (Ru), wherein silver and ruthenium are in electrical contact with one another and embedded in and/or at least partially surrounded by the cellulose and/or cellulose-derivative fibers.   
     
     
         2 . The fiber material according to  claim 1 , characterized in that silver and ruthenium are at least partially embedded in and/or at least partially surrounded by the cellulose and/or cellulose-derivative fibers in homogeneously distributed particulate form. 
     
     
         3 . The fiber material according to  claim 1 , characterized in that silver and ruthenium are at least partly present in a form of silver/ruthenium bimetallic particles. 
     
     
         4 . The fiber material according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the silver/ruthenium bimetallic particles comprise particles made of cellulose and/or cellulose derivatives coated with silver and ruthenium. 
     
     
         5 . The fiber material according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the silver and/or the ruthenium is/are at least partially present in a form of a metal compound, wherein the metal compound comprises at least one metal oxide, metal oxyhydrate, metal hydroxide, metal oxyhydroxide, metal halide and/or at least one metal sulfide. 
     
     
         6 . A method for producing a fiber material having an antimicrobial effect, in particular the fiber material of  claim 1 , comprising the following steps:
 a) Providing pulp comprising cellulose and/or cellulose derivatives,   b) Optionally, preparation of a solvent system comprising at least one solvent and water,   c) Mixing the pulp with at least one solvent and water, or optionally with the solvent system according to b), to produce a pulp,   d) Dissolving the cellulose and/or cellulose derivatives in the pulp to produce a spinning solution;   e) Pressing the spinning solution through spinning nozzles, and   f) Regenerating the cellulose and/or cellulose derivatives to produce modified cellulose and/or cellulose derivative fibers,   characterized in that   at least one antimicrobial agent component comprising silver (Ag) and ruthenium (Ru) is added to the pulp and/or the spinning solution and/or optionally to the solvent system.   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the antimicrobial agent component is added in solid form, in particular as a powder, and dispersed in the pulp and/or the spinning solution and/or optionally the solvent system. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the antimicrobial agent component in solid form, in particular as a powder, is first dispersed in the solvent system and the resulting dispersion is then added to the pulp. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the pulp is homogenized after addition of the antimicrobial agent component. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that silver and ruthenium are added at least partially in a form of silver metal particles which are partially coated with metallic ruthenium. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that silver and ruthenium are added at least partially in a form of particles comprising a carrier material to which silver and ruthenium are applied. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the carrier material comprises cellulose and/or at least one cellulose derivative. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the solvent is N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO). 
     
     
         14 . A fiber material produced in the method according to  claim 6 . 
     
     
         15 . Use of the fiber material according to  claim 1 , for the production of wound dressings, wound bandages and/or plaster materials. 
     
     
         16 . The fiber material according to  claim 2 , characterized in that silver and ruthenium are at least partly present in the form of silver/ruthenium bimetallic particles. 
     
     
         17 . The fiber material according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the silver and/or the ruthenium is/are at least partially present in the form of a metal compound, wherein the metal compound comprises at least one metal oxide, metal oxyhydrate, metal hydroxide, metal oxyhydroxide, metal halide and/or at least one metal sulfide. 
     
     
         18 . The fiber material according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the silver and/or the ruthenium is/are at least partially present in a form of a metal compound, wherein the metal compound comprises at least one metal oxide, metal oxyhydrate, metal hydroxide, metal oxyhydroxide, metal halide and/or at least one metal sulfide. 
     
     
         19 . The fiber material according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the silver and/or the ruthenium is/are at least partially present in a form of a metal compound, wherein the metal compound comprises at least one metal oxide, metal oxyhydrate, metal hydroxide, metal oxyhydroxide, metal halide and/or at least one metal sulfide. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the antimicrobial agent component in solid form, in particular as a powder, is first dispersed in the solvent system and the resulting dispersion is then added to the pulp.