Biodegradable hospital curtain and curtain system, method of making and composition

Abstract

Disclosed is a biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain hardware having: a non-biodegradable polymer selected from a group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and combinations thereof; and an additive comprising a blend or copolymer of (1) a first polymer selected from a poly-lactic acid (PLA), a polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or a combination thereof and (2) a second polymer which is a poly-terephthalate. The curtain has a first hardness on the durometer scale and the curtain hardware has a second hardness on the durometer scale, different than the first hardness on the durometer scale. Also disclosed is a method of making a hospital disposable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A biodegradable hospital privacy curtain comprising:
 a curtain comprised of:   a non-biodegradable polymer; and   an additive comprising a blend or copolymer of (1) a first polymer selected from a poly-lactic acid (PLA), a polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or a combination thereof and (2) a second polymer which is a poly-terephthalate.   
     
     
         2 . Biodegradable hospital privacy curtain hardware comprising: curtain hardware comprised of:
 a non-biodegradable polymer; and   an additive comprising a blend or copolymer of (1) a first polymer selected from a poly-lactic acid (PLA), a polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or a combination thereof and (2) a second polymer which is a poly-terephthalate.   
     
     
         3 . The biodegradable hospital privacy curtain hardware of  claim 1  wherein the curtain hardware is selected from:
 a curtain holder, a retainer, a grommet and a snap. 
 
     
     
         4 . A biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain system comprising:
 a. a curtain; and   b. curtain hardware, wherein one or both the curtain and curtain hardware are made from a material comprised of:
 i. a non-biodegradable polymer; and 
 ii. a biodegradable additive, 
   wherein the curtain has a first hardness on the durometer scale and the curtain hardware has a second hardness on the durometer scale, different than the first hardness on the durometer scale.   
     
     
         5 . The biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain system of  claim 1 , wherein the curtain and curtain hardware are made of the same material. 
     
     
         6 . The biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain system of  claim 1 , wherein the curtain has a hardness of Shore A 50 to Shore 70 hardness. 
     
     
         7 . The biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain system of  claim 1 , wherein the curtain hardware has a Shore D 45 to Shore D60 hardness. 
     
     
         8 . A biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain system comprising:
 a. a curtain; and   b. curtain hardware, wherein the curtain and curtain hardware comprise a non-biodegradable polymer selected from a group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and combinations thereof; and   c. an additive comprising a blend or copolymer of (1) a first polymer selected from a poly-lactic acid (PLA), a polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) or a combination thereof and (2) a second polymer which is a poly-terephthalate.   
     
     
         9 . The biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain system of  claim 5 , wherein the non-biodegradable polymer is present in a concentration from 90-99.9 wt. %, the additive is present in a concentration from 0.1-10 wt. % and the additive has 30-70 wt. % of the first polymer and 30-70% of the second polymer. 
     
     
         10 . The biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an antimicrobial additive.   
     
     
         11 . The biodegradable hospital privacy curtain and curtain system of  claim 7 , wherein the antimicrobial is selected from isothiazolinone treatments, zinc pyrithione, thiabendazole, and silver. 
     
     
         12 . The biodegradable hospital privacy curtain of  claim 5 , wherein the curtain and curtain hardware have different durometer hardnesses. 
     
     
         13 . A method of making a hospital disposable, the method comprising
 a. adding 0.1 to 10 wt. % of an additive consisting of a biodegradable polymer to a mass of solid 90-99.9 wt. % polypropylene beads, thereby producing an admixture of the solid polypropylene beads and the additive;   b. mixing the admixture until a homogenous mixture is produced; and   c. forming the homogenous mixture into a hospital disposable.   
     
     
         14 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the forming comprises injection molding the homogenous mixture into curtain hardware and/or curtain hangers. 
     
     
         15 . The method as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the forming comprises extruding the homogenous mixture into a flame-retardant, nonwoven 115 grams per square meter (gsm) polypropylene curtain. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the hospital disposable is selected from a group consisting of a curtain, a curtain hardware, a surgical gown, a facemask, a disposable syringes a membrane for a membrane oxygenator, a connector, a finger-joint prosthesis, a non-absorbable suture, a pouch, a test tube, a beaker, a pipette, a reusable plastic container and a pharmacy prescription bottle. 
     
     
         17 . A biodegradable hospital privacy curtain of  claim 1 , wherein the non-biodegradable polymer is selected from a group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . A biodegradable hospital privacy curtain of  claim 2 , wherein the non-biodegradable polymer is selected from a group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A biodegradable hospital privacy curtain of  claim 4 , wherein the non-biodegradable polymer is selected from a group consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 the step of forming further comprises extruding the homogenous mixture;   d. bonding the web of filaments to create a cohesive non-woven fabric;   e. cutting and sewing the web into the shape of a curtain; and   f. attaching curtain hardware to the curtain.