ARTICLES HAVING AN EXPOSED SURFACE COATING FORMED FROM COPPER NANOPARTICLES

摘要

Various touch surfaces can lead to the spread of many types of secondary infections. Although copper has some capacity for conveying antiseptic properties, it can be problematic to form a copper-containing surface upon an article that does not otherwise contain copper. Copper nanoparticles can be used to address this situation by forming a plurality of copper islands upon the substructure of an article. Articles having antiseptic properties can include an exposed surface coating containing a plurality of copper islands, and a substructure underlying the exposed surface coating, in which the substructure contains a material differing from copper. The copper nanoparticles can remain in their original form in the exposed surface coating, or at least a portion of the copper nanoparticles can be fused together to form the copper islands. Biocidal activity beyond limiting transfer of secondary infections can also be expressed in the articles.

主权项

1. An article comprising:
an exposed surface coating comprising a plurality of copper islands; and a substructure underlying the exposed surface coating, the substructure comprising a material differing from copper.