Elastomers /Rubber can be made antimicrobial with suitable biocide additives.  (RDC 7/8/2011)

“Antimicrobial agents have been incorporated into many different substrates for preventing and controlling the growth of microbes. However, with the continual introduction of new consumer products, there exists a constant demand in the marketplace for protection against bacterial and fungal growth presented by some of these new products. For instance, the dispensing mechanism in refrigerators that dispense water and ice present an ideal environment in the dispensing mechanism for the growth of microbes due to the moist environment. Because of its shape and location, it is often difficult for consumers to access the interior portion of the dispensing mechanism so that a thorough cleaning can be conducted. As another example, front loading laundry machines provide an ideal environment for microbial growth in any of the water-contact locations in the machine. One such location includes the circular door sealing gasket used to make a seal between the wash compartment and the glass door. This door sealing gasket is also known as a "bellow." ”

 “Furthermore, it is believed that the addition of only organic antimicrobial agents to the rubber will not result in a molded article that provides long-term antimicrobial efficacy. Often times the organic antimicrobial agents are not able to withstand the high processing temperatures experienced by the rubber article during the vulcanization and molding process. High processing temperatures may cause the organic agent to volatize out of the rubber or decompose. Additionally, the organic agent may leach out during the life of the article, thus providing only limited antimicrobial protection. It is also thought that the incorporation of only inorganic silver-containing antimicrobial agents, for example, will not provide the desired efficacy against fungi without the addition of antifungal agents, the majority of which are organic-based. And, as mentioned previously, traditional molded articles of this type have been sulfur cured primarily because sulfur cured articles are more cost efficient and easier to process than other types of curing systems. However, sulfur-cured molded articles do not provide the requisite features of durable antimicrobial efficacy which results in a molded article having little to no problem associated with undesirable odor generation.”

[Haas et al, US Patent 7,858,674 (12/28/2011)]

Biocides
Elastomers /Rubber
Materials
Medicine

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