Abstract:
An antimicrobial composite structure including: a polymeric material, the material having a first exterior surface expanded to fibrils and nodes, a second exterior surface and an interior portion between the exterior surfaces; and nanoparticles present in the interior portion adjacent the first exterior surface but not in the interior portion adjacent the second exterior surface. The nanoparticles can be silver nanoparticles and the polymeric material may be an expanded fluoropolymer material such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene.
Abstract:
A process for depositing nanoparticles on a surface. The process includes the steps of: providing a sol including a volatile non-aqueous liquid and nanoparticles suspended in the non-aqueous liquid; processing the sol to form a plurality of droplets; depositing the plurality of droplets on a surface; and evaporating the non-aqueous liquid from the surface leaving a residue of nanoparticles. The liquid can be selected from heptane, chloroform toluene, and hexane and mixtures thereof and the nanoparticles are desirably silver nanoparticles. The plurality of droplets may be formed by a spray process. The surface may be selected from a particular area, region, portion, or dimension of a medical device, device material, packaging material or combinations thereof. The residue of nanoparticles desirably provides antimicrobial properties.