SBIR Phase II: Anti-Microbial Vinyl Nanocomposites

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目将开发具有生物杀伤性的纳米复合材料，以保护聚氯乙烯(PVC)等塑料。现在可以在塑料制造过程中添加杀菌剂作为一种成分，使其固有地抵抗微生物的攻击。聚氯乙烯是一种广泛使用的塑料，在许多应用中需要抗菌保护，因为它经常在靠近水的地方使用(游泳池衬垫和浴帘)，或者在表面消毒或清洁的地方(医院或厨房和卫生间的地板)。目前，聚氯乙烯受到砷化合物或有机杀生剂的微生物攻击，这些化合物或有机杀生剂会缓慢地从受保护材料中迁移出来。以砷为基础的杀菌剂面临着越来越大的监管压力，替代方案将受到行业的欢迎。不幸的是，目前的非砷(有机)杀菌剂从聚氯乙烯中渗出，污染环境，使真菌能够攻击聚氯乙烯。TDA Research(TDA Research)建议增加分散在聚氯乙烯中的杀生剂的持久性。基于纳米颗粒的杀菌剂不会从热塑性塑料中迁移出来，从而延长产品寿命。该项目将首先检查几种活性有机杀生剂，这些杀生剂已被批准并被监管为热塑性塑料的杀生剂。紧随其后的是与纳米颗粒合成有关的任务；纳米复合材料的配方和测试；纳米颗粒制造的放大；以及性能和经济评估。该计划是开发用于聚氯乙烯的无砷、非迁移性杀生剂。从商业上讲，拟议的项目将改善环境，有助于消除含砷杀生剂的使用；含砷杀生剂是一种特别有害的杀生剂，因为它们在环境中持续存在。尽管已知含砷制剂存在危险，且制造商希望停止使用，但含砷制剂仍继续用于替代有机杀生剂不能提供所需长期保护的几种应用中。此外，使用我们的技术还将减少有机杀生剂向环境中的释放，使它们保持在需要它们的聚合物中。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR ) Phase II project will develop biocidal nanocomposites to protect plastics such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Biocides can now be added as a component during the plastic manufacturing process to make it inherently resistant to microbial attack. PVC is a widely used plastic that requires antimicrobial protection in many applications, as it is often used near water (swimming pool liners and shower curtains) or in areas where sterile or clean surfaces are critical (flooring for hospitals or kitchens and bathrooms). PVC is currently protected from microbial attack by arsenic compounds or organic biocides that migrate slowly out of the protected material. Arsenic-based biocides are under increasing regulatory pressure, and an alternative would be welcomed by the industry. Unfortunately, current non-arsenic (organic) biocides leach out of PVC, contaminating the environment and allowing fungi to attack the PVC. TDA Research, (TDA) proposes to increase the permanence of biocides designed to disperse in PVC. Nanoparticle-based biocides would not migrate out of the thermoplastics, prolonging product lifetimes. The project will start by examining several active organic biocides that have been approved and regulated as biocides for thermoplastics. Following this will be tasks related to nanoparticle synthesis; formulation and testing of the nanocomposite; nanoparticle manufacturing scale-up; and performance and economic evaluation. The plan is to develop nonarsenic, non-migratory biocides for PVC.Commercially, the proposed project will improve help eliminate the use of arsenic containing biocides; biocides which are particularly harmful because they persist in the environment. Despite their known dangers and the desire of manufacturers to discontinue their use, arsenic containing formulations continue to be used in several applications where the alternative organic biocides do not provide the needed long term protection. Further, the use of our technology will decrease the release of the organic biocides into the environment as well, keeping them in the polymer where they are needed.