(12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0239679 A1 Greene Et Al
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US 2010O239679A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2010/0239679 A1 Greene et al. (43) Pub. Date: Sep. 23, 2010 (54) ENHANCEDRETENTION CAPABILITIES Publication Classification THROUGH METHODS COMPRISING SURFACE TREATMENT OF FUNCTIONAL (51) Int. Cl. PARTICULATE CARRIER MATERIALS, AND AOIN 25/2 (2006.01) FUNCTIONAL PARTICULATE CARRIER AOIN 65/00 (2009.01) MATERALS MADE THEREFROM AOIN 59/6 (2006.01) AOIN 59/20 (2006.01) (75) Inventors: Michael Greene, Goleta, CA (US); AOIN 37/44 (2006.01) Jie Lu, Lompoc, CA (US) AOIN 43/74 (2006.01) AOIP I/00 (2006.01) Correspondence Address: AOIP3/00 (2006.01) FINNEGAN, HENDERSON, FARABOW, GAR AOIP 7/04 (2006.01) RETT & DUNNER LLP (52) U.S. Cl. ......... 424/490; 424/489: 424/770; 424/618: 901 NEW YORKAVENUE, NW 424/630; 424/635; 424/641; 514/561; 514/359 WASHINGTON, DC 20001-4413 (US) (57) ABSTRACT (73) Assignee: World Minerals, Inc., Santa Barbara, CA (US) Functional particulate carrier materials with enhanced reten tion capabilities are described. The materials comprise at (21) Appl. No.: 12/681,285 least one functional particulate carrier material Subjected to at least one surface treatment, and at least one active ingredient. (22) PCT Fled: Sep. 29, 2008 The at least one surface treatment may be at least one physical Surface treatment and/or at least one chemical Surface treat (86) PCT NO.: PCT/US08/78075 ment with at least one Surface treating agent. The at least one active ingredient may be a biocide, a fungicide, a mildewcide, S371 (c)(1), an antibiotic, an insecticide, a preservative, or an antimicro (2), (4) Date: Apr. 1, 2010 bial agent. Methods for enhancing the performance of plastics and liquid-based media, for example, coatings and paints, are Related U.S. Application Data also described by increasing the retention factors of active (60) Provisional application No. 60/976,950, filed on Oct. ingredients in those plastics and media through Surface treat 2, 2007. ment of functional particulate carrier materials. US 2010/0239.679 A1 Sep. 23, 2010 ENHANCEDRETENTION CAPABILITIES increase the retention of active ingredients as a method to THROUGH METHODS COMPRISING enhance the antimicrobial capabilities of the functional par SURFACE TREATMENT OF FUNCTIONAL ticulate carriers. PARTICULATE CARRIER MATERIALS, AND FUNCTIONAL PARTICULATE CARRIER SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION MATERALS MADE THEREFROM 0005 Disclosed herein are functional particulate carrier materials with enhanced retention capabilities and methods CLAIM OF PRIORITY for enhancing the performance of plastics and liquid-based media, for example, in coatings and paints, by increasing the 0001. This PCT International Application claims the right retention factor of at least one active ingredient through at of priority to, and hereby incorporates by reference herein in least one Surface treatment of at least one functional particu its entirety, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/976, late carrier material. Methods for using the functional par ticulate carrier materials with enhanced antimicrobial capa 950 filed Oct. 2, 2007. bilities are also disclosed. FIELD OF THE INVENTION DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 0006. At least one functional particulate carrier material is 0002 This application and the inventions described herein Surface treated to chemically modify its Surface prior to expo discuss functional particulate carrier materials with enhanced Sure to at least one active ingredient with antimicrobial capa retention capabilities. bility. The at least one surface treatment may allow for higher retention of the at least one active ingredient, thereby enhanc BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ing the antimicrobial capability of the at least one functional particulate carrier material. 0003 Preventing microbial contamination is an essential concern in daily life, in everywhere from Surface areas in Functional Particulate Carrier Material bathrooms, to Surgical instruments, to wall paints. U.S. Pat. 0007. At least one functional particulate carrier material is No. 6,905,698 B1, which is incorporated by reference herein used as the material Subjected to at least one surface treat in its entirety, generally discusses certain methods by which ment, prior to exposure to an at least one active ingredient. biocides can be used. Furthermore, incorporating active Combinations of functional particulate carrier materials may ingredients, such as biocides, into plastics and liquid-based be used. The skilled artisan will readily understand appropri media by way of particulate carrier materials can prevent ate functional particulate carrier materials appropriate for use microbial contamination in a variety of applications, and the in the inventions described herein. In one embodiment, the functional particulate carrier materials can ideally incorpo functional particulate carrier material is any inorganic Sub rate the active ingredients into the finished products by addi strate whose Surface is capable of being modified through an tionally fulfilling, and without compromising, other filler at least one Surface treatment to allow chemical bonding with functions. However, the effectiveness of the antimicrobial at least one active ingredient. capabilities may decrease over time as the biocides diffuse 0008. In another embodiment, the functional particulate out of the embedded particulate carrier materials. carrier material is diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is 0004 Introducing active ingredients such as biocides into a sedimentary silica deposit comprising the fossilized skel or with carrier materials has apparently been disclosed for at etons of diatoms, which are one-celled algae-like plants that least some variety of applications, such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. accumulate in marine or fresh water environments. Honey 4,505,889,4,552.591, and 5,648,086, in U.S. Patent Applica comb silica structures generally give diatomaceous earth use tion Publication Nos. 2006/0035097 and 2006/0180552, and ful characteristics Such as absorptive capacity and Surface in the use of celite as a biocide carrier. Historically, however, area, chemical stability, and low bulk density. In one embodi functional particulate carrier materials have failed to retain ment, diatomaceous earth comprises about 90% SiO, mixed large amounts of the active ingredients (e.g., biocides), lim with other Substances. In another embodiment, diatomaceous iting the antimicrobial capabilities of the products, both in earth comprises about 90% SiO, plus various metal oxides, their initial antimicrobial capability and their continued anti such as but not limited to Al, Fe, Ca, and Mg oxides. In one microbial capability as the active ingredient may diffuse from embodiment, the diatomaceous earth is natural, i.e., unproc the carrier materials. Current practices attempt to prolong the essed. In another embodiment, the diatomaceous earth is antimicrobial capabilities of different materials by slowing calcined. In yet another embodiment, the diatomaceous earth the diffusivity of the active ingredients in various ways. U.S. is flux calcined. In a further embodiment, diatomaceous earth Patent Application No. 2006/0246.149 A1 discusses a protec is a commercially available Super-fine diatomaceous earth tive surface coating; U.S. Pat. No. 6,905,698 B1 also dis product, such as but not limited to SuperflossTM available cusses a protective Surface coating or Surface cleaning com from Celite Corporation. In yet another embodiment, the positions; U.S. Pat. No. 4,656,057 attempts to solve the diatomaceous earth is CelTiXTM, available from World Min problem through use of porous or perforated membranes. The erals Inc. impregnation of mineral particles with biocides is also 0009. In a further embodiment, the functional particulate known; for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,552.591 describes a carrier material is perlite. Perlite, as used herein, identifies composition intended to protect polymer dispersions used in any naturally occurring siliceous Volcanic rock that can be oil field water treatment. However, none of those references expanded with heat treatment. In one embodiment, perlite appear to contemplate a Surface treatment that modifies the comprises between about 70% and about 74% silica, about Surface of the functional particulate carrier materials to 14% alumina, between about 2% and 6% water, and trace US 2010/0239.679 A1 Sep. 23, 2010 impurities. In one embodiment, the perlite is ore. In another not limited to, silica gels, silica colloids, synthetic fused embodiment, the perlite is expanded. In yet another embodi silica, and doped synthetic fused silica. In yet another ment, the perlite is fine. In still another embodiment, the embodiment, the functional particulate carrier material is an perlite is Harborlite 635, a very fine grade of perlite available aluminosilicate, with the basic structural composition from Harborlite Corp., a subsidiary of World Minerals Inc. AlSiO Exemplary aluminosilicates include, but are not lim 0010. In yet another embodiment, the functional particu ited to, calcium aluminosilicate, sodium aluminosilicate, late carrier material is kaolin clay, which may also be referred potassium aluminosilicate, Zeolite, and kyanite. to as china clay or hydrous kaolin. In one embodiment, kaolin clay comprises predominantly mineral kaolinite (AlSiOs Surface Treatment (OH)4), anhydrous aluminum silicate, and amounts of vari 0016. At least one surface treatment is used to modify the ous impurities. Exemplary kaolin clays include, but are not Surface