TITLE: BIOSTATIC COATING COMPOSITION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to hydrated lime coatings More particularly, the

invention relates to hydrated lime coatings that resist degradation by carbon dioxide while retaining sufficient moisture (1) to pull biological contaminants into the lime, and (2) to maintain the alkalinity necessary to kill the microorganisms or otherwise render biological

contaminants innocuous

Background of the Invention

Hydrated lime coatings are well known as disinfectants, biocidal, and biostatic agents In order to retain their biocidal activity after application to a desired surface, a

hydrated lime coating must retain (1) the ability to pull in and substantially encapsulate a

microorganism, and (2) the alkalinity necessary to kill microorganisms In order to kill microorganisms, the lime must have a pH between about 1 1-13

Unfortunately, hydrated lime is highly susceptible to environmental attack, primarily by carbon dioxide Carbon dioxide converts the hydrated lime to calcium

carbonate, which does not have the alkalinity required to kill microorganisms As a result, conventional coatings containing hydrated lime are not effective as long term disinfectants, biocides, or biostatic agents

A means is needed to prolong the biocidal activity of a hydrated lime coating

Summary of the Invention

The present invention prolongs the biocidal activity of a hydrated lime coating using a binder having the film properties of a carbon dioxide barrier but not having the film

properties of a water vapor barrier The binder can be used either as a component of the

hydrated lime coating, itself, or in a separate protective film for a hydrated lime coating.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention provides a surprisingly stable hydrated lime coating that

resists carbonation and maintains the high alkalinity of the hydrated lime for a prolonged period of time The coating may be used on substantially any surface to which it adheres sufficiently Suitable surfaces include, but are not limited to paper, plastic, cement, wood,

metal, etc The coating preferably comprises the following materials in an appropriate solvent hydrated lime, a binder; a humectant, and, a filler Preferably, the coating further comprises pigment, a surfactant, and an antifoaming agent In some embodiments, it may

be desirable to add a plasticizer The binders of the present invention exhibit unexpected

carbon dioxide barrier properties, UV resistance, and extended biocidal activity The

coatings of the present invention are easy to prepare and contain low cost materials, making the coating easily affordable by medical, agricultural, industrial, and domestic

users alike The solvent or vehicle for the coating materials and binder may be aqueous or

organic The choice of solvent will depend upon the conditions that the coated item will encounter. For example, if the coating will be exposed to outdoor conditions, or if the

coating will be exposed to repeated washings, then an organic solvent based binder may

be preferred The amount of solvent or vehicle used to make the coating is dependent

upon the method of application desired. Preferably, the solvent or vehicle should be used in an amount sufficient to make the coating a spreadable fluid Most preferably, the solvent should comprise about 50 wt% of the coating

The binder is essential to the operation of the present invention The binder should have the film properties of a carbon dioxide barrier, but should not act as a water vapor barrier Carbon dioxide essentially should be blocked from reacting with the hydrated lime to form calcium carbonate Water vapor should be able to permeate into the film to

maintain a moisture content sufficient to (1) pull in and substantially encapsulate microorganisms and other biological contaminants, and (2) maintain hydroxyl ions in the lime in an ionized, highly alkaline state so that the lime will kill or otherwise render

biological contaminants innocuous

Certain binders are chemically incompatible with hydrated lime, and should not be used in the present invention These incompatible binders include most latex binders, especially pH sensitive polymers, which result in coagulation and phase separation almost immediately upon blending with lime Other incompatible binders are water soluble film

forming binders such as certain polyalcohols, polyesters, proteins, and starch derived carbohydrates Many of these binders are unstable in aqueous lime systems, and typically result in mixtures having viscosities that change steadily with time and that frequently even solidify. Suitable binders should offer chemical compatibility with hydrated lime, desired

adhesive and coating properties, and the required barrier properties

The ratio of binder to lime in the coating is an important feature of the coating

If the lime ratio is increased, the coating will have higher biocidal activity, but will be more

friable If the binder ratio is increased, the coating will be less friable, but the biocidal activity of the coating will decrease The binder to lime ratio should be between about 1 5

to about 1.20 A preferred binder to lime ratio is about 1 10. Preferably, the coatings of the present invention should be applied to a thickness of between about 2-5 mil, however, the coating may have substantially any desired thickness

The preferred components for the coating will vary depending upon the type of

solvent system used Therefore, water base coatings and organic base coatings are described in separate sections Water-Base Coatings

Water soluble binders that are suitable for use in the present invention include, but

are not limited to water soluble polyalkylene oxides and hydroxylated or carboxylated cellulose-derived polymers, including, but not limited to salts of cellulosic acids and carboxyalkyl-derivatives of cellulose, such as carboxyethylcellulose, carboxy-

methylcellulose, and carboxyhydroxycellulose A preferred cellulose-derived polymer is

hydroxy propylmethyl cellulose, most preferably Grade E5, available from Dow Chemical

Co A preferred polyalkylene oxide is Polyox® Grade N-80, which is available from Union Carbide Water soluble polyethylene glycols, such as the CARBOWAX™ variety, available from Dow Chemical Co and Union Carbide, also should operate as water

soluble binders in the present invention; however, polyethylene glycols are not preferred

binders

The coating preferably should contain a humectant in order to draw water and water vapor into the coating and to stabilize the water content of the coating at a level

sufficient to pull biological contaminants into the lime and to maintain the hydrated lime

at an alkalinity effective to kill microorganisms The humectant should comprise between

about 2-20 wt% of a water base coating, preferably comprising between about 5-10 wt% of the coating Suitable humectants for a water base coating include, but are not

necessarily limited to, water soluble glycols, such as glycerol, polyethylene glycol and

tripropylene glycol A preferred humectant for water base coatings is glycerol

Preferably, the coating should contain a plasticizer to facilitate processing and to increase the flexibility and toughness of the final product Plasticizers are believed to

"solvate" the polymer molecules in the coating Suitable plasticizers for water base

coatings include, but are not necessarily limited to, glycerol and polyols, such as polyethylene glycol and its derivatives A preferred water-soluble plasticizer is glycerol

Organic Base Coatings

Suitable binders that are soluble in organic solvents include, but are not limited to,

cellulose-derived polymers, including but not limited to alkyl celluloses, cellulose ethers, esters of cellulose, such as cellulose acetate and cellulose butyrate A preferred binder for use in organic solvents is ethylcellulose Certain organically soluble polyethylene glycols also could be used as binders in organic base coatings, however, polyethylene glycols are

not preferred

The organic solvent system should have a controllable drying rate to avoid slirinkage or cracks Preferably, the organic solvent system should comprise a mixture of between about 5-40 wt% toluene, between about 5-40 wt% butyl acetate, and between

about 0-50 wt% acetone, a preferred mix being between about 20-50 wt% toluene, between about 10-30 wt% butyl acetate, and between 40-50 wt% acetone A most

preferred organic base coating comprises about 20 wt% toluene, 30 wt% butyl acetate, 50 wt% acetone

An organic base coating should comprise between about 2-20 wt% humectant, preferably between about 5- 15 wt% humectant Suitable humectants include organically soluble polyalkylene glycols A preferred humectant for an organic base coating is propylene glycol

Suitable plasticizers for organic base coatings include, but are not necessarily limited to, non-volatile organic liquids and low-melting solids, such as phthalate, adipate, and sebacate esters, tricresyl phosphate, caster oil, etc A preferred plasticizer for this organic base coating is propylene glycol

Components Useful in Anv Solvent Systems

Some of the components of the coating may be used in either a water base or an

organic base coating For example, a filler preferably should be added to extend the

coating and to provide inherent structure to the coating to reduce shrinkage and peeling,

and to leave a continuous coating after the moisture evaporates The filler should comprise between about 20-80 wt%, preferably between about 40-60 wt%, most preferably about 50 wt% of the coating The filler mass (including the binder content)

preferably should be between about 40-50% by weight of total solids, resulting in a dried

film having a pigment and filler loading of between about 80-90 wt% Suitable fillers for use with either solvent system include, but are not necessarily

limited to, calcium carbonate, barium sulfates, silicates, glass spheres, hollow microspheres, silica flour, clays, talc, volcanic ash, fly ash, slag, titania, etc A preferred filler is calcium carbonate

Pigment or opacifier may be added, if desired, to opacify or add color to the

coating Suitable pigments/opacifiers for use with any of these solvent systems include, but are not necessarily limited to, calcium carbonate, titanium oxide, carbon black, chromium oxide, and iron oxide. Preferred opacifiers are calcium carbonate, which also

acts as a filler, and titanium oxide, which also acts as a whitening agent The pigment/opacifier preferably should comprise about 5-10 parts by weight of the coating Ionic and/or non-ionic surfactants of either the wetting agent, detergent, or emulsifier type also may be used to reduce the surface tension and to increase the

efficiency of the coating in wetting its ingredients during blending. Suitable surfactants and detergents for use with any of these solvent systems include, but are not necessarily

limited to, sodium alkyl and aryl sulfonates (anionic), alkyl phenol ethers of polyethylene

glycol (non-ionic), and various cationic agents Preferred surfactants are Dupanol ME,

available from Dupont, Tergitol TMN and Tergitol 15S70, both of which are available from Union Carbide, or Triton X-100, available from Rohm & Haas. An antifoaming or defoaming agent also may be added, if desired, for ease in processing Suitable antifoaming agents for use with any of these solvent systems include,

but are not necessarily limited to, sulfonated oils, organic phosphates, silicone fluids, dimethylpolysiloxanes, etc Preferred antifoaming agents are Dow Corning Antifoam

Agent DB-31, SG-10, 1510US, 544 compound, DB110A and similar antifoaming agents, all of which are commercially available from Dow Corning A most preferred antifoaming agent is SG- 10, available from Dow Corning

A preferred embodiment of the biostatic coating of the present invention is a water base coating having the following composition

PolyOx® Grade N-80 10-20 parts by weight, preferably 15 parts by weight

Water 100 parts by weight

Calcium Hydroxide 50 parts by weight Calcium Carbonate 50 parts by weight Titanium Oxide QED (5-10 parts by weight), preferably 10 parts by weight

Glycerol 5-10 parts by weight, preferably 10 parts by weight

Surfactant 0 5-2 0 parts by weight, preferably 0 5 parts by weight

Antifoam Agent 0 1-0 5 parts by weight, preferably 0 5 parts by weight

Another preferred embodiment comprises the ingredients set forth above, with PolyOx®

Grade N-80 substituted by hydroxy propylmethyl cellulose, Grade E5 (Dow Chemical)

Whether water base or organic base, the biostatic coating preferably should be

applied to a thickness of between about 2-5 mils to assure long term biocidal activity of the lime However, a thinner or thicker coating may be used.

Separate Protective Coatings Incorporating a Non-Water Soluble Binder

Some concern exists that water base coatings or paints might be less durable than

organic base coatings over the long term because of repeated washings, wipings, etc One way to prolong the life of substantially any hydrated lime coating, including a water base

coating, is to provide the coating with a protective film comprising one of the non-water

soluble, or organically soluble binders listed above

A non-water soluble binder in a separate, protective film should provide substantially the same protection for the underlying lime coating as the protection afforded

when the binder is incorporated directly into the lime coating The binder in the protective film should prevent carbon dioxide from reacting with the lime in the underlying coating,

and should allow moisture to permeate into the coating

In a preferred embodiment, the protective film comprises between about 5-15 wt%

of a non-water soluble cellulose-derived polymer dissolved in between about 85-95 wt%

of an appropriate organic solvent, preferably a volatile organic solvent In a most preferred embodiment, the protective film comprises between about 5-15 wt%, preferably about 10 wt% ethylcellulose dissolved in between about 85-90 wt%, preferably about 90

wt% of acetone The protective film preferably should be sprayed or otherwise deposited in a fine mist over the water-base coating to assure adequate coverage and protection of the coating

As seen from the following experiments, the coatings of the present invention have

shown zero bacterial growth in 72 hours when exposed to cultures of E. coli, p- aeruginosa, and aspergillus

The invention will be better understood with reference to the following examples

Example 1

All compositions herein evolved from a series of empirical screening tests seeking optimum film integrity and activity values Water base coatings containing different test binders were prepared using the following ranges of components

Binder 5, 10, and 15 parts by weight

Water 100 parts by weight

Calcium Hydroxide 10-50 parts by weight Calcium Carbonate 50-150 parts by weight

Titanium Oxide 0- 15 parts by weight

Modifiers 5- 15 parts by weight

"Modifiers" refers to surfactants, anti-foam agents, plasticizers, and humectants, combined The binders tested were

PolyOx™ (polyethylene oxide, Union Carbide),

Hydroxy ethyl cellulose (HEC), obtained from Hercules, Inc , Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), obtained from Hercules, Inc., Ethyl hydroxy ethyl cellulose (EHEC), obtained from Hercules, Inc , Carboxy methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (CMHEC), obtained from Hercules, Inc ,

Carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC), obtained from Dow Chemical

The coatings were spread onto vaπous substrates, including concrete, Plaster of Paris, aluminum, stainless steel, plastics, etc , to a thickness of between about 2-5 mil, typically about 3 mil The coated substrates were maintained for ten weeks in a Q-Panel

Co Ultraviolet Weatherometer exposed to UV light having a wavelength of 350 nm

U V B at 50 percent relative humidity Each day of such exposure was equivalent to approximately 15 days of exposure to sunlight The pH of the coatings was measured before and after the test A sample of the coating was suspended in water and the pH was

tested using a pH meter Before and after the exposure, the pH was about 12 3 These results indicate that the coating should have good stability when exposed to sunlight The

coatings also were visually inspected for cracks and manually inspected for lift, peel off, and/or delamination when the substrate was flexed The coatings exhibited good

adhesion

The water base coatings did exhibit a tendency to rub off when a wet cloth was

abrasively applied to the coatings The coatings made with PolyOx™ at 17 pt/wt and hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) at 10-15 pt/wt were least likely to rub out upon application of a wet cloth

Example 2

Coatings containing the components listed in Example 1 were made using the following binders

PolyOx™ (polyethylene oxide, Union Carbide),

Hydroxy ethyl cellulose (HEC), obtained from Hercules, Inc , Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), obtained from Hercules, Inc

A 2-5 mil thick coating of each sample was applied to spun bonded resin Discs were cut

from the coated, spun-bonded resin and laid on tryptic soy auger Suspensions of log- phase bacteria, namely E. coli or p-aeruginυsa, and fungi, namely aspergillus, were centrifuged from their growth media and then resuspended in sterile water The discs were flooded with suspended bacteria and fungi, and the flooded discs were incubated for

72 hours at 37°C (98 6°C) (others at room temperature), and visually inspected before and after staining with Gram's Saffranin No biological growth of bacteria was observed

The absence of biological growth in these tests is noteworthy Most tests of the biocidal activity of lime are performed by immersing test specimens containing cultures

of microorganisms (i e , fruit laden with bacteria) into a supernatant fluid of a saturated

lime solution In contrast, these tests relied on the relatively dry, solid surface of the coating or "paint" to prevent bacterial and fungal activity

Example 3 Organic base coatings containing ethylcellulose as a binder were prepared using

the following components

Ethylcellulose 5-15 parts by weight (ETHOCEL™, obtained from Dow Chemical) Toluene 20 parts by weight

Butyl Acetate 30 parts by weight

Acetone 50 parts by weight

Calcium Hydroxide 50 parts by weight

Calcium Carbonate 50 parts by weight Propylene Glycol 5-15 parts by weight

The coatings were spread to a thickness of between about 2-5 mil onto various substrates, including concrete, Plaster of Paris, aluminum, stainless steel, plastics, etc The

coated substrates were maintained for ten weeks in a Q-Panel Co Ultraviolet Weatherometer exposed to UV light havmg a wavelength of 350 nm U V B at 50 percent relative humidity Before and after the exposure, the pH of the coatings was about 12 3

(measured as described in Example 2) These results indicate that the coating should have

good stability when exposed to sunlight The coating also was visually inspected for cracks and manually inspected for lift, peel off, and/or delamination when the substrate

was flexed The coating exhibited good adhesion

Example 4

Spun bonded resin was coated with a 2-5 mil-thick coating containing the components listed in Example 3 Discs were cut from the coated, spun-bonded resin and

laid on tryptic soy auger Suspensions of log-phase bacteria, namely E. coli or p- aeruginosa, and fungi, namely aspergillus, were centrifuged from their growth media and then resuspended in sterile water The discs were flooded with suspended bacteria and

fungi, and the flooded discs were incubated for 72 hours at 37°C (98 6°C) (others at

room temperature), and visually inspected before and after staining with Gram's Saffranin

No biological growth of bacteria was observed

Example 5

A protective film was prepared by mixing 10 wt% ethylcellulose in acetone The

film was sprayed in a fine mist onto substrates bearing 3 mil coatings having the formulation described in Example 1 with the following binders

PolyOx™ (polyethylene oxide, Union Carbide), and,

Hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), obtained from Hercules, Inc , The ethylcellulose/acetone mixture was applied to a thickness of about 0 5 mil After the ethylceliulose/acetone mixture dried, the surface was rubbed with a wet, red rag The rag did not lift any lime from the surface, as evidenced by the absence of white contaminant

on the rag

Persons of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that many modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present

invention The embodiment described herein is meant to be illustrative only and should

not be taken as limiting the invention, which is defined in the following claims