Conjugated polyelectrolyte capsules: light activated antimicrobials

• Main Authors: OGAWA MOTOKATSU, WHITTEN DAVID G, SOMMER JONATHAN R, CORBITT THOMAS, SCHANZE KIRK S
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.12.2013
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES, AS HERBICIDES; CABLES; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CONDUCTORS; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; ELECTRICITY; FISHING; FORESTRY; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HUNTING; HYGIENE; INSULATORS; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS; PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTSTHEREOF; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING ORDIELECTRIC PROPERTIES; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING; TRAPPING

Hollow conjugated polyelectrolyte (HCPE) microcapsules contain at least one conjugated polyelectrolyte and at least one other polyelectrolyte of complementary charge and the microcapsule has a hollow core. The conjugated polyelectrolyte is a polymer with a multiplicity of charged repeating units where a portion of the charged repeating units form a pi-conjugated sequence. The complementary polyelectrolyte is a polymer with a complementary charged repeating unit to the charged repeating units of the conjugated polyelectrolyte. The HCPE microcapsules can be formed by successively coating a sacrificial core with alternating layers of complementary polyelectrolytes, at least one of which is a conjugated polyelectrolyte. The sacrificial core can be removed to form the hollow center of a HCPE microcapsule. The HCPE microcapsules can be contacted with a medium containing microbes where the HCPE microcapsules associate with the microbes and efficiently kill the microbes when irradiated with light or other electromagnetic radiation.