| abstract |
The disclosed technology provides thermoplastic polyurethane compositions having non-leaching antimicrobial properties while still maintaining good physical properties, methods of making the thermoplastic polyurethane compositions, and articles made from such compositions, including medical devices. The disclosed technology includes a method of making an antimicrobial polymer composition, wherein the method includes mixing an antimicrobial additive into a polymeric material; wherein the polymeric material includes a urethane derived from a polyisocyanate and a polyol a polymer backbone composed of bonds; and wherein said mixing occurs under conditions that result in cleavage of a minority of said urethane bonds, resulting in reactive isocyanate groups; and wherein two or more of said reactive isocyanate groups The group reacts with the antimicrobial additive to covalently bond the antimicrobial additive into the polymer backbone of the polymeric material; resulting in an antimicrobial polymer composition. |