High Performance Antimicrobial Textiles

The goal of this Phase I SBIR proposal is to develop and evaluate a new antimicrobial coating to augment infection control in medical care settings. Laboratory and clinical studies have shown that bacteria can survive for weeks on items found in hospital patient rooms. Such items and are believed to play a role in the transmission of infectious agents. Reducing the number of microorganisms surviving on clothing and furnishings may be an important route to reducing the number of opportunistic infections. Infections lead to increased treatment time, costs, and mortality. CCL Biomedical will use its novel patented biocides and application processes to advance the current state of antimicrobial textiles. During this Phase I program, we will synthesize, characterize and bond patented biocides to natural and synthetic fabrics. Laboratory evaluation will include chemical, physical and microbiological characterization of the finished fabrics. The biocidal performance of these compounds is expected to supersede currently available antimicrobial technologies, leading to Phase II and III activities that assess additional microbiological characteristics, as well as durability and scalability for large-scale manufacture. In addition to medical textiles, additional product applications including soldier uniforms with improved biodefense capabilities are anticipated.