Battery-activated metal ionic antimicrobial surfaces

Abstract

A metal ionic antimicrobial surface configured for external use on a surface location in an indoor environment. A surface structure includes a pair of opposed major surfaces, one surface forming an exposed layer having a pattern of conductive strips and corresponding insulative spacings with a power pod structure secured to the surface structure. The power pod structure houses a battery and a power control circuit electrically connected to the conductive strips. In embodiments, the battery has an amp-hour capacity of 150-1500 mAh, an average width of each conductive strip of copper and silver metallic ions and each insulative spacing is between 0.1 to 0.5 millimeters, and the power control circuit includes a voltage booster circuit that maintains a constant low voltage of 2.5V-4.5V. The antimicrobial surface provides a replaceable period of at least a month of generally continuous and consistent reduction in microbial contaminants when positioned on surface locations that correlate to a zone of high impact regions for transmission pathways of microbial contaminants. In embodiments, a continuous reduction of at least 99% in microbial contaminants and at least a 2× reduction in other contaminated surfaces in a zone within the indoor environment proximate the antimicrobial surface is achieved over the replaceable period.