Flame retardant corrosive resistant conductive fabric article and method

• US 20020142684A1
• Filed: 03/30/2001
• Published: 10/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlegel Systems Incorporated (Tyman Plc)
• Original Assignee: Schlegel Systems Incorporated (Tyman Plc)
• Inventors: Miska, Stanley R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,105,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/63
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/45 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 3 or 13 of the Periodic Table; Aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/83 with metals; with metal-generating compounds, e.g. metal carbonyls; Reduction of metal compounds on textiles
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/03 with unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g. alkenes, or alkynes
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/355 having six-membered heterocyclic rings
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/30 Flame or heat resistance, fire retardancy properties
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/35 Abrasion, pilling or fibrillation resistance
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/16 Processes for the non-uniform application of treating agents, e.g. one-sided treatment; Differential treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2201/02 Synthetic macromolecular fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2201/0245 Acrylic resin fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2201/0263 Polyamide fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/041 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/065 Insulating
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/067 Flame resistant, fire resistant
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/105 Resistant to abrasion, scratch
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 2209/143 Inert, i.e. inert to chemical degradation, corrosion resistant
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 3/0063 Inorganic compounding ingredients, e.g. metals, carbon fibres, Na2CO3, metal layers; Post-treatment with inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: D06N 7/0094 Fibrous material being coated on one surface with at least one layer of an inorganic material and at least one layer of a macromolecular material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/20 Coated or impregnated woven, knit, or nonwoven fabric which is not [a] associated with another preformed layer or fiber layer or, [b] with respect to woven and knit, characterized, respectively, by a particular or differential weave or knit, wherein the coating or impregnation is neither a foamed material nor a free metal or alloy layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2033 : Coating or impregnation formed in situ [e.g., by interfacial condensation, coagulation, precipitation, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2041 : Two or more non-extruded coatings or impregnations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2631 : Coating or impregnation provides heat or fire protection
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2713 : Halogen containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/273 : Coating or impregnation provides wear or abrasion resistance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3415 : Preformed metallic film or foil or sheet [film or foil or sheet had structural integrity prior to association with the woven fabric]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3854 : Woven fabric with a preformed polymeric film or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/656 : Preformed metallic film or foil or sheet [film or foil or sheet had structural integrity prior to association with the nonwoven fabric]

Abstract

Disclosed is a conductive, flame-retardant polymeric fabric composed of a woven or non-woven nylon, polyester or acrylic fabric. A surface of the fabric is provided with a flame-retardant layer applied by coating the flame-retardant directly onto the fabric surface. Disposed on the flame-retardant layer is a conductive metal applied preferably by vapor deposition. The resulting article not only has a surface resistance of less than one ohm/sq, but also the article has an Underwriter Laboratories very thin material (VTM) vertical bum test rating of zero rendering the article suitable for use as an electromagnetic interference shielding fabric.

Claims

1. A flame retardant metalized fabric article comprising:

a) a polymer fabric substrate having a reverse side and an obverse side;

b) a conductive metal layer on one side of the substrate; and

c) a flame-retardant coating intermediate the conductive metal layer and the polymeric fabric substrate.

2. An article as in claim 1 having an Underwriter Laboratories very thin material (VTM) vertical bum test rating of zero.

3. An article as in claim 1 having a surface resistance of less than one ohm/sq.

4. An article as in claim 1 wherein said flame-retardant is applied directly to only said obverse side of said polymer fabric substrate.

5. An article as in claim 1 wherein said flame-retardant comprises a film-forming carrier and a halogenated or non-halogenated flame-retardant additive uniformly distributed in the carrier.

6. An article as in claim 5 wherein said flame-retardant comprises a layer about one mil thick.

7. An article as in claim 5 wherein said flame retardant additive is alumina trihydrate.

8. An article as in claim 1 wherein said metal layer is a vapor deposited metal layer of about 3000 Å

.

9. An article as in claim 8 wherein said metal layer comprises a first adhesive metal layer applied directly to said flame-retardant layer, a second conductive metal layer and a third abrasion resistant surface layer.

10. An article as in claim 9 wherein said adhesive metal is a 100 to 250 Å

thick layer selected from the group consisting of Nichrome®

alloy, chrome, Inconel®

alloy and titanium.

11. An article as in claim 9 wherein said conductive metal is a 2000 Å

to 3000 Å

thick layer of a conductive metal selected from the group consisting of copper, gold, silver and platinum.

12. An article as in claim 9 wherein said abrasion resistant surface layer is a 100 Å

to 250 Å

thick layer selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, iron, tin or zirconium, Inconel®

, Nichrome® and

carbon.

13. An article as in claim 1 wherein said fabric is a woven or non-woven rip-stock fabric selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester and acrylic fabrics.

14. An article as in claim 1 including a flame-retardant coating applied directly to both said reverse and obverse sides of said polymeric fabric substrate and said metal layer is on only said obverse side.

15. An article as in claim 4 wherein said flame-retardant comprises melamine or neoprene.

17. An article as in claim 16 wherein said conductive metal coating includes two layers of said conductive metal disposed on either side of a dielectric layer.

19. A method as in claim 18 comprising applying a quantity of said flame-retardant to provide a layer about one mil thick on one side of the fabric and the article having an Underwriter Laboratories very thin material (VTM) vertical burn test rating of zero and a surface resistance of less than one ohm/sq.

20. A method as in claim 19 comprising vapor depositing said conductive metal onto the surface of said flame-retardant layer.

16. A conductive metalized flame-retardant fabric article comprising:

a) a woven or non-woven polymeric fabric;

b) a flame-retardant coating applied directly to a surface of said fabric, said coating comprising a flame-retardant material uniformly disposed in a film forming polymeric liquid wherein said liquid is applied directly to one surface of said fabric and is dried, cured or polymerized in situ to form a coating about one mil thick on said fabric surface;

c) a vapor deposited conductive metal coating applied to said flame-retardant coating; and

d) said article having an Underwriter Laboratories very thin material (VTM) vertical burn test rating of zero and a surface resistance of less than one ohm/sq.

18. A method of forming a flame-retardant conductive polymeric fabric article comprising:

a) providing a fabric comprising a woven or non-woven polymeric material;

b) applying a flame-retardant coating directly onto a surface of said fabric; and

c) applying a conductive metal onto the surface of the flame-retardant coating.