Flexible activated carbon substrates

• US 20040121688A1
• Filed: 12/23/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide Incorporated (Kimberly-Clark Corporation)
• Inventors: Pike, Richard Daniel, Lindsay, Jeffrey Dean, Edens, Ronald Lee, Gadsby, Elizabeth Deibler, Mangun, Christian L.
• Application Number:
  US10/328,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20040121688A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 442/328
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/8405 Additives, e.g. for odour, disinfectant or pH control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/8408 with odour control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/842 with active charcoal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/20 comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28023 Fibres or filaments fibres or filaments in the form of membranes B01J20/28038; B01J20/28007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28033 Membrane, sheet, cloth, pad, lamellar or mat
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28035 with more than one layer, e.g. laminates, separated sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28078 Pore diameter
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28085 being more than 50 nm, i.e. macropores
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/30 Processes for preparing, regenerating, or reactivating
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 25/44 Carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/74 with carbon or graphite; with carbides; with graphitic acids or their salts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/3707 Woven fabric including a nonwoven fabric layer other than paper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/601 Nonwoven fabric has an elastic quality

Abstract

A flexible substrate applied with an activated carbon coating is provided. The activated carbon coating is formed from a mixture of a polymeric material and an activation agent. The mixture is activated by heating to a temperature of from about 100° C. to about 250° C. As a result of the present invention, it has been discovered that a substrate can be formed that is flexible and also capable of performing other functions, such as serving as an odor control agent.

Claims

1. A flexible substrate that is applied with an activated carbon coating, said activated carbon coating being formed from a polymeric material and an activation agent heated to an activation temperature of from about 100°

C. to about 300°

C., wherein the flexible substrate contains a stretchable component that, upon application of a force, is stretchable to a stretched, biased length that is at least about 120% its unstretched length.

2. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said stretchable component includes an elastomeric polymer.

3. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 2, wherein the softening point of said elastomeric polymer is greater than said activation temperature.

4. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 3, wherein said elastomeric polymer is selected from the group consisting of fluoropolymers;

perfluoropolymers;

highly saturated nitrile polymers;

ethylene vinyl acetate polymers, silicone polymers;

polyacrylate elastomers; and

combinations thereof.

5. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 2, wherein said elastomeric polymer is contained within an elastic laminate.

6. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 5, wherein said elastic laminate is selected from the group consisting of neck-bonded laminates, stretch-bonded laminates, necked stretched-bonded laminates, and combinations thereof.

7. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said stretchable component contains a polymeric mesh.

8. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 7, wherein said polymeric mesh is selected from the group consisting of polyester meshes, nylon meshes, and combinations thereof.

9. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylonitrile, phenolic resins, ethylene vinyl acetate or copolymers thereof, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose or other natural or synthetic polysaccharides, cellulose derivatives or other polysaccharide derivatives, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethacrylates, polymethacrylic acids, polylactic acid, and combinations thereof.

10. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said activation agent comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of acids, metal halides, hydroxides, and combinations thereof.

11. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymeric material and said activation agent are heated to a temperature of from about 170°

C. to about 300°

C.

12. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate contains a nonwoven fabric.

13. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein the add-on level of said activated carbon coating is from about 5% to about 50% of the mass of said substrate.

14. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said activated carbon coating is applied in a preselected pattern on a first surface of said substrate.

15. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said activated carbon coating comprises less than 100% of at least one surface of said substrate.

16. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said activated carbon coating comprises from about 20% to about 60% of at least one surface of said substrate.

17. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate has an average pore size of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers.

18. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 1, wherein said substrate has an average pore size of from about 0.3 micrometers to about 5 micrometers.

19. A flexible substrate that is applied with an activated carbon coating, said activated carbon coating being formed from a polymeric material and an activation agent heated to an activation temperature of from about 170°

C. to about 300°

C., wherein the add-on level of said activated carbon coating is from about 5% to about 50% of the mass of said substrate, wherein the flexible substrate contains a stretchable component that, upon application of a force, is stretchable to a stretched, biased length that is at least about 120% its unstretched length, said substrate having an average pore size of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers.

20. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 19, wherein said stretchable component includes an elastomeric polymer.

21. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 20, wherein the softening point of said elastomeric polymer is greater than said activation temperature.

22. A flexible substrate as defined in claim 19, wherein said substrate has an average pore size of from about 0.3 micrometers to about 5 micrometers.

23. A method of forming a flexible substrate, said method comprising:

providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the flexible substrate contains a stretchable component that, upon application of a force, is stretchable to a stretched, biased length that is at least about 120% its unstretched length;

applying a polymeric material and an activation agent to said first surface of said substrate; and

heating said polymeric material and said activation agent to an activation temperature of from about 100°

C. to about 300°

C. to form an activated carbon coating.

24. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said stretchable component includes an elastomeric polymer.

25. A method as defined in claim 24, wherein the softening point of said elastomeric polymer is greater than said activation temperature.

26. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said stretchable component contains a polymeric mesh.

27. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said polymeric material is selected from the group consisting of polyacrylonitrile, phenolic resins, ethylene vinyl acetate or copolymers thereof, polyvinyl alcohol, cellulose or other natural or synthetic polysaccharides, cellulose derivatives or other polysaccharide derivatives, polystyrene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polymethacrylates, polymethacrylic acids, polylactic acid, and combinations thereof.

28. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said activation agent is selected from the group consisting of acids, metal halides, hydroxides, and combinations thereof.

29. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said polymeric material and said activation agent are heated to a temperature of from about 170°

C. to about 300°

C.

30. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein the add-on level of said activated carbon coating is from about 5% to about 50% of the mass of said substrate.

31. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said activated carbon coating comprises less than 100% of said first surface of said substrate.

32. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said substrate has an average pore size of from about 0.1 micrometers to about 10 micrometers.

33. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said substrate has an average pore size of from about 0.3 micrometers to about 5 micrometers.

34. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein said polymeric material, said activation agent, or combinations thereof, are printed onto said first surface of said substrate.

35. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein a second activated carbon coating is formed on said second surface of said substrate.