Method for hydrophilizing materials using hydrophilic polymeric materials with discrete charges

• US 20050008839A1
• Filed: 01/08/2003
• Published: 01/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Thuemmler, Karl Edward, Cramer, Ronald Dean, Rohrbaugh, Robert Henry, Carter, John David
• Application Number:
  US10/338,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20050008839A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/221
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/511 Topsheet, i.e. the permeable cover or layer facing the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/51069 by hydrophilisation with plasma or corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/062 Pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/068 using ionising radiations (gamma, X, electrons)
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 3/142 Pretreatment
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/04 to obtain a surface receptive to ink or other liquid B05D5/02, B41M5/52 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2262/0253 Polyolefin fibres
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2432/00 Cleaning articles, e.g. mops or wipes
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/16 specially treated, e.g. irradiated
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/0008 Electrical discharge treatment, e.g. corona, plasma treatment; wave energy or particle radiation heat treatment B32B38/0036
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/00 Physical treatment of fibres, threads, yarns, fabrics, or fibrous goods made from such materials, e.g. ultrasonic, corona discharge, irradiation, electric currents, or magnetic fields; Physical treatment combined with treatment with chemical compounds or elements
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/001 Treatment with visible light, infrared or ultraviolet, X-rays
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/005 Laser beam treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/02 ultrasonic or sonic; Corona discharge
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 10/025 Corona discharge or low temperature plasma
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/44 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 2 or 12 of the Periodic Table; Zincates; Cadmates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/46 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 4 or 14 of the Periodic Table; Titanates; Zirconates; Stannates; Plumbates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/79 with silicon dioxide, silicic acids or their salts
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/267 of unsaturated carboxylic esters having amino or quaternary ammonium groups
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/356 : of other unsaturated compounds containing nitrogen, sulfur, silicon or phosphorus atoms
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/61 : Polyamines polyimines
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2101/20 : Polyalkenes, polymers or copolymers of compounds with alkenyl groups bonded to aromatic groups
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2101/32 : Polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/00 : Functionality of the treatment composition and/or properties imparted to the textile material
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 23/08 : Processes in which the treating agent is applied in powder or granular form adhesives for multi-layer textile fabrics D06M17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2969 : Polyamide, polyimide or polyester

Abstract

A method of rendering materials having hard and soft surfaces hydrophilic or more hydrophilic is disclosed. The method involves hydrophilizing such materials by applying a high energy treatment and charged particles and/or one or more hydrophilic polymeric materials with discrete charges to such materials.

Claims

1. A method of rendering a material hydrophilic or increasing the hydrophilicity of a material, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a material;

(b) applying a high energy surface treatment to said material to form a treated material; and

(c) applying at least one hydrophilic polymeric material to said treated material, said hydrophilic polymeric material comprising at least one of the following;

a hydrophilic polymeric material having discrete charges;

a hydrophilic polymeric material with a strong dipole moment;

or a hydrophilic polymeric material other than a polysaccharide-based material.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the material provided in step (a) is comprised of hydrophobic or borderline hydrophilic structural components.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said material comprises a fabric material.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said fabric material comprises a nonwoven material.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said nonwoven material comprises structural components, and at least some of the structural components of said nonwoven material are at least partially comprised of polyolefin.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein at least some of the structural components of said nonwoven material are at least partially comprised of polyethylene.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein at least some of the structural components of said nonwoven material are at least partially comprised of polypropylene.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein said fabric material comprises structural components, and at least some of the structural components of said fabric material are at least partially comprised of polyester or co-polyester.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said fabric material comprises structural components, and at least some of the structural components of said fabric material are comprised of a borderline hydrophilic polyester or borderline hydrophilic co-polyester.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the high energy surface treatment applied in step (b) comprises a treatment selected from the group consisting of:

corona discharge treatment;

plasma treatment;

UV radiation;

ion beam treatment;

electron beam treatment; and

laser treatment.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (b) and (c) occur sequentially.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein steps (b) and (c) occur simultaneously.

13. A method according to claim 1 wherein after step (c), the surface of the treated material becomes hydrophilic and has an advancing contact angle with water of less than about 90°

.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein said hydrophilic polymeric material applied in step (c) is applied in the form of a liquid composition, and said liquid composition dries in less than 30 minutes.

15. A material having a soft surface and at least one hydrophilic polymeric material thereon which provide said material with a hydrophilically-modified surface, said hydrophilic polymeric material comprising at least one of the following:

a hydrophilic polymeric material having discrete charges;

a hydrophilic polymeric material with a strong dipole moment; and

a hydrophilic polymeric material other than a polysaccharide-based material.

16. A pervious material according to claim 15 wherein the liquid strike-through time of said material is less than or equal to about 10 seconds after 3 gushes of test liquid according to the Liquid Strike-Through Test.

17. An absorbent nonwoven material according to claim 15.

18. The material of claim 15 having fibers comprising at least one of the following:

polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyester.

19. A disposable absorbent article comprising a disposable absorbent nonwoven material according to claim 17.

20. A wipe according to claim 15.