Microporous waterproof and moisture vapor permeable fabric

• US 5,362,553 A
• Filed: 08/27/1993
• Issued: 11/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donaldson Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tetratec Corporation
• Inventors: Dillon, Mark E., Dillon, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lesmes, George F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Raimund, Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US08/113,732
• Time in Patent Office: 438 Days
• Field of Search: 428/246, 428/262, 428/286, 428/290, 428/308.4, 428/315.5, 428/913
• US Class Current: 442/76
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/022 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2027/18 PTFE, i.e. polytetrafluorethene , e.g. ePTFE, i.e. expanded polytetrafluorethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 230/08 containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 259/08 on to polymers containing fluorine
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/80 Siloxanes having aromatic substituents, e.g. phenyl side groups
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2327/18 Homopolymers or copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2427/00 Characterised by the use of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a halogen; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2483/00 Characterised by the use of macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions forming in the main chain of the macromolecule a linkage containing silicon with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/365 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 9/42 with macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/04 Macromolecular compounds according to groups C08L7/00 - C08L49/00, or C08L55/00 - C08L57/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/14 Macromolecular compounds according to C08L59/00 - C08L87/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 27/18 Homopolymers or copolymers or tetrafluoroethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 83/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249958 Void-containing component is synthetic resin or natural rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249978 Voids specified as micro
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2139 Coating or impregnation specified as porous or permeable to a specific substance [e.g., water vapor, air, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/223 : Organosilicon containing

Abstract

Microporous waterproof and moisture vapor permeable products are described which are formed from a matrix having an internal microstructure which is coated with a hydrophobic material. A process is described including the steps of (1) applying to the surface of the matrix a liquid hydrophobic material, (2) allowing the liquid to penetrate into the microstructure and then (3) drying, vulcanizing or curing the product.

Claims

1. A waterproof and moisture vapor permeable laminated fabric consisting essentially of (1) a layer of breathable fabric and (2) a layer of waterproof and moisture vapor permeable matrix selected from the group consisting of microporous biaxially fibrillated polytetrafluoroethylene and a microporous biaxially fibrillated semi-interpenetrating polymer network of polytetrafluoroethylene and silicone, the internal microstructure of which is at least partially coated with a sufficient amount of hydrophobic material so as to increase resistance to surfactant activity, the hydrophobic material selected from the group consisting of cured silicone compositions, non-cured silicone compositions and combinations thereof.

2. The laminated fabric of claim 1 wherein the waterproof and moisture vapor permeable matrix is microporous biaxially fibrillated polytetrafluoroethylene.

3. The laminated fabric of claim 1 wherein the hydrophotDic material is a cured silicone composition.

4. The laminated fabric of claim 1 wherein the hydrophobic material is an uncured silicone composition.

5. The laminated fabric of claim 1 wherein the hydrophobic material is a mixture of a cured silicone composition and an uncured silicone composition.

6. The laminated fabric of claim 1 wherein the hydrophobic material is a 50/50 mixture of a cured silicone composition and an uncured silicone composition.

7. The laminated fabric of claim 1 wherein the waterproof and moisture vapor permeable matrix is a microporous biaxially fibrillated semi-interpenetrating polymer network of polytetrafluoroethylene and silicone.