Chemical protective fabric

• US 5,614,301 A
• Filed: 04/15/1995
• Issued: 03/25/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army
• Inventors: Katz, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOI, KATHLEEN L
• Application Number:
  US08/422,964
• Time in Patent Office: 710 Days
• Field of Search: 428/244, 428/248, 428/249, 428/261, 428/262, 428/264, 428/265, 428/267, 428/283, 428/290, 428/314.2, 428/314.8, 428/317.1
• US Class Current: 442/315
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 5/00 Composition of materials for coverings or clothing affording protection against harmful chemical agents
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2260/00 Layered product comprising an impregnated, embedded, or bonded layer wherein the layer comprises an impregnation, embedding, or binder material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/724 Permeability to gases, adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2437/00 Clothing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/022 Non-woven fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/026 Knitted fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/18 characterised by features of a layer of foamed material
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 5/245 another layer next to it being a foam layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249975 Void shape specified [e.g., crushed, flat, round, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249977 Specified thickness of void-containing component [absolute or relative], numerical cell dimension or density
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249982 With component specified as adhesive or bonding agent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/469 Including a foamed layer or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/647 Including a foamed layer or component

Abstract

A chemical protective fabric for use in garments worn by persons in a cheally hostile environment comprises a layer of felted foam impregnated with superactivated carbon, a polyurethane emulsion binder for bonding the superactivated carbon to the foam, a first stretchable material layer bonded to the layer of foam on a first of the major surfaces thereof, and a second stretchable material layer bonded to the layer of foam on a second of the major surfaces thereof.

Claims

1. A chemical protective fabric for use in garments worn by persons in a chemically hostile environment, said fabric comprising:

a layer of felted foam material impregnated throughout with superactivated carbon, said material having opposite major surfaces, and said superactivated carbon being a highly activated carbon having a BET surface area of 2200-3200 square meters per gram;

a polyurethane emulsion binder for bonding said superactivated carbon to said foam, said superactivated carbon and said binder being components in a slurry with which slurry said felted foam is impregnated, whereby said foam is impregnated with and is bonded to said superactivated carbon;

a first stretchable material layer bonded to said layer of felted foam material on a first of said major surfaces thereof; and

a second stretchable material layer bonded to said layer of felted foam on a second of said major surfaces thereof.

2. The fabric in accordance with claim 1, wherein said felted foam comprises reticulated polyester polyurethane foam which, in combination with said stretchable material layers, provides for air permeability of said fabric.

3. The fabric in accordance with claim 2, wherein said foam comprises about 90-110 cells per square inch and is compressed in thickness by a factor of about 4-6.

4. The fabric in accordance with claim 1 wherein said layer of felted foam, including said carbon and said binder, is about 0.020-0.035 inch thick.

5. The fabric in accordance with claim 3, wherein said layer of compressed felted foam, including said carbon and said binder, is about 0.020-0.035 inch thick.

6. The fabric in accordance with claim 4, wherein said layer of felted foam, including said carbon and said binder, weighs about 5.4-5.5 oz/yd².

7. The fabric in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first and second stretchable material layers are of the same material.

8. The fabric in accordance with claim 7, wherein said stretchable material is a material selected from a group consisting of knit and non-woven materials.

9. The fabric in accordance with claim 8, wherein said stretchable material is selected from a group consisting of nylon, aramid and cotton.

10. The fabric in accordance with claim 1, wherein said first and second stretchable material layers are of a material selected from a group consisting of aramid, cotton and nylon.

11. The fabric in accordance with claim 9, wherein said first and second stretchable material layers are about 0.010-0.024 inch thick.

12. The fabric in accordance with claim 11, wherein said stretchable material is of a weight of about 1.0-2.3 oz/yd².

13. The fabric in accordance with claim 6 wherein said first and second stretchable materials each weigh about 1.0-2.3 oz/yd² and said fabric weighs about 8.0-11.1 oz/yd².

14. The fabric in accordance with claim 5, wherein said layer of felted foam weighs about 5.4-5.5 oz/yd².

15. The fabric in accordance with claim 10, wherein said fabric is of a thickness of 0.050-0.090 inch and a weight of 8.0-11.1 oz/yd².

16. The fabric in accordance with claim 14, wherein each of said first and second stretchable material layers is of a material which weighs about 1.0-2.3 oz/yd² and said fabric weighs about 8.0-11.1 oz/yd².