Method of hydrophilizing materials

• US 6,863,933 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2002
• Issued: 03/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Original Assignee: The Procter & Gamble Company
• Inventors: Schmidt, Mattias, Cramer, Ronald Dean, Ponomarenko, Ekaterina Anatolyevna, Rohrbaugh, Robert Henry, Carter, John David, Thuemmler, Karl Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): PADGETT, MARIANNE L
• Application Number:
  US10/060,694
• Publication Number:
  US 20020192366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 427/533, 427/534, 427/535, 427/536, 427/538, 427/539, 427/540, 427/551, 427/552, 427/553, 427/554, 427/557, 427/180
• US Class Current: 427/533
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 3/006 Patterns of chemical products used for a specific purpose, e.g. pesticides, perfumes, adhesive patterns; use of microencapsulated material; Printing on smoking articles
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0047 by ink-jet printing
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0058 on metals and oxidised metal surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0064 on plastics, horn, rubber, or other organic polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/007 on glass, ceramic, tiles, concrete, stones, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: B41M 5/0076 on wooden surfaces, leather, linoleum, skin, or flowers
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 1/00 Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, based on inorganic substances
• CPC Class Codes: C09D 5/00 Coating compositions, e.g. paints, varnishes or lacquers, characterised by their physical nature or the effects produced electrically insulating plastics, resins or waxes H01B3/30; Filling pastes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 17/0043 For use with aerosol devices
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/12 Soft surfaces, e.g. textile
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 2111/46 applying energy, e.g. irradiation
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/001 Softening compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/1213 Oxides or hydroxides, e.g. Al2O3, TiO2, CaO or Ca(OH)2
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/1253 Layer silicates, e.g. talcum, kaolin, clay, bentonite, smectite, montmorillonite, hectorite or attapulgite
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/128 Aluminium silicates, e.g. zeolites C11D3/1253 takes precedence
• 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 10/06 Inorganic compounds or elements
• 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 11/45 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 3 or 13 of the Periodic Table; Aluminates
• 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 11/77 : with silicon or compounds thereof with silanes or disilanes D06M11/01
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/78 : with silicon; with halides or oxyhalides of silicon; with fluorosilicates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/79 : with silicon dioxide, silicic acids or their salts
• 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: D06P 5/02 : After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: D06P 5/20 : Physical treatments affecting dyeing, e.g. ultrasonic or electric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24802 : Discontinuous or differential coating, impregnation or bond [e.g., artwork, printing, retouched photograph, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 : Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24876 : Intermediate layer contains particulate material [e.g., pigment, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24884 : Translucent layer comprises natural oil, wax, resin, gum, glue, gelatin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24893 : including particulate material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24901 : including coloring matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/256 : Heavy metal or aluminum or compound thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/257 : Iron oxide or aluminum oxide
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/258 : Alkali metal or alkaline earth metal or compound thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/259 : Silicic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/263 : Coating layer not in excess of 5 mils thick or equivalent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2982 : Particulate matter [e.g., sphere, flake, 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 442/273 : Coating or impregnation provides wear or abrasion resistance

Abstract

Coating compositions, methods and articles of manufacture comprising a nanoparticle system employing same to impart surface modifying benefits for all types of soft surfaces, and in some cases, hard surfaces, are disclosed. In some embodiments, dispersement of nanoparticles in a suitable carrier medium allows for the creation of coating compositions, methods and articles of manufacture that create multi-use benefits to the modified surfaces. These surface modifications can produce long lasting or semi-permanent multi-use benefits that, in some embodiments, may include at least one of the following improved surface properties: cleaning, wettability, liquid strike-through, comfort, stain resistance, soil removal, malodor control, modification of surface friction, reduced damage to abrasion and color enhancement, relative to the surfaces unmodified with such nanoparticle systems.

Claims

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

(a) providing a material comprised of hydrophobic or borderline hydrophilic components;

(b) increasing the surface energy of said material via an irradiation technique; and

(c) applying a plurality of nanoparticles to said material having an increased surface energy,

wherein the material having said nanoparticles applied is capable of absorbing bodily exudates and is hydrophilic.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said material comprises a textile such as a nonwoven material comprised of hydrophobic or borderline hydrophilic structural components.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein at least some of the structural components of said material are at least partially comprised of a polyolefin.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein at least some of the structural components of said material are at least partially comprised of polyethylene.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein at least some of the structural components of said material are at least partially comprised of polypropylene.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the surface energy of said material is performed by a treatment selected from the group consisting of corona discharge treatment;

plasma treatment;

UV radiation;

ion beam treatment;

electron beam treatment;

laser treatment; and

combinations thereof.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of non-photoactive nanoparticles, photoactive nanoparticles, passified photoactive nanoparticles, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein after step (c), the surface of the treated material becomes hydrophilic having an advancing contact angle with water of less than 90°

after 30 seconds of spreading.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said material having said nanoparticles applied is used in an article that is selected from the group consisting of diapers, incontinence products, and catamenial products.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said components are selected from the group consisting of topsheets, acquisition layers, distribution layers, wicking layers, storage layers, absorbent cores, absorbent core wraps, containment structures, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the material with nanoparticles applied thereto is a nonwoven textile which exhibits a liquid strike-through time less than or equal to about 10 seconds after three 5 mL gushes of a test liquid according to a Strike Through Test.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the material with nanoparticles applied thereto is a nonwoven textile which exhibits a liquid strike-through time less than or equal to about 6 seconds after three 5 mL gushes of a test liquid according to a Strike Through Test.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the material with nanoparticles applied thereto is a nonwoven textile which exhibits a liquid strike-through time less than or equal to about 3 seconds after three 5 mL gushes of a test liquid according to a Strike Through Test.