Filter Media with Fluorinated and Non-Fluorinated Additives
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing filter media technologies face challenges due to new regulations on fluorinated water repellents and the performance limitations of non-fluorinated alternatives, necessitating improved designs that balance water and oil repellency while minimizing fluorine content.
Innovation Solution
A filter media comprising a non-woven fiber web with a combination of non-fluorinated and fluorinated water-repellent additives, where the non-fluorinated additives include alkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl groups with three or more carbon atoms, bonded to silicon or metal atoms, and the fluorinated components are in the form of polymers, oligomers, or monomers, enhancing water and oil repellency without exceeding regulatory fluorine limits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluorinated water repellents are used to achieve superior water and oil repellency, then water repellency is improved, but regulatory compliance deteriorates due to new regulations on fluorinated compounds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by using non-fluorinated water-repellent additives (such as silanes with alkyl groups) instead of traditional fluorinated compounds, while maintaining the water repellency performance through alternative chemical mechanisms that do not violate regulatory restrictions on fluorinated substances
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite water-repellent systems combining multiple non-fluorinated components (silanes, polymers with hydrophobic groups) to achieve the water and oil repellency previously only attainable with fluorinated compounds, thereby meeting both performance requirements and regulatory compliance
2Object-affected harmful factors
If non-fluorinated water repellents are used to comply with regulations, then regulatory compliance is improved, but water and oil repellency performance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple non-fluorinated water-repellent substances (silane-based compounds, polymers with hydrophobic side chains, metal-based repellents) to create a composite system that collectively achieves superior water and oil repellency, compensating for the individual limitations of each non-fluorinated component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different water-repellent substances to different aspects of the filter media surface or uses them in different functional zones, optimizing the overall water and oil repellency performance by leveraging the specific strengths of each non-fluorinated additive type
3Device complexity
If traditional filter media designs are used to maintain simplicity, then device complexity is reduced, but water and oil repellency performance deteriorates under new regulatory constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical parameters of the filter media by incorporating non-fluorinated water-repellent additives with specific molecular structures (silanes with C3+ alkyl groups, polymers with hydrophobic side chains) that provide enhanced water and oil repellency without requiring fundamental changes to the filter media's physical structure or complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed filter media achieves superior water and oil repellency, resistance to poly(urethane) wicking, and compliance with regulatory fluorine content restrictions, outperforming traditional media in terms of performance and regulatory compliance.
Implementation Method 1
The filter media comprises a non-woven fiber web and a water-repellent additive. The water-repellent additive comprises one or more water-repellent functional groups. Each water-repellent functional group is independently an alkyl group comprising greater than or equal to 3 carbon atoms, an alkenyl group comprising greater than or equal to 3 carbon atoms, and/or an alkynyl group comprising greater than or equal to 3 carbon atoms
Implementation Method 2
The second water-repellent additive comprises a fluorinated polymer, a fluorinated oligomer, and/or a fluorinated monomer
Implementation Method 3
The filter media achieves superior water and oil repellency
Data Source
AI summary
Filter media comprising fluorinated water-repellent additives and/or water-repellent additives having minimal or no fluorine atoms are generally provided. Filter media disclosed herein may include fluorinated water-repellent additives but not water-repellent additives having minimal or no fluorine atoms, water-repellent additives having minimal or no fluorine atoms but not fluorinated water-repellent additives, or both fluorinated water-repellent additives and water-repellent additives having minimal or no fluorine atoms.