Halogen-Free Textile Nanocoating via Plasma Polymerization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing durable water repellent (DWR) coatings for textiles often contain halogen-based chemicals like fluorine, which pose health and environmental hazards, and have a significant environmental footprint due to water consumption and energy usage in traditional coating processes.
Innovation Solution
A low-pressure plasma polymerization process using halogen-free organosilane monomers to deposit a DWR nanocoating onto textiles, which maintains breathability and washability without producing toxic by-products, and can be applied to both 2D and 3D textile products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If halogen-based chemicals (fluorine) are used in DWR coatings, then water and oil repellency performance is improved, but health and environmental hazards increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes halogen-based chemicals (fluorine) from the DWR coating formulation entirely, extracting the harmful substance while retaining the essential water and oil repellency function through alternative chemistries such as silane-based or hydrocarbon-based polymers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the coating by substituting fluorinated compounds with halogen-free alternatives, modifying the molecular structure to achieve similar surface energy properties without the harmful halogen elements
2Reliability
If traditional coating processes are used, then DWR coating is applied, but environmental footprint increases due to water consumption and energy usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional wet coating processes (which involve liquid application, drying, and curing stages consuming significant energy and water) with plasma-based or vapor-phase deposition methods that apply coatings in a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly manner
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transition phenomena in plasma-based coating processes, where monomers transition from gas phase to polymerized film phase directly on the textile surface, eliminating the need for water-based application and high-temperature curing
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 process provides a halogen-free, environmentally friendly DWR coating that maintains water repellency and breathability through repeated washing and dry cleaning, with no negative impact on the textile's handfeel or color, and reduces environmental footprint by minimizing chemical use and energy consumption.
Implementation Method 1
a low pressure plasma polymerization process, wherein a monomer is introduced into a vacuum chamber at low pressure and a plasma is ignited, thereby bringing the monomers in a plasma phase and allowing the excited monomers to polymerize directly onto the surfaces
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention concerns a method for depositing a halogen-free water repellent nanocoating on textile products by means of a low-pressure plasma polymerization coating process with an organosilane monomer, wherein the halogen-free water repellent nanocoating is resistant against washing, laundering and dry cleaning.