Non-Fluorinated Urethane Coatings for Durable Textile Water Repellency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current non-fluorinated water repellents for textiles are less effective compared to fluorinated counterparts and lack bio-based alternatives for durable water repellency and stain release.
Innovation Solution
Development of an aqueous non-fluorinated organic urethane composition derived from isocyanates and sugar alcohols, specifically designed to provide enhanced water repellency and stain release, with a hydrophobic compound structure that includes a linkage of Formula I, which is derived from cyclic or acyclic sugar alcohols substituted with specific alkyl groups, providing a bio-based and durable solution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluorinated copolymers are used for water repellency treatment, then water repellency performance is improved, but environmental harm and health concerns increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes fluorinated compounds from the water repellent composition entirely, replacing them with non-fluorinated alternatives. This eliminates the harmful environmental factors associated with fluorinated copolymers while maintaining the core water repellency function through bio-based urethane compounds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by transitioning from fluorinated to non-fluorinated compounds. Specifically, it uses urethane compounds with hydrophobic groups and specific molecular weight ranges (1,000-1,000,000 g/mol) to achieve comparable water repellency performance without the environmental harm of fluorinated alternatives.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If non-fluorinated copolymers are used as water repellents, then environmental harm is reduced, but water repellency effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite water repellent system using multiple non-fluorinated components working together: urethane compounds with hydrophobic groups, specific molecular weight ranges, and optional fluorine-free surfactants. This composite approach achieves water repellency effectiveness comparable to fluorinated treatments while maintaining environmental benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes key parameters of non-fluorinated urethane compounds including molecular weight (1,000-1,000,000 g/mol), hydrophobic group content, and functional group composition to maximize water repellency effectiveness. These parameter adjustments enable non-fluorinated compounds to achieve performance levels previously only attainable with fluorinated alternatives.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional polyacrylate-based or urethane-based copolymers are used, then fluorine-free formulation is achieved, but performance compared to fluorinated treatments is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent significantly improves performance by optimizing urethane compound parameters: molecular weight (1,000-1,000,000 g/mol), hydrophobic group content, and functional group composition. These parameter changes enable fluorine-free urethane compounds to achieve water repellency and stain release performance comparable to fluorinated treatments, overcoming the historical performance deficit of non-fluorinated alternatives.
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 composition achieves durable water repellency and stain release comparable to fluorinated treatments, using bio-based materials, thereby addressing the limitations of existing non-fluorinated agents and offering a sustainable solution for textiles.
Implementation Method 1
aqueous non-fluorinated organic urethane compositions useful for imparting durable water repellency... hydrophobic compound having at least one linkage of Formula I
Implementation Method 2
imparting durable water repellency and optionally stain release to textiles... aqueous composition comprising at least one hydrophobic compound
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is an aqueous composition comprising at least one hydrophobic compound having at least one linkage of Formula I:—NHC(O)—X— (I)wherein X is the residue of a cyclic or acyclic sugar alcohol which is substituted with at least one —R1; —C(O)R1; —(CH2CH2O)n(CH(CH3)CH2O)mR2; —(CH2CH2O)n(CH(CH3)CH2O)mC(O)R1; or mixtures thereof; where the cyclic or acyclic sugar alcohol is selected from a saccharide, reduced sugar, aminosaccharide, aldonic acid, or aldonic acid lactone; wherein each n is independently 0 to 20; each m is independently 0 to 20; m+n is greater than 0; each R1 is independently a linear or branched alkyl group having 5 to 29 carbons optionally comprising at least 1 unsaturated bond; each R2 is independently —H, a linear or branched alkyl group having 6 to 30 carbons optionally comprising at least 1 unsaturated bond, or mixtures thereof.