Barrier Fabrics

Abstract

A process for manufacturing a nonwoven barrier fabric having a first face and an second opposite face, with the steps of applying a primer composition by vapor or aerosol deposition, to the first face of the fabric to form a layer of the primer composition, wherein the primer composition is essentially free of fluorinated compound, and applying a barrier composition comprising at least one unsaturated fluorinated compound by vapor or aerosol deposition to the layer of primer composition to form at least one, and preferably from one (1) to four (4), more preferably two (2) or three (2), layers of the barrier composition on the layer of primer composition and a fabric obtainable according to the process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for manufacturing a nonwoven barrier fabric having a first face and an second opposite face, comprising the steps of:
 (a) applying a primer composition to the first face of the fabric to form a layer of said primer composition on the first face of the fabric, wherein the primer composition is essentially free of fluorinated compound, and   (b) applying a barrier composition comprising at least one unsaturated fluorinated compound, by vapor deposition or aerosol deposition, to the layer of primer composition to form at least one layer of said barrier composition on the layer of primer composition.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein
 (a) applying the primer compositionis by vapor deposition or aerosol deposition, and   (b)applying the barrier composition by vapor deposition or aerosol deposition, to the layer of primer composition to form from to four layers of said barrier composition on the layer of primer composition.   
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the at least one unsaturated fluorinated compound comprises at least one fluoro(di)acrylate monomer having the general structure of
   [CH 2 ═CRCOO(CH 2 ) x (Su) y ] z (C n F 2n+2−z ),
 
 wherein n is an integer ranging from 1 to 14, x is an integer independently ranging from 1 to 8, R is independently a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group with a chain length varying from 1 to 16 carbons, Su is a sulfonamide group, y is an integer independently ranging from 0 to 1, and z is an integer ranging of from 1 to 2. 
 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein R is preferably a methyl or ethyl group. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the barrier composition further comprises of from 10 to 50 weight percent of at least one crosslinkable monomeric compound, the weight percent being based on the total weight of the barrier composition. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein it further comprises the step of
 (c) curing the layer of primer composition and the at least one layer of barrier composition.   
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 6 , wherein it further comprises the step of
 (d) applying an antistatic composition to the second opposite face of the fabric to form a layer of said antistatic composition on the second opposite face of the fabric.   
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the primer composition is applied to the fabric in amounts of from 0.2 to 2 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of barrier composition per layer of barrier composition is of from 0.1 to 1 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the primer composition and the barrier comprise at least one particulate material having an average particle size of from 0.5 to 50 micrometers. 
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 10 , wherein the average particle diameter of the particulate material comprised in the primer layer is greater than the average particle diameter of the particulate material comprised in the barrier layer. 
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the particulate material comprises crosslinked siloxane particles. 
     
     
         13 . A barrier fabric obtainable according to  claim 1  or  2 , having a first face and an second opposite face, comprising a layer of primer composition on said first face and at least one layer of barrier composition on the layer of primer composition. 
     
     
         14 . The barrier fabric of  claim 13 , having a layer of antistatic composition on the second opposite face of the fabric. 
     
     
         15 .