Soil Repellency, Aqueous Dispersions, Soil Repellant Soft Articles, and Methods of Making the Same

Abstract

A soil repellency aqueous dispersion for treating various fibers, yarns, and textiles is disclosed. The dispersion provides superior soil resistance when compared to known fluorochemical and silicone fiber treatments. The dispersion comprises clay nanoparticle components and fluorochemicals that can be applied to the fibers, yarns, and textiles using known methods.

What I claim is: 
     
         1 . An aqueous dispersion for soil repellency comprising:
 at least one clay nanoparticle component; and a fluorochemical, wherein said fluorochemical is selected from the group consisting of fluorochemical allophanates, fluorochemical polyacrylates, fluorochemical urethanes, fluorochemical carbodiimides, and fluorochemical guanidines and wherein said fluorochemical has less than or equal to six fluorinated carbons per fluorinated side-chain, and wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite, hectorite, saponite, nontronite, beidellite and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The aqueous dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is synthetic. 
     
     
         5 . The aqueous dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is synthetic hectorite. 
     
     
         6 - 7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The aqueous dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein said fluorochemical is a fluorochemical urethane. 
     
     
         9 . The aqueous dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 25% weight in dispersion. 
     
     
         10 . The aqueous dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein said fluorochemical is present in an amount from about 0.0001% to about 5% weight fluorine atoms present in the dispersion. 
     
     
         11 . The aqueous dispersion of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is synthetic hectorite present in an amount from about 0.05% to about 15% weight in the dispersion; and said fluorochemical has per fluorinated side-chains with less than or equal to six fluorinated carbons and is present in an amount from about 0.005% to about 0.5% weight fluorine atoms present in the dispersion; and further wherein the weight percent ratio of said clay nanoparticle component to said fluorine ranges from about 5000:1 to about 2:1. 
     
     
         12 - 31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method of making a soil repellency aqueous dispersion comprising:
 a) contacting at least one clay nanoparticle component with a solvent to form an aqueous clay nanoparticle solution, wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is selected from the group consisting of montmorillonite, hectorite, saponite, nontronite, beidellite and combinations thereof; and   b) contacting said aqueous clay nanoparticle solution with a fluorochemical to form said soil repellency aqueous dispersion, wherein said fluorochemical is selected from the group consisting of: fluorochemical allophanates, fluorochemical polyacrylates, fluorochemical urethanes, fluorochemical carbodiimides, and fluorochemical guanidines.   
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is synthetic. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is synthetic hectorite. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said fluorochemical is a fluorochemical urethane. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is present in an amount from about 0.01% to about 25% weight in solution. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said fluorochemical is present in an amount from about 0.0001% to about 5% weight fluorine atoms present in solution. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said at least one clay nanoparticle component is synthetic hectorite present in an amount from about 0.05% to about 15% weight in solution; and said fluorochemical has per fluorinated side-chains with less than or equal to six fluorinated carbons and is present in an amount from about 0.005% to about 0.5% weight fluorine atoms present in the dispersion; and further wherein the weight percent ratio of said clay nanoparticle component to said fluorine ranges from about 5000:1 to about 2:1. 
     
     
         41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said soil repellant composition is applied using a technique selected from the group consisting of: spraying, dipping, coating, foaming, painting, brushing, and rolling. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said soil repellant composition is applied by spraying. 
     
     
         44 - 47 . (canceled)