Coated fabrics

Abstract

A fabric has a coating which comprises an elastomeric, heat curable silicone rubber composition containing a porous inorganic filler. The filler is at sufficiently high loading to produce a percolated porous structure, the percolated porous structure being permeable to water vapour.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A coated fabric, comprising:
 a coating comprises an elastomeric, heat curable silicone rubber composition containing a porous inorganic filler at sufficiently high loading to produce a percolated porous structure, the percolated porous structure being permeable to water vapour.   
     
     
         2 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein a fabric is selected from the group consisting of knitted, woven non-woven, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein a fabric is selected from the group consisting of cotton, polyester, polyamide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone rubber composition is selected from the group consisting of polysiloxane (condensation), peroxide, additional cured silicone, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises a filler or combination of fillers with a porosity in the range from 2 nm to 1 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The coated fabric of  claim 5 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises a filler or combination of fillers with a mean pore size of substantially −0.5 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the porous filler is selected from the group consisting of kaolinite, amorphous silica, diatomaceous earth, zeolites, metal organic frameworks, porous carbon blacks, montmorillonite clay, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The coating fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the porous filler comprises natural diatomaceous earth. 
     
     
         9 . The coating fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the porous filler comprises natural diatomaceous earth which is calcined. 
     
     
         10 . The coating fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the porous filler comprises natural diatomaceous earth which is flux-calcined. 
     
     
         11 . The coated fabric of  claim 8 , wherein the particle size range of filler is in the range from 5 to 100 μm. 
     
     
         12 . The coated fabric of  claim 11 , wherein the particle size range of filler is an average pore size of substantially 11 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein one or more additional fillers are incorporated into the formulation for improving the rheological properties of the coating compound, and for improving the physical properties of the cured coating itself. 
     
     
         14 . The coated fabric of  claim 13 , wherein the reinforcing filler or rheology modifying filler is selected from a group consisting of calcium carbonate, barium carbonate, talc, mica, hydrotalcite, calcium sulphate, barium sulphate, aluminium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises from 50 to 150 parts by weight of porous filler per 100 parts by weight silicone rubber. 
     
     
         16 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises catalyst. 
     
     
         17 . The coated fabric of  claim 16 , wherein the catalyst is selected from a group consisting of organo-tin, platinum, peroxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The coated fabric of  claim 16 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises from 0.5 to 7.0 parts by weight of the catalyst per 100 parts by weight (solid) silicone rubber. 
     
     
         19 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises an adhesion promoter. 
     
     
         20 . The coated fabric of  claim 19 , wherein the adhesion promoter comprises at least one of an organosilicon compound containing an epoxy group, and an organosilicon compound containing a vinyl acetoxy group. 
     
     
         21 . The coated fabric of  claim 19 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises from 2.25 to 4.5 parts by weight of adhesion promoter per 100 parts by weight silicone rubber. 
     
     
         22 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises a solvent. 
     
     
         23 . The coated fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the solvent comprises an aromatic or aliphatic organic solvent. 
     
     
         24 . The coated fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the solvent is selected from a group consisting of toluene, xylene, hexane, heptanes, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         25 . The coated fabric of  claim 22 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises from 200 to 400 parts by weight of solvent per 100 parts by weight (solid) silicone rubber. 
     
     
         26 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises at least one anti-microbial agent. 
     
     
         27 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the silicone rubber composition comprises at least one insect repellent agent. 
     
     
         28 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , wherein the coated fabric is breathable and waterproof. 
     
     
         29 . The coated fabric of  claim 1 , having a coating weight of 70-100 gsm of the silicone rubber composition on the fabric. 
     
     
         30 . A coated fabric structure, comprising a coated fabric comprising a coating which comprises an elastomeric, heat curable silicone rubber composition containing a porous inorganic filler at sufficiently high loading to produce a percolated porous structure, the percolated porous structure being permeable to water vapour;
 the coated fabric in combination with one or more further fabrics.   
     
     
         31 . The coated fabric structure of  claim 30 , wherein adhesive is coated onto the coated fabric to laminate a second fabric to produce a trilaminate structure, wherein the adhesive coating has a coating weight of adhesive of 5-20 gsm. 
     
     
         32 . A method of making a coated fabric comprising:
 providing a coated fabric comprising a coating which comprises an elastomeric, heat curable silicone rubber composition containing a porous inorganic filler at sufficiently high loading to produce a percolated porous structure, the percolated porous structure being permeable to water vapour;   wherein the silicone rubber composition is coated onto the base fabric using a knife-over roller technique.   
     
     
         33 . A method of making a coated fabric of  claim 32 , wherein a second fabric is laminated to an adhesive layer on the base fabric to provide a trilaminate coated fabric.