Cool artificial turf

Abstract

The present invention relates to an artificial turf comprising fibers having advantageous properties such as a tuned hydrophilicity and the ability to transport water, enabling self-cooling through water evaporation. For this the artificial turf comprises at least one fiber having a core and a shell, characterized in that an outer surface of the shell has a contact angle with water of less than 90°, and that the shell comprises at least one axially oriented groove with a width of less than 500 micrometers.

1 . Artificial turf comprising at least one fiber  1 , characterized in that an outer surface of the fiber has a contact angle with water of less than 90°, and that the fiber comprises at least one axially oriented open groove with a mean width of less than 500 micrometers. 
     
     
         2 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact angle is less than 60°. 
     
     
         3 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1 , wherein the mean width is less than 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         4 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1  wherein the fiber comprises at least 2 grooves. 
     
     
         5 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber comprises at least 10 grooves. 
     
     
         6 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1  wherein the fiber has a core and a shell, wherein the shell forms the outer surface. 
     
     
         7 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1  wherein the sum of the mean width of the axially oriented groove is between 3 and 70% of the breadth of the fiber. 
     
     
         8 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1  having a cross-section of the groove V or U-shaped. 
     
     
         9 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1  wherein the groove comprises one or more concave regions having a radius of curvature of at least 2 micrometers and not more than 200 micrometers. 
     
     
         10 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1  having at least two grooves mirrored with respect to each other and together form a common deepened surface with a width of at least 50 micrometer and having a contact angle with water of less than 90°. 
     
     
         11 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1  wherein a cross-section of the groove on the upper side of the fiber near the groove comprises at least a convex area with a radius of curvature of at least 20 micrometer up to 2000 micrometer. 
     
     
         12 . Artificial turf according to  claim 1  wherein the fiber comprises hydrophilizing particles, having a particle size of approximately 2 to 200 nanometer, and coated with a hydrophilic coating. 
     
     
         13 . Artificial turf according to  claim 6  wherein the fiber in the core, shell or both comprises hydrophilizing particles. 
     
     
         14 . Artificial turf according to  claim 12  wherein the hydrophilizing particles are selected from the group consisting of organic materials, metaloxides, and semi-metal oxides. 
     
     
         15 . Artificial turf according to  claim 6  wherein the particles are present in the fiber of the core, shell or both in an amount of from about 0.05 to about 5 percent by volume, more preferably from about 0.1 to about 1.0 percent based on the total volume of the fiber in the core, shell or both. 
     
     
         16 . Artificial turf according to  claim 12  wherein the particles contain at least about 50 percent by weight, of inorganic non-metallic materials, such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide. 
     
     
         17 . Artificial turf according to  claim 16  wherein the inorganic non-metallic material is titanium dioxide particles having at least 20% by weight of the titanium dioxide in an anatase crystalline form. 
     
     
         18 . Artificial turf according to  claim 6  wherein the shell comprises low friction particles, such as PTFE. 
     
     
         19 . Method for transporting water through a fiber comprising providing a fiber as defined in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . Method for controlling physical characteristics of an artificial turf selected from a group consisting of wettability, temperature, evaporation of water, and combinations thereof by providing an artificial turf comprising fibers as defined in  claim 1 .