International Business Machines Corporation

University of California

Other

Apjet, Inc.

Green Theme Technologies Inc.

Los Alamos National Security, LLC

Gary S Selwyn

Kurt L Haller

Jyothi Singh

Reid S Bennett

Ivars Henins

Hans W Herrmann

Robert F Hicks

George G Gifford

Albert R Ellingboe

John S McKillop

Matthew R Barnes

Steve E Babayan

Chris B Cooper

Jerome J Cuomo

John H Keller

Maheswaran Surendra

Stanley Joseph Whitehair

Tony F Heinz

C Richard Guarnieri

Geraldine C Schwartz

Heathcliff L Vaz

John E Heidenreich, Iii

Robert E Walkup

Charles R Guarnieri

James J McGill

Linda M Ephrath

Luther Wilburn Cox

Jaeyoung Park

Syothi Singh

John A Spinetti, Jr

Aaron T Caudill

Gary W Rubolff

Manoj Dalvie

Caterina Vidoli

David E Dybas

Edward F Patterson

Michael V Grazioso

Luther Wilborn Cox

A non-aqueous fabric dyeing method using a non-aqueous dyeing composition is described. The dyeing composition is a fluid at room temperature; contains no more than 5% water, no more than 5% VOCs and no more than 2.5% by weight vinyl monomers. The dye composition includes an organic dye that is solid at temperatures up to 130&#xb0; C. and which sublimes or boils at 130 to 220&#xb0; C., and further includes a carrier that is a liquid in the temperature range of 130 to 220&#xb0; C.

Water-free fabric dyeing process and dye compositions

Fabrics are treated with a hydrophobic treatment that includes at least one hydrophobic monomer and a crosslinker. The treatment is low in volatile organic compounds and water. It is a liquid at 22&#xb0; C. or a suspension having a phase that is liquid at 22&#xb0; C. The monomer and crosslinker are cured in a free radical polymerization to form a hydrophobic coating on a fibrous substrate. The curing is performed by removing interstitial air from the fabric and then curing the fabric in a low oxygen environment without allowing it contact with oxygen or air from the time the interstitial air is removed until conversion of monomers reaches at least 50%.

Composition and process for applying hydrophobic coating to fibrous substrates

Fabrics are treated with a hydrophobic treatment that includes at least one hydrophobic monomer and a crosslinker. The treatment is low in volatile organic compounds and water. It is a liquid at 22&#xb0; C. or a suspension having a phase that is liquid at 22&#xb0; C. The monomer and crosslinker are cured in a free radical polymerization to form a hydrophobic coating on a fibrous substrate.

Substrates are coated with a curable composition that includes at least one free radical polymerizable monomer and a heat-activated polymerization initiator. The coating is applied to the substrate and cured thereon to produce the coating. Curing is performed by purging molecular air from the vessel containing the substrate, pressuring with an oxygen-deficient gas and then curing the fabric in the oxygen-deficient gas at elevated pressure and temperature.

Hyperbaric process for applying and curing an organic polymerizable treatment

An apparatus and method for plasma finishing of fibrous materials including paper and knitted, woven and non-woven fibrous substrates such that desired characteristics are imparted are described. The method includes depositing a monomer comprising at least one fluorocarbon monomer with chemical additives, as required, at atmospheric pressure onto the paper or knitted, woven or non-woven substrate; exposing the monomer on a single surface of the fibrous material to an inert gas, atmospheric-pressure plasma, thereby causing polymerization of the monomer species; and repeating this sequence using multiple sequential deposition and plasma discharge steps to create a layered surface having durability against abrasion for both water-based laundry methods and dry-cleaning methods, and normal wear, without affecting the feel, drape, appearance or breathability of the substrate material. The present method uses a high-power, continuously operating plasma that is 10times more powerful than the prior art plasma sources utilized in the textile industry, and produces a durable finish with between 0.5 and 2 s of plasma exposure. This is sufficiently rapid to meet commercial fabric processing throughput, and repeated cleaning of the electrodes is not required.

Treatment of fibrous materials using atmospheric pressure plasma polymerization

A cooking vessel includes an upper element that defines a cook surface and a lower shell that defines a heat surface for contact with a heat source during heating. The upper element and the lower shell are joined together such that the cook surface and the heat surface are retained in a fixed spatial relationship with each other and a gas-filled cavity is defined between the heat surface of the lower shell and the cook surface of the upper element. An optional temperature sensor may be placed in contact with the gas for cooking temperature readout. Heat is transferred from the heat surface to the cook surface through the gas contained in the gas-filled cavity. Improved heat distribution is accomplished by static and dynamic means of enhancing gas convection. This promotes efficient and even heat distribution at low weight.

Hollow-cavity, gas-filled cookware

An arcless, atmospheric-pressure plasma generating apparatus capable of producing a large-area, temperature-controlled, stable discharge at power densities between about 0.1 W/cmand about 200 W/cm, while having an operating gas temperature of less than 50&#xb0; C., for processing materials outside of the discharge, is described. The apparatus produces active chemical species, including gaseous metastables and radicals which may be used for polymerization (either free radical-induced or through dehydrogenation-based polymerization), surface cleaning and modification, etching, adhesion promotion, and sterilization, as examples. The invention may include either a cooled rf-driven electrode or a cooled ground electrode, or two cooled electrodes, wherein active components of the plasma may be directed out of the plasma and onto an external workpiece without simultaneously exposing a material to the electrical influence or ionic components of the plasma.

Large area, atmospheric pressure plasma for downstream processing

An apparatus and method for generating gas-phase active chemical species suitable for selectively processing one side of a textile or nonwoven material are described. Processing includes etching or stripping coatings, as examples. A low-temperature plasma is used to produce an ionized gas containing radical species, atoms, ions, and electrons, some of which are suitable for removing or modifying the coating. For the purposes of the present invention, the plasma may be generated in a vacuum, or at atmospheric pressure. Dielectric-barrier discharges, atmospheric-pressure plasma jets, micro hollow-cathode discharges, coronas, or plasmas produced by a microwave discharge or laser-supplied energy may be used to generate the required species.

Side-specific treatment of textiles using plasmas

Apparatus for the processing of materials involving placing a material either placed between an radio-frequency electrode and a ground electrode, or which is itself one of the electrodes. This is done in atmospheric pressure conditions. The apparatus effectively etches or cleans substrates, such as silicon wafers, or provides cleaning of spools and drums, and uses a gas containing an inert gas and a chemically reactive gas.

Processing materials inside an atmospheric-pressure radiofrequency nonthermal plasma discharge

Apparatus and method for cleaning substrates. A substrate is held and rotated by a chuck and an atmospheric pressure plasma jet places a plasma onto predetermined areas of the substrate. Subsequently liquid rinse is sprayed onto the predetermined areas. In one embodiment, a nozzle sprays a gas onto the predetermined areas to assist in drying the predetermined areas when needed.

Combined plasma/liquid cleaning of substrates

Large area atmospheric-pressure plasma jet. A plasma discharge that can be operated at atmospheric pressure and near room temperature using 13.56 MHz rf power is described. Unlike plasma torches, the discharge produces a gas-phase effluent no hotter than 250&deg; C. at an applied power of about 300 W, and shows distinct non-thermal characteristics. In the simplest design, two planar, parallel electrodes are employed to generate a plasma in the volume therebetween. A &ldquo;jet&rdquo; of long-lived metastable and reactive species that are capable of rapidly cleaning or etching metals and other materials is generated which extends up to 8 in. beyond the open end of the electrodes. Films and coatings may also be removed by these species. Arcing is prevented in the apparatus by using gas mixtures containing He, which limits ionization, by using high flow velocities, and by properly spacing the rf-powered electrode. Because of the atmospheric pressure operation, there is a negligible density of ions surviving for a sufficiently long distance beyond the active plasma discharge to bombard a workpiece, unlike the situation for low-pressure plasma sources and conventional plasma processing methods.

Large area atmospheric-pressure plasma jet

An atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber is described. The apparatus is useful for decontaminating sensitive equipment and materials, such as electronics, optics and national treasures, which have been contaminated with chemical and/or biological warfare agents, such as anthrax, mustard blistering agent, VX nerve gas, and the like. There is currently no acceptable procedure for decontaminating such equipment. The apparatus may also be used for sterilization in the medical and food industries. Items to be decontaminated or sterilized are supported inside the chamber. Reactive gases containing atomic and metastable oxygen species are generated by an atmospheric-pressure plasma discharge in a He/O,mixture and directed into the region of these items resulting in chemical reaction between the reactive species and organic substances. This reaction typically kills and/or neutralizes the contamination without damaging most equipment and materials. The plasma gases are recirculated through a closed-loop system to minimize the loss of helium and the possibility of escape of aerosolized harmful substances.

Atmospheric-pressure plasma decontamination/sterilization chamber

Deposition of coatings using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet. The use of a nonthermal source which is capable of operation at 760 torr is demonstrated. As an example of the application of the present invention, a helium/oxygen gas mixture is introduced into the annular region between two coaxial electrodes driven by a 13.56 MHz radio frequency (rf) source at between 40 and 500 W to produce a stable plasma jet. Silicon dioxide films are deposited by introducing tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) into the effluent stream. A deposition rate of 3020&plusmn;250 &angst;/min. is achieved with an rf power of 400 W, 0.2 torr of TEOS, 11.1 torr of oxygen, 748.7 torr of helium, and a total gas flow rate of 41 L/min. The deposition rate depends on the oxygen partial pressure, the TEOS partial pressure, and the rf power to the 0.28, 0.47, and 1.41 powers, respectively. However, increasing the temperature decreases the deposition rate. The observed dielectric constants of the films decrease from 5.0&plusmn;0.2 to 3.81&plusmn;0.03 as the deposition temperature increases from 115 to 350&deg; C. Infrared spectra of the deposited films at 350&deg; C. show no carbon or hydroxyl ion contamination, indicating excellent material purity.

Deposition of coatings using an atmospheric pressure plasma jet

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Los Alamos, NM, United States of America

Gary S Selwyn