Eastman-Kodak Company

Global Oled Technology LLC

Industrial Technology Research Institute

Mary Christine Brick

Mridula Nair

Margaret Jones Helber

Gary Norman Barber

Joseph Salvatore Sedita

Steven Evans

Mitchell Stewart Burberry

Donald R Diehl

Elizabeth A Gallo

Paula J Alessi

William James Harrison

Steven Wade Kortum

Ronald S Cok

Stanley W Stephenson

Christine Joanne Landry-Coltrain

Kevin D Lofftus

Karen M Kosydar

Gary L Slater

David Darrell Miller

Paul L Zengerle

Stephen P Singer

Kenneth Joseph Reed

Tamara K Jones

James A Friday

John E Keevert

Peter G Bessey

John V Nelson

Terry J Martin

Norma B Platt

Jeffery L Hall

Robert P Bourdelais

Teh-Ming Kung

Wayne A Bowman

Lloyd A Lobo

Ramanuj Goswami

Thaddeus S Gula

Michael J Simons

Alan R Pitt

James Albert Reczek

Ronald Myron Wexler

Doreen Catherine Lynch

Robert O James

William Donald Ramsden

Trevor J Wear

Leslie Shuttleworth

Dennis J Massa

Ian M Newington

John W Boettcher

John F Bishop

Michael W Orem

Thomas M Smith

Kenneth James Lushington

David Daniel Putnam

Danuta Gibson

David F Jennings

Ronda E Factor

John F Sawyer

Terry C Schultz

James R Bennett

Raymond P Scaringe

Ellen M Pyszczek

Kimberly S Lindner

Christopher J Haller

Ellen J Pyszczek

Eugene A Armour

Donald J Majka

Tomas Gerard Patrick McHugh

Robin E Osterhout

Cynthia A MacMillan

Joan Kay Williams

Ronald Steven Cok

Tomas Gerard Mchugh

Peter Gerard Bessey

Tomas Gerard Patrick Mchugh

Paula Jane Alessi

Donald Richard Diehl

A treated fabric has a scoured fabric with face side and back side; a non-foamed color-masking composition disposed on the back side; drying the resulting coated fabric to form a dried color-masking composition at 5-75 g/m; and D) heat-setting the scoured fabric between steps A) and B), or heat-setting the coated fabric during or after step C). The color-masking composition has a tinting component and film-forming polymeric binder of Tless than 25° C. Visual perception is reduced on the uncoated face side of the treated fabric when a cured, crushed, and dried foamed opacifying layer has been disposed on the back side. Reduced visual perception is measured by a ΔE value as determined from ΔL*, Δa*, and Δb* CEILAB color values, to be <2, compared to visual perception on the uncoated face side of the same treated fabric when the cured, crushed, and dried foamed opacifying layer is absent.

Methods of providing treated fabrics and light-blocking elements

An opacifying article can be made using a (i) fabric having a face side and a back side and an (ii) opacifying element having a substrate that has first and second opposing surfaces; and a dry opacifying layer that has an inner surface and an outer surface. The dry opacifying layer is disposed with its inner surface in contact with the first opposing surface of the substrate. The dry opacifying layer has (a) 40-90 weight % of porous particles, each having a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase. The porous particles have a mode particle size of 2-50 &#x3bc;m and a porosity of 20-70 volume %. The dry opacifying layer also contains (b) 10-60 weight % of a binder material. The (ii) opacifying element is laminated to the back side of the fabric to provide the opacifying article.

Method of making opacifying articles

A method is designed to prepare foamed, opacifying elements each having a target light blocking value (LBV) of at least 3, using a textile fabric substrate with a light blocking value (LBV). The LBVdifference is calculated; a foamable aqueous composition is chosen; a dry coating weight for the foamable aqueous composition (when foamed) is determined to form a single dry opacifying layer that is foamed, dried, and densified to provide a dry thickness at least 20% less than the original dry thickness. The single dry opacifying layer a has light blocking value that is equal to LBV, &#xb1;15%. The desired foamable aqueous composition can be chosen from a set of similar compositions to achieve the desired LBVwith the noted textile fabric substrate using suitable mathematical formula relating dry coating weight to light blocking value and a suitable data processor.

Method and system for making light-blocking articles

A coated yarn has a yarn core and a coating disposed coaxially on the yarn core. This coating contains: (i) porous particles present in an amount of at least 4 weight % and up to and including 20 weight %, each porous particle comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase, having a mode particle size of 2-50 &#x3bc;m and up to and including 50 &#x3bc;m; (ii) a film-forming binder material having a Tof less than or equal to 25&#xb0; C., which is present in an amount of 40-90 weight %; and (iii) an inorganic filler material having a value of less than 5 on the MOHS scale of mineral hardness, which inorganic filler material is present in an amount of 4 weight % and up to and including 30 weight %.

Yarn with coating over yarn core

A light-blocking article is designed to be lightweight but effective to block most incident actinic radiation and can be designed into fabrics, curtains, and other materials. Such an article has an opacifying layer that is capable of blocking predetermined electromagnetic radiation. The article contains (a) porous particles comprising a continuous polymeric binder and pores within the continuous polymeric binder, the porous particles having a glass transition temperature of at least 25&#xb0; C. and a mode particle size of at least 2 &#x3bc;m and up to and including 50 &#x3bc;m. The article also contains an opacifying colorant that absorbs the predetermined electromagnetic radiation (such as within 400 nm to 700 nm), in an amount of at least 0.001 weight % based on the total dry weight of the opacifying layer, and a matrix polymer in which the porous particles and opacifying colorant are dispersed.

Light blocking articles having opacifying layers

A foamed, opacifying element is prepared to have a light-blocking value (LBV) of at least 4. A method is carried out in a specific order with a unique series of steps including: providing a unique foamable aqueous composition; aerating that foamable aqueous composition to a foam density of at least 0.1-0.5 g/cm; disposing the foamed aqueous composition onto a surface of a porous substrate; drying the foamed aqueous composition without substantial curing of the binder material therein, to provide a dry foamed composition on the surface, without substantial curing; densifying the dry foamed composition to provide a dry opacifying layer in a foamed, opacifying element; and curing the dry opacifying layer in the foamed, opacifying element.

Method of making light-blocking high opacity articles

An opacifying article has a (i) fabric having a face side and a back side and an (ii) opacifying element having a substrate that has first and second opposing surfaces; and a dry opacifying layer that has an inner surface and an outer surface. The dry opacifying layer is disposed with its inner surface in contact with the first opposing surface of the substrate. The dry opacifying layer has (a) 40-90 weight % of porous particles, each having a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase. The porous particles have a mode particle size of 2-50 &#x3bc;m and a porosity of 20-70 volume %. The dry opacifying layer also contains (b) 10-60 weight % of a binder material. The (ii) opacifying element is laminated to the back side of the fabric to provide the opacifying article.

Opacifying articles

A fabric substrate is prepared from woven coated yarns. Each coated yarn has a yarn core and a coating disposed coaxially on the yarn core. This coating contains: (i) porous particles in an amount of 4-20 weight %, each porous particle comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase, a mode particle size of 2-50 &#x3bc;m; (ii) a film-forming binder material having a Tof less than or equal to 25&#xb0; C., in an amount of 40-90 weight %; and (iii) an inorganic filler material having a value of less than 5 on the MOHS scale of mineral hardness, which inorganic filler material is present in an amount of 4-30 weight %.

Fabric substrates

An aqueous composition is used to clad yarn cores to provide unique coated yarns. This aqueous composition contains: (i) porous particles present in an amount of at least 2 weight % and up to and including 10 weight %, each porous particle comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase, the porous particles having a mode particle size of 2-50 &#x3bc;m; (ii) a film-forming binder material having a Tof less than or equal to 25&#xb0; C., that is present in an amount of 25-60 weight %; (iii) an inorganic filler material having a value of less than 5 on the MOHS scale of mineral hardness, in an amount of at least 2-15 weight %; and (iv) an aqueous medium in an amount of at least 35 weight % in which the film-forming binder material is soluble or dispersible.

Composition for making coated yarn

A foamed, opacifying element has a porous substrate composed of woven yarn strands composed of a thermoplastic polymer-coated multifilament core. It has a dry foamed composition on an opposing surface of the substrate, which includes: (a) 0.1-40 weight % of porous particles; (b) 10-80 weight %; (c) 0.2-50 weight % of one or more additives selected from the group consisting of dispersants, plasticizers, flame retardants, optical brighteners, thickeners, biocides, fungicides, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inert inorganic or organic fillers; (d) less than 5 weight % of water; and (e) at least 0.002 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from all of the one or more additives of (c), which opacifying colorant absorbs electromagnetic radiation having a wavelength of 380-800 nm. The elements have a light-blocking value (LBV) of at least 4 and can have a bending stiffness that is greater than 0.15 milliNewtons-meter.

Light-blocking high opacity articles

A foamable aqueous composition can be used to form foamed, opacifying elements. These compositions have: (a) 0.5 to 20 weight % of porous particles having a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed therein. The porous particles have a mode particle size of 2 to 50 &#x3bc;m; (b) at least 20 weight % of a binder material; (c) 0.1 to 30 weight % of additives including dispersants, plasticizers, inorganic or organic pigments and dyes, thickeners, flame retardants, biocides, fungicides, optical brighteners, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inorganic or organic fillers; (d) water; and (e) at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from (c). The foamable aqueous composition is suitably aerated, disposed on a porous substrate, dried, and crushed on the porous substrate. The method can be used to provide such elements with one or more dry foamed layers.

Method of making foamed, opacifying elements

A foamable aqueous composition can be used to form foamed, opacifying elements with one or more dry foamed layers. These compositions generally contain: (a) 0.5 to 20 weight % of porous particles comprising a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores dispersed within the continuous polymeric phase. The porous particles have a mode particle size of 2 to 50 &#x3bc;m; (b) at least 20 weight % of a binder material; (c) 0.1 to 30 weight % of a combination of various additives including dispersants, plasticizers, inorganic or organic pigments and dyes, flame retardants, biocides, fungicides, optical brighteners, tinting colorants, metal flakes, and inorganic or organic fillers; (d) water; and (e) at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant different from (c). The foamable aqueous composition is suitably aerated, disposed on a porous substrate, dried, and crushed on the porous substrate to form a foamed, opacifying element.

Foamed, opacifying elements

Foamable aqueous compositions can be foamed and applied to porous substrates to make light-blocking dry opacifying elements. Such compositions have 0.05-15 weight % of porous particles; at least 20 weight % of a binder; at least 0.0001 weight % of additives (including a surfactant); water; and at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant. Each porous particle includes a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores; a mode particle size of 2-50 &#x3bc;m; and a porosity of 20-70 volume %. The continuous polymeric phase Tis &#x3e;80&#xb0; C. and has a polymer viscosity of 80-500 centipoises at an ethyl acetate shear rate of 100 secat a concentration of 20 weight % at 25&#xb0; C. The dry opacifying element light blocking value is at least 4 and has a luminous reflectance &#x3e;40% as measured by the color space Y tristimulus value. The foamed aqueous composition has a foam density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm.

Light-blocking articles with high opacifying layer

Foamable aqueous compositions can be foamed and applied to porous substrates to make light-blocking dry opacifying elements. Such compositions have 0.05-15 weight % of porous particles; at least 20 weight % of a binder; at least 0.0001 weight % of additives (including a surfactant); water; and at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant. Each porous particle includes a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores; a mode particle size of 2-50 &#x3bc;m; and a porosity of 20-70 volume %. The continuous polymeric phase Tis &#x3e;80&#xb0; C. and has a polymer viscosity of 80-500 centipoises at an ethyl acetate shear rate of 100 secat a concentration of 20 weight % at 25&#xb0; C. The dry opacifying element light blocking value is at least 4 and has a luminous reflectance &#x3e;40% as measured by the Y tristimulus value. The foamed aqueous composition has a foam density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm.

Formable and foamed aqueous compositions

A method for providing a foamed, opacifying element includes providing a foamable aqueous composition, aerating it to a foam density of 0.1-0.5 g/cm, applying the foamed aqueous composition to a porous substrate, drying, and densifying the dried layer. Such foamable aqueous compositions have 0.05-15 weight % of porous particles; at least 20 weight % of a binder; at least 0.0001 weight % of additives (including a surfactant); water; and at least 0.001 weight % of an opacifying colorant. Each porous particle includes a continuous polymeric phase and discrete pores; a mode particle size of 2-50 &#x3bc;m; and a porosity of 20-70 volume %. The continuous polymeric phase Tis &#x3e;80&#xb0; C. and has a polymer viscosity of 80-500 centipoises at an ethyl acetate shear rate of 100 secat a concentration of 20 weight % at 25&#xb0; C.

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Webster, NY, United States of America

Mary Christine Brick