NOVEL PRODUCTS
An item selected from a piece of fashion clothing, a clothing accessory or a household textile having a polymeric coating, formed by exposing said item or a material or yarn from which the item is subsequently constructed, to a pulsed plasma comprising a compound of formula (I) where R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and l 4 are defined in the specification for a sufficient period of time to allow a polymeric layer to form on the surface of the item or yarn. Items of this type are protected from contamination by a wide number of liquids, including environmental hazards such as rain water and water-based liquids as well as some oily liquids. They are also fade and odour resistant.
1 . An item selected from the group consisting of a piece of fashion or sports clothing, a clothing accessory and a household textile, the item comprising a polymeric coating formed by exposing the item, or a material or a yarn from which the item is constructed, to a pulsed plasma comprising a compound of formula (I)
wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl or aryl optionally substituted by halo; and R 4 is a group X—R 5 where R 5 is an alkyl or haloalkyl group and X is a bond; a group of formula —C(O)O—, —C(O)O(CH 2 ) n Y— where n is an integer of from 1 to 10 and Y is a bond or a sulphonamide group; or a group —(O) p R 6 (O) q (CH 2 )— where R 6 is aryl optionally substituted by halo, p is 0 or 1, q is 0 or 1 and t is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 10, provided that where q is 1, t is other than 0, for a sufficient period of time to allow a protective polymeric layer to form on the surface of the item, material or yarn.
2 . The item of claim 1 which comprises a material selected from silk, satin, wool or wool blends, leather or suede, fine cottons or a fine synthetic fabric.
3 . The item of claim 1 which is a piece of fashion clothing.
4 . An item according to claim 1 or claim 2 The item of claim 1 which is a clothing accessory.
5 . The item of claim 4 which comprises footwear or a handbag.
6 . The item of claim 5 which comprises technical sports shoes.
7 . (canceled)
8 . The item of claim 1 wherein the item or the material or the yarn is exposed to the pulsed plasma within a plasma deposition chamber.
9 . The item of claim 1 wherein the compound of formula (I) is a compound of formula (II)
CH 2 ═CH—R 5 (II)
wherein R 5 is as defined in claim 1 , or a compound of formula (III)
CH 2 ═CR 7 C(O)O(CH 2 ) n R 5 (III)
wherein n and R 5 are as defined in claim 1 and R 7 is hydrogen, C 1-10 alkyl, or C 1-10 haloalkyl.
10 . The item of claim 9 wherein the compound of formula (I) is a compound of formula (III).
11 . The item of claim 10 wherein the compound of formula (III) is a compound of formula (IV)
wherein R 7 is as defined in claim 8 is hydrogen, C 1-10 alkyl, or C 1-10 haloalkyl, and x is an integer of from 1 to 9.
12 . The item of claim 10 wherein the compound of formula (IV) is 1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecylacylate.
13 . A method for protecting an item selected from a piece of fashion clothing, a clothing accessory or a household textile, against liquid damage, odour contamination or colour fading, said method comprising exposing said item or a material or yarn from which the item is to be made, to a pulsed plasma comprising a compound of formula (I)
where R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl or aryl optionally substituted by halo; and
R 4 is a group X—R 5 where R 5 is an alkyl or haloalkyl group and X is a bond; a group of formula —C(O)O—, —C(O)O(CH 2 ) n Y— where n is an integer of from 1 to 10 and Y is a bond or a sulphonamide group; or a group —(O) p R 6 (O) q (CH 2 ) t — where R 6 is aryl optionally substituted by halo, p is 0 or 1, q is 0 or 1 and t is 0 or an integer of from 1 to 10, provided that where q is 1, t is other than 0,
in a gaseous state for a sufficient period of time to allow a polymeric layer to form on the surface of the item, material or yarn.
14 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the item, material or yarn is placed in a plasma deposition chamber, a glow discharge is ignited within said chamber, and a voltage is applied as a pulsed field.
17 . The method of claim 13 wherein applied voltage is at a power of from 40 to 500 W.
18 . The method of claim 13 wherein the voltage is pulsed in a sequence in which the ratio of the time on:time off is in the range of from 1:500 to 1:1500.
19 . The method of claim 18 wherein the voltage is pulsed in a sequence where power is on for 20-50 μs, and off for from 1000 μs to 30000 μs.
20 . The method of claim 13 wherein the voltage is applied as a pulsed field at for a period of from 30 seconds to 90 minutes.
21 . (canceled)
22 . The method of claim 13 wherein in a preliminary step, a continuous power plasma is applied to the item, material or yarn.
23 . The method of claim 22 wherein the preliminary step is conducted in the presence of an inert gas.
24 . The method of claim 13 wherein the compound of formula (I) in gaseous form is fed into the plasma at a rate of from 80-300 mg/minute, whilst the pulsed voltage is applied.
25 . The method of claim 13 wherein the plasma is created with a voltage at an average power of from 0.001 to 500 w/m 3 .
26 . The method of claim 25 wherein the plasma is created with a voltage at an average power of from 0.001 to 100 w/m 3 .
27 . The method of claim 26 wherein the plasma is created with a voltage at an average power of from 0.005 to 0.5 w/m 3 .
28 . The method of claim 13 wherein the compound of formula (I) is a compound of formula (II)
CH 2 ═CH—R 5 (II)
wherein R 5 is as defined in claim 1 , or a compound of formula (III)
CH 2 ═CR 7 C(O)O(CH 2 ) n R 5 (III)
wherein n and R 5 as defined in claim 1 and R 7 is hydrogen, C 1-10 alkyl, or C 1-10 haloalkyl.
29 . The method of claim 28 wherein the compound of formula (I) is a compound of formula (III).
30 . The method of claim 29 wherein the compound of formula (III) is a compound of formula (IV)
wherein R 7 is hydrogen, C 1-10 alkyl, or C 1-10 haloalkyl, and x is an integer of from 1 to 9.
31 . The method of claim 28 wherein the compound of formula (IV) is 1H,1H,2H,2H-heptadecafluorodecyl acrylate.
32 . (canceled)
33 . A method for creating a tapeless seam sealer in an item comprising a seam, the method comprising exposing the item to a pulsed plasma in a gaseous state for a sufficient period of time to seal the seam of the item, the pulsed plasma comprising a compound of formula (I)
wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 independently are selected from hydrogen, alkyl, haloalkyl or aryl, optionally substituted by halo; and
R 4 is a group X—R 5 wherein R 5 is an alkyl or haloalkyl group and X is a bond; or R 4 is a group of formula —C(O)O—, —C(O)O(CH 2 ) n Y— wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10 and Y is a bond or a sulphonamide group; or R 4 is a group —(O) p R 6 (O) q (CH 2 ) t — wherein R 6 is aryl optionally substituted by halo, p is 0 or 1, q is 0 or 1 and t is 0 or an integer from 1 to 10, provided that where q is 1, t is other than 0.
34 . An item comprising a seam and selected from the group consisting of a fashion or sports clothing, a clothing accessory and a household textile, wherein the seam is sealed by a polymeric coating obtained by the method of claim 33 .