Process for the treatment of a hydrophobic surface by an aqueous phase

1. A process for the treatment of a hydrophobic surface with a liquid film comprising an aqueous phase,

said process comprising coating said surface with the liquid film,

wherein the aqueous phase comprises an effective amount of an agent for the modification of the properties of said surface and an active agent;

wherein the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface comprises:

tris(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate,

tris(2-butoxyethyl)phosphate,

di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate,

mono(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate,

tris(2-isooctyl)phosphate,

tricresylphosphate,

cresyldiphenylphosphate,

trixylilphosphate,

triphenylphosphate,

triethyl phosphate,

tri(2chloroethyl)phosphate; or

a mixture thereof; and

further wherein the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface is adsorbed onto an inert mineral support.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface is a substance, polymer or molecule:

suitable for spontaneously forming a nanometric film on the water interface of the aqueous phase/hydrophobic surface;

partially water soluble, this solubility in water being lower than 1% and higher than 0.001%;

having a relative permittivity (εr) lower than 80 and higher than that of the hydrophobic surface to treat or a refractive index greater than 1.33 and lower than that of the hydrophobic surface;

having a surface tension water/agent ranging between 5 mN/m and 50 mN/m; and

being in a liquid state at ambient temperature with a viscosity ranging from 1 mPA·s to 100 mPa·s.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the inert mineral support comprises silica, alumina, silica-alumina, silico-aluminate of sodium, calcium silicate, magnesium silicate, zirconia, magnesium oxide, calcium oxide, cerium oxide or titanium oxide.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the liquid film is in the form of an aqueous insoluble film forming polymer dispersion in water (latex).

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface is added directly to the liquid film, in an amount ranging from 0.01 to 5% in dry weight of agent for the modification of the properties of said surface, based on the total weight of the composition of said liquid film.

6. The process of claim 2 , wherein the effective amount of the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface ranges from 5% to 95% of the maximum solubility concentration of the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface in water.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic surface to be treated is PVC, polyethylenterphtalate, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyolefin, polyethylene, polypropylene, human skin, human hair, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, crockery, metal objects or ceramics.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous phase is modified by the addition of an organic or inorganic electrolyte salt having monovalent or multivalent anions and/or cations.

9. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the salt is present in a concentration lower than 0.1 wt % of the total weight of the aqueous phase.

10. The process according to claim 8 , wherein suitable electrolytes include organic salts, inorganic salts, and mixtures thereof.

11. The process of claim 5 , wherein the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface is added directly to the liquid film, in an amount ranging from 0.02 to 1% in dry weight of agent for the modification of the properties of said surface, based on the total weight of the composition of said liquid film.