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

1. A process for treating 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; and

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

tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate,

di(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate,

mono(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate,

tris(2-isooctyl) phosphate,

cresyldiphenylphosphate,

trixylilphosphate,

triphenylphosphate,

triethyl phosphate,

tri(2-chloroethyl)phosphate, or

a mixture thereof.

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

is adapted to spontaneously form a nanometric film on a water interface of the aqueous phase/hydrophobic surface;

has a solubility in water ranging from 0.001% to 1%;

has a relative permittivity less than 80 but greater than a relative permittivity of the hydrophobic surface, or has a refractive index greater than 1.33 but less than a refractive index of the hydrophobic surface,

has a water/agent surface tension ranging from 5 mN/m to 50 mN/m; and

is a liquid at ambient temperature with a viscosity ranging from 1 mPa·s to 100 mPa·s.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface is adsorbed on an inert mineral support, and wherein the inert mineral support comprises a silica, an alumina, a silica-alumina, a silico-aluminate of sodium, a calcium silicate, a magnesium silicate, a zirconia, a magnesium oxide, a calcium oxide, a cerium oxide a titanium oxide, or a combination thereof.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the liquid film comprises an aqueous insoluble film forming polymer dispersion in water.

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

6. The process of claim 5 , wherein the amount of the agent for the modification of the properties of said surface added ranges from 0.02 to 1%.

7. 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 of said agent in water.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic surface comprises PVC, polyethylenterphtalate, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyolefin, polyethylene, polypropylene, human skin, human hair, natural fibers, synthetic fibers, crockery, metal objects, ceramics, or a combination thereof.

9. The process of claim 1 , further comprising modifying the aqueous phase by adding at least one organic or inorganic electrolyte salt comprising monovalent or multivalent anions and/or cations.

10. The process of claim 9 , wherein the salt is added to a concentration less than 0.1 wt % of the total weight of the aqueous phase.