Pollen Denaturation Coating Composition for Fabrics

Abstract

A coating composition for fabrics, wherein the coating composition comprises a pollen denaturing agent, an anti-microbial agent and a polymeric carrier, wherein the pollen denaturing agent is different to the anti-microbial agent.

Claims

1. A coating composition for fabrics, wherein the coating composition comprises a pollen denaturing agent, an anti-microbial agent and a polymeric carrier, wherein the pollen denaturing agent is different to the anti-microbial agent.

2. A coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the pollen denaturing agent is an inorganic compound or complex.

3. A coating composition according to claim 2, wherein the pollen denaturing agent is a zirconium compound.

4. A coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the anti-microbial agent comprises at least one of a zinc compound or complex, a silver compound or complex and a heterocyclic compound including nitrogen and sulphur heteroatoms.

5. A coating composition according to claim 4, wherein the anti-microbial agent comprises a zinc compound or complex and a thiazolylbenzimidazole compound.

6. A coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the coating composition further comprises a tackifier.

7. A coating composition according to claim 6, wherein the tackifier is a polymeric compound.

8. A coating composition according to claim 7, wherein the tackifier comprises a polymer formed from a vinyl ester of a branched carboxylic acid and/or vinyl acetate.

9. A coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the coating composition further comprises a fire retardant.

10. A coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the polymeric carrier is in the form of an aqueous solution or dispersion.

11. A coated fabric for covering an architectural opening comprising a fabric substrate which is coated with a pollen denaturing coating formed from a coating composition comprising a pollen denaturing agent, an anti-microbial agent and a polymeric carrier, wherein the pollen denaturing agent is different to the anti-microbial agent.

12. A coated fabric for covering an architectural opening according to claim 11, wherein the pollen denaturing coating is in the form of a substantially continuous polymeric layer.

13. A coated fabric according to claim 11 wherein the fabric includes an intermediate coating which comprises a substantially continuous polymeric layer and the intermediate coating is located between the fabric substrate and an outer layer formed from the pollen denaturing coating.

14. A coated fabric according to claim 13, wherein the pollen denaturing coating is in the form of a substantially continuous layer.

15. A coated fabric according to claim 11, wherein the fabric is coated on one side with the pollen denaturing coating,. and is coated on the other side with a second coating.

16. A coated fabric according to claim 15 wherein the pollen denaturing coating forms a substantially continuous layer.

17. A coated fabric according to claim 15 wherein the second coating forms a substantially continuous layer.

18. A coated fabric according to claim 11, wherein the pollen denaturing coating is surface modified to increase the surface roughness.

19. A coated fabric according to claim 11, wherein the pollen denaturing coating includes a tackifier.

20. (canceled)

21. A coated fabric according to claim 11, wherein the pollen denaturing agent is an inorganic compound or complex.

22. A coated fabric according to claim 21, wherein the pollen denaturing agent is a zirconium compound.

23. A coated fabric according to claim 11, wherein the anti-microbial agent comprises at least one of a zinc compound or complex, a silver compound or complex, and a heterocyclic compound including nitrogen and sulphur heteroatoms.

24. A coated fabric according to claim 23, wherein the anti-microbial agent comprises a zinc compound or complex and a thiazolylbenzimidazole compound.

25. A coated fabric according to claim 11, wherein the coating composition further comprises a tackifier.

26. A coated fabric according to claim 25, wherein the tackifier is a polymeric compound.

27. A coated fabric according to claim 26, wherein the tackifier comprises a polymer formed from at least one of a vinyl ester of a branched carboxylic acid and vinyl acetate.

28. A coated fabric according to claim 11, wherein the coating composition further comprises a fire retardant.

29. A window blind including a coated fabric comprising a fabric substrate which is coated with a pollen denaturing coating formed from the coating composition comprising a pollen denaturing agent, an anti-microbial agent and a polymeric carrier, wherein the pollen denaturing agent is different to the anti-microbial agent.

Description

[0073] An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0074] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view through a coated fabric according to a first embodiment of the invention; and

[0075] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view through a coated fabric according to a second embodiment of the invention.

[0076] For the avoidance of doubt, the skilled person will appreciate that in this specification, the terms up, down, front, rear, upper, lower, width, above, below, etc. refer to the orientation of the components of the invention when installed for normal use as shown in the Figures.

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a woven polyester fabric 10 which is coated on a first (front) surface with a VAE (vinyl acetate/ethylene copolymer) coating 11 and is coated on a second (rear) surface with a coating comprising a first layer 21 and a second layer 22. The first layer 21 comprises an anti-microbial agent containing a mixture of Bis[1-Hydroxy-2(1H)-pyridinethionato-O,S]-T-4 zinc and 2-(4-thiazolyl)benzimidazole, and a fire retardant containing antimony(III) oxide in a polymer (VAE). The second layer 22 comprises a VAE copolymer carrier containing a pollen denaturing agent in the form of ammonium zirconium carbonate. Both coatings fill the interstices between warp and weft threads to provide a fabric substrate which is substantially devoid of holes or interstices. Pollen particles which contact the second layer 22 are denatured by the zirconium compound which renders the pollen non-allergenic.

[0078] FIG. 2 shows a similar fabric. In this embodiment, a woven polyester fabric 110 has coated on its first (front) surface a VAE coating 111 which contains a coloured pigment. In contrast to the embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 1, the fabric 110 shown in FIG. 2 carries on its second (rear) surface a rear coating comprising a single layer 120. The rear coating layer 120 comprises a VAE polymer carrier containing an anti-microbial agent (a mixture of Bis[1-Hydroxy-2(1H)-pyridinethionato-O,S]-T-4 zinc and 2-(4-thiazolyl)benzimidazole), a fire retardant containing antimony(III) oxide, a pollen denaturing agent in the form of ammonium zirconium carbonate and a tackifier in the form of an aqueous dispersion containing an acrylate and a saturated, highly branched Cio monocarboxylic acid. The tackifier dispersed in the polymeric carrier causes the rear coating layer 120 to retain thereon pollen particles which contact it, which are then denatured by the pollen denaturing agent and rendered non-allergenic.

[0079] Tests were carried out on the fabric of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 and described above by Worcester University in the UK, a leading centre for pollen research. In the tests, the percentage of grass pollen denatured by the fabric was measured. It was found that at least 50% of the grass pollen particles directed at the fabric surface were denatured.