Claims
- 1. A water and oil resistant, microporous article of footwear comprising:
- (1) an outer layer of fabric;
- (2) an intermediate layer comprising
- (a) from about 60 to about 40 parts by weight of inorganic, reinforcing microfibers,
- (b) from about 40 to about 60 parts by weight of a polymeric binding agent in the form of a continuous matrix, said binding agent being derived from an emulsion or latex of particles of said binding agent having a size of less than one micrometer in a liquid, said binding agent and said microfibers being present in the intermediate layer in a total amount of 100 parts by weight, based on the weight of said binding agent and said microfibers, and
- (c) a treating agent present in an amount sufficient to render the intermediate layer both hydrophobic and oleophobic; and
- (3) an inner layer of fabric.
- 2. The composite structure of claim 1 having a porosity of about 0.01 to about 100 cubic feet of air per square foot of surface area per minute at a pressure of 0.5 inches WC and a temperature of 20.degree. C.
- 3. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein said inorganic, reinforcing microfibers comprise glass microfibers.
- 4. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein said inorganic, reinforcing microfibers comprise a mixture of potassium titanate and glass microfibers.
- 5. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein said polymeric binding agent is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate.
- 6. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein said polymeric binding agent is a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl acetate and wherein said copolymer has chlorinated side chains.
- 7. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein said polymeric binding agent comprises from about 50 to about 60 parts by weight of said intermediate layer.
- 8. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein said treating agent comprises a fluorinated hydrocarbon.
- 9. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein said porosity is in the range of from about 0.1 to about 20.
- 10. The composite structure of claim 2 wherein said inorganic reinforcing microfibers are glass and have diameters within the range of from about 0.5 to about 2.0 micrometers and aspect ratios of from about 20:1 to about 1,000:1.
- 11. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein said outer layer of fabric is a polypropylene, a polyester, cotton or rayon.
- 12. The composite structure of claim 11 wherein said inner layer of fabric is a nonwoven polypropylene.
- 13. The composite structure of claim 12 wherein said intermediate layer is integral with said inner and outer layers of fabric.
- 14. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein the polymeric binding agent is fire resistant.
- 15. The composite structure of claim 1 wherein said inner and outer layers of fabric each comprise multiple layers of fabric.
- 16. The composite structure of claim 6 wherein the intermediate layer is irradiated by Gamma radiation.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 566,404, filed Dec. 28, 1983 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,508,775, which is a continuation-in-part of my application Ser. No. 542,026, filed Oct. 14, 1983, which is now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (16)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
53-143716 |
Dec 1978 |
JPX |
55-69677 |
May 1980 |
JPX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
M. K. Lindemann, "Vinyl Acetate/Ethylene Emulsion Copolymers", Paint Manufacture, Sep. 1968, pp. 3-36. |
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
566404 |
Dec 1983 |
|
Parent |
542026 |
Oct 1983 |
|