Microporous breathable building and construction materials comprising coated woven and/or nonwoven fabrics, and method

Abstract

Breathable materials comprise a fabric layer and a polymer film layer thereon, the polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler, wherein the breathable material has undergone a physical manipulation to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m2·24 hr, and wherein the breathable material has a first length dimension and a first width dimension before said physical manipulation and a second length dimension and a second width dimension after said physical manipulation, wherein the second length dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first length dimension and the second width dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first width dimension. Methods of making a breathable material comprise forming a polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler; bonding the polymer film layer to a fabric layer to form a laminate; and applying a physical manipulation to the laminate to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the resulting breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m2·24 hr; wherein the breathable material has a first length dimension and a first width dimension before said physical manipulation and a second length dimension and a second width dimension after said physical manipulation, wherein the second length dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first length dimension and the second width dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first width dimension.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The detailed description will be more fully understood in view of the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the woven tape fabric used in one embodiment of the invention, with a portion of the fabric magnified;

FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the coated woven tape substrate in one embodiment of the invention, with a portion of the coated substrate magnified;

FIG. 3 shows a proposed model of micropore formation in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 shows a typical extrusion coating process; and

FIGS. 5-11 show various methods by which the inventive substrate may be rendered microporous according to the invention.

Claims

1. A breathable material comprising a fabric layer and a polymer film layer thereon, the polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler, wherein the breathable material has undergone a physical manipulation to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m2·24 hr, and wherein the breathable material has a first length dimension and a first width dimension before said physical manipulation and a second length dimension and a second width dimension after said physical manipulation, wherein the second length dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first length dimension and the second width dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first width dimension.

2. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the fabric layer comprises a woven tape fabric.

3. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the fabric layer comprises a spunbonded nonwoven fabric.

4. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the fabric layer comprises a flash-spun nonwoven fabric.

5. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the fabric layer comprises a cross-laminated open mesh fabric, a scrim or a net.

6. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the fabric layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of cotton, linen, wool, flax, silk, hemp, and combinations thereof.

7. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the fabric layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyacrylates, rayon, and combinations thereof.

8. A breathable material according to claim 7, wherein the fabric layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

9. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the fabric layer has a basis weight from about 0.3 to about 4 oz/yd2.

10. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the polymer film layer comprises a polymer composition selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof.

11. A breathable material according to claim 10, wherein the polymer film layer comprises a polymer composition selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

12. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, diatomaceous earth, talc, titanium oxide, and mixtures thereof.

13. A breathable material according to claim 1, wherein said physical manipulation is selected from the group comprising winding, bending, twisting, pulling, biasing, compressing, heating, folding, and combinations thereof.

14. A breathable material according to claim 1, further comprising a second fabric layer, wherein the polymer film layer is arranged between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer.

15. A breathable material comprising a woven tape material layer with a basis weight from about 0.3 to about 4 oz/yd2 and a microporous polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler, wherein the breathable material has undergone a physical manipulation to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m2·24 hr, and wherein the breathable material has a first length dimension and a first width dimension before said physical manipulation and a second length dimension and a second width dimension after said physical manipulation, wherein the second length dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first length dimension and the second width dimension is no more than about 2% greater than the first width dimension.

16. A breathable material according to claim 15, wherein the woven tape material layer is selected from the group consisting of cotton, linen, hemp, polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyacrylates, rayon, and combinations thereof.

17. A breathable material according to claim 16, wherein the woven tape material comprises material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

18. A breathable material according to claim 15, wherein the woven tape material has a basis weight from about 1.0 to about 2.5 oz/yd2.

19. A breathable material according to claim 15, wherein the woven tape material has a basis weight from about 1.5 to about 2.0 oz/yd2.

20. A breathable material according to claim 15, wherein the polymer film layer comprises a polymer composition selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof.

21. A breathable material according to claim 20, wherein the polymer film layer comprises a polymer composition selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and combinations thereof.

22. A breathable material according to claim 15, wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, diatomaceous earth, talc, titanium oxide, and mixtures thereof.

23. A breathable material according to claim 15, wherein said physical manipulation is selected from the group comprising winding, bending, twisting, pulling, biasing, compressing, heating, folding, and combinations thereof.

24. A breathable material according to claim 15, further comprising a fabric layer, wherein the polymer film layer is arranged between the woven tape material layer and the fabric layer.

25. A method of forming a breathable material comprising a laminate of a fabric layer and a polymer film layer thereon, comprising: a. forming a polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler;b. bonding the polymer film layer to a fabric layer to form a laminate; andc. applying a physical manipulation to the laminate to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the resulting breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m2·24 hr;

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the fabric layer comprises a woven tape fabric.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the fabric layer comprises a spunbonded nonwoven fabric.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the fabric layer comprises a flash-spun nonwoven fabric.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the fabric layer comprises a cross-laminated open mesh fabric, a scrim or a net.

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein the fabric layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of cotton, linen, wool, flax, silk, hemp, and combinations thereof.

31. The method according to claim 25, wherein the fabric layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyacrylates, rayon, and combinations thereof.

32. The method according to claim 25, wherein the fabric layer comprises material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and combinations thereof.

33. The method according to claim 25, wherein the fabric layer has a basis weight from about 0.3 to about 4 oz/yd2.

34. The method according to claim 25, wherein the polymer film layer comprises a polymer composition selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, polyamides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof.

35. The method according to claim 25, wherein the polymer film layer comprises a polymer composition selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene and combinations thereof.

36. The method according to claim 25, wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, diatomaceous earth, talc, titanium oxide, and mixtures thereof.

37. The method according to claim 25, wherein said physical manipulation is selected from the group comprising winding, bending, twisting, pulling, biasing, compressing, heating, folding, and combinations thereof.

38. The method according to claim 25, wherein said bonding of the film layer to the fabric layer comprises extrusion coating, adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, sewing, or a combination thereof.

39. The method according to claim 25, further comprising the step of bonding the polymer film layer to a second fabric layer, wherein the polymer film layer is arranged between the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer.

40. A method of forming a breathable material comprising a laminate comprising a woven tape material and a microporous polymer film layer thereon, comprising: a. forming a microporous polymer film layer comprising a polymer composition and a filler;b. bonding the polymer film layer to a woven tape material layer with a basis weight between about 0.3 and 4 oz/yd2 to form a laminate; andc. applying a physical manipulation to the laminate to render the polymer film layer microporous such that the WVTR of the resulting breathable material is greater than about 50 g/m2·24 hr;

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the woven tape material layer is selected from the group consisting of cotton, linen, wool, silk, hemp, polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyacrylates, rayon, and combinations thereof.

42. The method according to claim 40, wherein the woven tape material comprises material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

43. The method according to claim 40, wherein the woven tape material has a basis weight from about 1.0 to about 2.5 oz/yd2.

44. The method according to claim 40, wherein the woven tape material has a basis weight from about 1.5 to about 2.0 oz/yd2.

45. The method according to claim 40, wherein the polymer film layer comprises a polymer composition selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, and combinations thereof.

46. The method according to claim 40, wherein the filler is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, barium sulfate, diatomaceous earth, talc, titanium oxide, and mixtures thereof.

47. The method according to claim 40, wherein said physical manipulation is selected from the group comprising winding, bending, twisting, pulling, biasing, compressing, heating, folding, and combinations thereof.

48. The method according to claim 40, wherein said bonding of the film layer to the woven tape material layer comprises extrusion coating, adhesive bonding, thermal bonding, ultrasonic bonding, sewing, or a combination thereof.

49. The method according to claim 40, further comprising the step of bonding the polymer film layer to a fabric layer, wherein the polymer film layer is arranged between the woven tape material layer and the fabric layer.