Application and Activation of Durable Water Repellant Using a Densified Fluid

Abstract

A pressurized system using densified fluid can apply and/or activate durable water repellant. Durable water repellant bound to fibers of an article of clothing can be activated by first removing contaminants via a pressurized densified fluid cleaning process and thereafter imputing energy into the durable water repellant via the article's interaction with the densified fluid and its gaseous rinse cycle.

1 . A method for activating durable water repellency, the method comprising:
 depositing within a pressure vessel an article having one or more fibers;   introducing into the pressure vessel a densified fluid wherein the densified fluid includes a durable water repellant;   creating a mechanical interaction, apart from the pressure vessel, between fibers of the article, the densified fluid and the durable water repellant; and   energizing, within the pressure vessel, the durable water repellant bound to the one or more fibers of the article.   
     
     
         2 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein the durable water repellant is a perfluoroalkyl chain. 
     
     
         3 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein the durable water repellant is based on fluorine chemistry. 
     
     
         4 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein the durable water repellant is based on silicon chemistry. 
     
     
         5 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein the durable water repellant is fluoropolymer based. 
     
     
         6 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein the durable water repellant is perfluorooctane sulfonate based. 
     
     
         7 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein the durable water repellant is perfluorooctane acid based. 
     
     
         8 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein the densified fluid is super critical carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         9 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein the densified fluid is liquid carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         10 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein creating includes cleaning the article with liquid carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         11 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein energizing includes subjecting the durable water repellant to static electricity. 
     
     
         12 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein energizing includes subjecting the article to a pressurized gaseous rinse cycle imparting energy to the durable water repellant. 
     
     
         13 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein energizing includes transferring energy from the densified fluid to the durable water repellent. 
     
     
         14 . The method for activating durable water repellency of  claim 1 , wherein energizing includes transferring energy from a gaseous rinse cycle to the durable water repellant. 
     
     
         15 . A method for durable water repellant application, the method comprising:
 depositing within a pressure vessel an article having one or more fibers;   processing combining, within the pressure vessel, the article with a densified fluid to remove contaminants wherein the densified fluid includes a durable water repellant wherein processing includes binding the durable water repellant to the one or more fibers of the article;   creating a mechanical interaction between the article, the densified fluid and the durable water repellant;   binding the durable water repellant to the one or more fibers of the article; and   energizing, within the pressure vessel, the durable water repellant bound to the one or more fibers of the article.   
     
     
         16 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein the durable water repellant is a perfluoroalkyl chain. 
     
     
         17 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein the durable water repellant is based on fluorine chemistry. 
     
     
         18 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein the durable water repellant is based on silicon chemistry. 
     
     
         19 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein the durable water repellant is fluoropolymer based. 
     
     
         20 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein the durable water repellant is perfluorooctane sulfonate based. 
     
     
         21 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein the durable water repellant is perfluorooctane acid based. 
     
     
         22 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein the densified fluid is super critical carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         23 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein the densified fluid is a super critical fluid. 
     
     
         24 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein creating includes cleaning the article with liquid carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         25 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein energizing includes subjecting the durable water repellant to static electricity. 
     
     
         26 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein energizing includes subjecting the article to a pressurized gaseous rinse cycle imparting energy to the durable water repellant. 
     
     
         27 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein energizing includes transferring energy from the densified fluid to the durable water repellent. 
     
     
         28 . The method for durable water repellant application according to  claim 15 , wherein energizing includes transferring energy from a gaseous rinse cycle to the durable water repellant.