Processes for converting textiles and enhancing the fluid repellant properties of textiles

Abstract

Processes for converting textiles from water and oil absorbent textiles to water and oil repellent textiles and for treating textiles to increase fluid repellant properties of the textiles. The treated textiles may be used, for example, as PPE for healthcare workers that are faced with a shortage of PPE materials. The processes add a fluid repellant, such as a fluoropolymer-based fluid repellant, during a stage of a laundry process, for example at the sour stage. The fluid repellant may be added multiple times during a laundry process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for converting textiles from water and oil absorbent textiles into textiles that are water and oil repellant, the process comprising:
 subjecting textiles to a laundry treatment process, wherein the textiles are water and oil absorbent; and,   adding a fluid repellant during a stage of the laundry treatment process for the textiles, wherein the textiles are water and oil repellant after the laundry treatment process.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid repellant comprises a fluoropolymer-based fluid repellant. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid repellant is added during a sour stage of the laundry treatment process. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 repeating the adding of fluid repellant; and,   drying the textiles after repeating the adding of the fluid repellant at least two times.   
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4 , wherein the adding of the fluid repellant is repeated at least three times. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the textiles comprise a material selected from a group consisting of: 100% polyester; 80/20 polyester/cotton blends; 65/35 polyester/cotton blends; and, 55/45 cotton/polyester blends. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid repellant is added in an amount between 16 and 64 fluid ounces per one-hundred pounds of cloth (cwt.). 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein a pH of the stage of the laundry treatment process when the fluid repellant is added is between 3.5 and 6.5. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the stage of the laundry treatment process when the fluid repellant is added is between 100-120° F. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the stage of the laundry treatment process lasts between 8 and 12 minutes. 
     
     
         11 . A process for converting textiles from water and oil absorbent textiles into textiles that are water and oil repellant, the process comprising:
 laundering textiles at an elevated temperature with an alkaline detergent, wherein the textiles are water and oil absorbent; and,   adding a sour to the textiles during a sour stage; and   adding a fluid repellant during the sour stage, wherein the textiles are water and oil repellant after the sour stage.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 repeating the adding of the fluid repellant; and,   drying the textiles after repeating the adding of the fluid repellant at least two times.   
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the adding of the fluid repellant is repeated at least three times. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the fluid repellant is added in an amount between 16 and 64 fluid ounces per one-hundred pounds of cloth (cwt.) for each cycle. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 11 , wherein the textiles comprise a material selected from a group consisting of: 100% polyester; 80/20 polyester/cotton blends; 65/35 polyester/cotton blends; and, 55/45 cotton/polyester blends. 
     
     
         16 . A process for improving at least one fluid repellant property of textiles, the process comprising:
 laundering textiles at an elevated temperature with an alkaline detergent; and,   adding a sour to the textiles during a sour stage; and   adding a fluid repellant during the sour stage, wherein at least one fluid repellant property of the textile is improved after the sour stage.   
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 16 , wherein the fluid repellant comprises a fluoropolymer-based fluid repellant. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 repeating the adding of the fluid repellant; and,   drying the textiles after repeating the adding of the fluid repellant at least two times.   
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the adding of fluid repellant is repeated at least three times. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the fluid repellant is added in an amount between 16 and 64 fluid ounces per one-hundred pounds of cloth (cwt.) for each time the fluid repellant is added.