UV Resistant Fabrics and Treatment Methods

Abstract

UV protective fabrics and methods of making UV protective fabrics having ferulic acid and/or ferulic acid derivatives such as ethyl ferulate, including soaking the fabric in an aqueous solution of ferulic acid and/or a ferulic acid derivative, removing the fabric from the aqueous solution, and drying the soaked fabric. The aqueous solution may optionally include one or more surfactants. The ferulic acid and/or ferulic acid derivatives may provide UVA protection such as a UVA transmission of less than 5% and improved UPF such as a UPF of 50 or more, including fabrics which may have a dye, without changing the color of the fabric.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a fabric to provide UV protection, the method comprising:
 soaking the fabric in an aqueous solution of ferulic acid and/or a ferulic acid derivative;   removing the fabric from the aqueous solution; and   drying the soaked fabric.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous solution comprises ferulic acid and wherein the aqueous solution is at a temperature of between about 25 degrees C. to about 90 degrees C. during the soaking step. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the aqueous solution is at a temperature of between about 75 degrees C. and about 90 degrees C. during the soaking step. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous solution comprises ethyl ferulate and wherein the aqueous solution is at a temperature of between about 25 degrees C. and about 130 degrees C. during the soaking step. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the aqueous solution is at a temperature of between about 100 degrees C. and about 130 degrees C. during the soaking step. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous solution further comprises one or more surfactants, the one or more surfactants together have a hydrophilic lipophilic balance (HLB) of between about 14 and about 20. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the aqueous solution comprises a ferulic acid derivative comprising sinapic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, p-coumaric acid, and/or ethyl hexyl ferulate. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the drying the soaked fabric comprises heating the soaked fabric at a temperature of between about 80 degrees C. and about 180 degrees C. 
     
     
         9 . A UV protective fabric comprising a fabric having fibers with ferulic acid and/or a ferulic acid derivative absorbed by the fabric fibers, wherein the UV protective fabric protective fabric has a UVA transmittance of less than 5%. 
     
     
         10 . The UV protective fabric of  claim 9 , wherein the UV protective fabric is created by the process comprising:
 soaking a fabric in an aqueous solution of ferulic acid and/or a ferulic acid derivative;   removing the fabric from the aqueous solution; and   drying the soaked fabric;   wherein the UV protective fabric has a UPF of about 50 or more.   
     
     
         11 . The fabric of  claim 10  wherein the aqueous solution comprises ferulic acid or ethyl ferulate and one or more surfactants having an HLB of between about 13 and about 20. 
     
     
         12 . The fabric of  claim 10  wherein the aqueous solution further comprises a dye, and wherein the UV protective fabric has a color produced by the dye wherein the color is not affected by the ferulic acid or ferulic acid derivative. 
     
     
         13 . The fabric of  claim 9  wherein the fabric has ferulic acid absorbed by the fabric fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The fabric of  claim 9  wherein the fabric has ethyl ferulate absorbed by the fabric fibers. 
     
     
         15 . The fabric of  claim 9  wherein the fabric comprises a polyester blend. 
     
     
         16 . The fabric of  claim 9  wherein the fabric comprises a garment. 
     
     
         17 . The fabric of  claim 9  wherein the fabric has a color and wherein the color is unchanged by ferulic acid and/or ferulic acid derivative absorbed by the fabric fibers. 
     
     
         18 . A method of treating a fabric to provide UV protection, the method comprising:
 soaking the fabric in an aqueous solution at a temperature of between about 25 degrees C. and about 130 degrees C. for between about 5 minutes and about 30 minutes, the aqueous solution comprising ferulic acid and/or a ferulic acid derivative and one or more surfactants having an HLB of between about 10 and about 20;   removing the fabric from the aqueous solution; and   drying the soaked fabric at a temperature of between about 80 degrees C. and about 180 degrees.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the aqueous solution comprises ferulic acid, wherein the HLB of the one or more surfactants is between about 14 and about 20, and wherein the temperature of the aqueous solution is between about 75 degrees C. and about 90 degrees C. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the aqueous solution comprises ethyl ferulate and wherein the temperature of the aqueous solution is between about 100 degrees C. and about 130 degrees C.