US-20260124826-A1 - HIGH ENERGY PROTECTIVE LAMINATES

US20260124826A1US 20260124826 A1US20260124826 A1US 20260124826A1US-20260124826-A1

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to flame retardant laminates that can be used to make flame retardant textiles and flame retardant garments. The laminates described herein allow the use of non-flame retardant textiles to produce the flame retardant laminates. This use of non-flame retardant textile can provide laminates that can be much lighter in weight, more comfortable against the skin, more breathable, more durable, produced in a wider array of colors, have better moisture management properties, mechanical strength, and more environmentally friendly than flame retardant laminates that use inherently flame retardant textiles.

Inventors

Mustafa Arifoglu
Bernd Zischka
Miguel Calixto

Assignees

W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES, INC.
W. L. GORE & ASSOCIATES GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20231002

Claims (17)

1 . A laminate comprising: a) a first textile layer; b) a first layer of a heat reactive material; c) a carrier layer; d) a second layer of a heat reactive material; and e) a second textile layer; wherein the first and second layers of heat reactive material each independently comprise a polymer resin and expandable graphite; wherein the first layer of heat reactive material is between the first textile layer and the carrier layer and the second layer of heat reactive material is between the carrier layer and the second textile layer.
2 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein each layer of heat reactive material is independently applied in a continuous manner or a discontinuous manner.
3 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein each layer of heat reactive material is in a form of a pattern of discontinuous dots, lines or grids.
4 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and the second layer of heat reactive material comprises a flame retardant material.
5 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein the first textile layer and the second textile layer each comprise at least one meltable fiber.
6 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein the first textile layer comprises a combination of meltable fibers and nonmeltable fibers including a percentage by weight of the nonmeltable fibers that is in a range of from 1 to 99% and a percentage by weight of the meltable fibers that is in a range of from 1 to 99%, wherein the percentages by weight are based on a total weight of the fibers in each textile layer.
7 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein the layers a) and c) are bonded to each other using the first layer of heat reactive material and the layers c) and e) are bonded to each other using the second layer of heat reactive material.
8 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein the first layer of heat reactive material covers greater than or equal to 25% of a surface of the first textile layer.
9 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein the second layer of heat reactive material covers greater than or equal to 25% of a surface of the second textile layer.
10 . The laminate of claim 1 wherein the expandable graphite expands at least about 900 micrometers upon heating to about 280° C., as measured in a TMA expansion test.
11 . The laminate of claim 1 , wherein the carrier layer comprises fluoropolymer, polyimide, silicone, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), expanded PTFE (ePTFE) or a combination thereof.
12 . The laminate of claim 1 , wherein the laminate further comprises one or more additional layers of heat reactive material and textile layers, wherein each subsequent additional layer is positioned adjacent to the textile layer.
13 . The laminate of claim 1 , wherein the second textile comprises meltable fibers and is considered a non-meltable/no-drip textile according to a melting and thermal stability test.
14 . A method of forming the laminate of claim 1 , comprising; i) adhering the first textile layer to the carrier layer with the first heat reactive material to form a precursor laminate; and ii) adhering the precursor laminate to the second textile layer with the second heat reactive material.
15 . The use of the laminate of claim 1 to increase thermal protective performance of an article comprising the laminate against an arc discharge of up to 100 cal/cm2.
16 . An article comprising the laminate of claim 1 .
17 . The article of claim 16 , wherein the article is a garment.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure relates to light weight protective laminates comprising multiple textile layers. In particular, the protective laminates can provide protection from flash fires and the discharge of an electric arc. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE In order to reduce injuries, protective laminates and clothing is desired for professional working in hazardous environments where short duration exposure to flames or electric arc flash is possible. Protective gear for workers exposed to these conditions should provide some enhanced protection to allow the wearer to get away from the hazard quickly and safely, rather that repair the hazard. Traditionally, garments that provide protection from an exposure to a short duration flash fire or an electrical flash are relatively heavy and require multiple layers, each layer providing an additional level of protection against the heat from the exposure. Such garments are made with multiple layers of comprising non-combustible, non-melting fabric made of, for example, aramids, polybenzimidazole (PBI), poly p-phenylene-2,6-benzobisoxazole (PBO), modacrylic blends, polyamines, carbon, polyacrylonitrile (PAN), and blends and combinations thereof. These fibers may be inherently flame resistant and are often used in the firefighting community but have several limitations. Specifically, in order to achieve the desired level of protection, relatively heavy weight, bulky fabrics are required. Typically, these fabrics can have a basis weight in excess of 400 grams per square meter. The fibers used to form these fabrics may be very expensive, difficult to dye and print, and may not have adequate abrasion resistance. Additionally, these fibers pick up more water and offer unsatisfactory tactile comfort as compared to nylon or polyester based fabrics. For optimum user performance in environments with a potential arc flash exposure, a lightweight, breathable, water resistant garment with enhanced burn protection may be desired. The is a continuing need for waterproof, flame resistant (FR), arc flash resistant, protective clothing that minimizes or eliminates the use of typical non-combustible, non-melting fabric textiles such as those used in firefighting community. SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE In a first embodiment, the present disclosure relates to laminates comprising a) a first textile layer; b) a first layer of a heat reactive material; c) a carrier layer; d) a second layer of heat reactive material; and e) a second textile layer. In the embodiments described herein, the first and second layer of heat reactive material each independently comprise a polymer resin and expandable graphite. Additionally, the first layer of heat reactive material is located between the first textile layer and the carrier layer and the second layer of heat reactive material is located between the carrier layer and the second textile layer. In a second embodiment, each layer of heat reactive material is independently applied in a continuous manner or a discontinuous manner. In any of the previous embodiments, each layer of the heat reactive material can be in the form of a pattern of discontinuous dots, lines or grids. In any of the previous embodiments, at least one of the first and the second layer of heat reactive material comprises a flame retardant additive. In any of the previous embodiments, the first textile layer, comprises or consists essentially of meltable fibers. In any of the previous embodiments, the first textile layer comprises or consists essentially of nonmeltable fibers. In any of the previous embodiments, the first textile layer comprises or consists essentially of a mixture of meltable and nonmeltable fibers. In any of the previous embodiments, the first textile layer can comprise in the range of from 0% to 100% meltable fibers, based on the total weight of the meltable and nonmeltable fibers in the first textile layer. In other embodiments, the first textile layer can comprise in the range of from greater than 0% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 0.5% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 1% to 100%, or from 1% to 99% meltable fibers, or from 3% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 5% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 10% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 20% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 25% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 30% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 35% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 40% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 50% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 60% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 70% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 80% to 100% meltable fibers, or from 90% to 100% meltable fibers. In other embodiments, the first textile comprises a combination of meltable and nonmeltable fibers in the range of from 1 to 99% nonmeltable fibers and from 1 to 99% meltable fibers, wherein the percentages by weight are based on the total weight of the fibers in the first textile layer. Each of the percentages are based on the total weight of the fiber