| WO/2017/031129 | WEARABLE HEAT FLUX DEVICES AND METHODS OF USE |
| JP3923674 | COOLING GEL SHEET KIT AND USE OF THE SAME |
| WO/1996/034572 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETECTION OF LEAKS IN SURGICAL DRAPES |
WILLIAMS JOHN (GB)
MEADOWS DAVID (GB)
CHALKLEY GARY (GB)
| WO2012161870A1 | 2012-11-29 | |||
| WO2022043405A1 | 2022-03-03 |
| US4889135A | 1989-12-26 | |||
| US20220112663A1 | 2022-04-14 | |||
| US20030124315A1 | 2003-07-03 | |||
| US20150513195A1 | ||||
| US20220064860A1 | 2022-03-03 |
| Claims 1 . A blanket comprising a dissolvable polymer layer, wherein the dissolvable polymer layer is metalised. 2. The blanket according to claim 1 , wherein the polymer layer is compostable, biodegradable and marine safe. 3. The blanket according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the polymer layer is at least 15% stronger than polyethylene. 4. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the blanket comprises a metal that is fully recoverable. 5. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the blanket is configured to provide at least a 97% heat reflection property. 6. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the polymer layer is configured to dissolve at around 70 degrees Celsius. 7. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the polymer layer is configured to dissolve within 10 weeks in a marine environment. 8. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the polymer layer comprises polyvinyl alcohol. 9. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the blanket is gas impermeable. 10. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the blanket is microbe static. 11. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the blanket comprises a foil. 12. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the blanket comprises aluminium. 13. The blanket according to claim 12, further comprising an aluminium oxide layer between the polymer layer and the aluminium. 14. The blanket according to any preceding claim, wherein the blanket is configured to be used in sports, leisure, crisis and healthcare applications. 15. An emergency blanket that is fully recyclable. |
Technical Field
The present disclosure generally relates to biodegradable emergency blankets.
Background
Emergency blankets have historically been made of biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate, developed in the 1950’s, which is a polyester film made from stretched polyethylene terephthalate, then metallised with aluminium, giving heat reflective properties. The polyester film is not biodegradable or recyclable.
Patent documents US201515513195, WO-2022043405-A1 , and US2022064860 (A1) describe relevant prior art.
The present disclosure provides improvements over the prior art.
Summary of the invention
In a first independent aspect, disclosure is provided of a blanket comprising a dissolvable polymer layer. The dissolvable polymer layer is metalised. The blanket is configured to serve as an emergency blanket. Environmental benefits of the blanket include the blanket being compostable and recyclable. In a second independent aspect there if provided an emergency (foil) blanket that is fully recyclable.
In a dependent aspect the blanket comprises a polymer that is dissolvable, compostable, biodegradable and marine safe and is at least 15% stronger than polyethylene.
In a further dependent aspect, the polymer is metallised, for example utilising a conventional metallisation process. Advantageously this provides a 97% heat reflection property, with the aluminium fully recoverable.
Aspects of these disclosure can be applied in sports, leisure, crisis and healthcare applications, amongst others.
Detailed description
An emergency foil blanket that is fully recyclable.
The emergency blanket comprises a polyvinylalcohol polymer base and aluminium.
The aluminium thickness may be 2.0-2.5 OD. ~28-45nm, for example.
Advantageously, the polyvinylalcohol polymer base dissolves at around 70° leaving only the aluminium for recycling.
A polyvinylalcohol polymer base aluminium has a heat reflective surface.
Preferably the heat reflection is 97% or more.
Advantageously, the polyvinylalcohol polymer dissolves into harmless marine safe minerals and CO2.
In a marine environment the polymer dissolves within 10 weeks.
The emergency blanket may be gas impermeable.
The polyvinylalcohol polymer is preferably microbe static i.e. pathogens neither grow nor die on the surface.
The thickness of a polyvinylalcohol polymer film may be 10-15p.
A polyvinylalcohol polymer base may be metallised by the disposition of aluminium on the surface. Aluminium may be deposited on surface of polyvinylalcohol polymer base.
An aluminium oxide layer may be located between the surface of aluminium and polyvinylalcohol polymer base and also on the surface of the aluminium.
The polyvinylalcohol polymer base may be manufactured as blown film from pellets, for example.
In an example, the polyvinylalcohol polymer meets the following specifications: a. Determination of biobased content: CEN/TS 16137; ASTM D6866 b. Compostability: EN 14995; EN13432; ASTM D6400; ISO 17088; AS4736; ISO18606; ASTM D6868 c. Anaerobic Digestion: ISO 15985; ASTM D5511 d. Soil: ISO 17556 e. Freshwater: ISO 13975; EN14987 f. Landfill: ASTM D 5526 g. Aerobic waste water and sewage sludge: EN14851 ; EN14852 h. Anaerobic wastewater: EN14853 i. Marine: ASTM D6691 ; OK Marine; ISO 18830 (floating); ISO 19679 (sediment) j. Recycling: ISO 15270 Guidelines for the recovery and recycling of plastics waste k. Plastic waste: EN15347