Fabrics in general and nonwoven fabrics in particular are used for a wide variety of applications from baby wipes and diapers to automobile covers. These applications call for materials having diverse properties and attributes. Some applications call for fabrics which are highly wettable, i.e. quickly allow liquids to pass through them, e.g. liners for diapers and feminine hygiene products, and soft, while others require strength, e.g. protective fabrics like car and boat covers. It is the latter class of products with which this invention is concerned, specifically, materials which have some barrier properties and which hold up well when exposed to the elements in outdoor usage.

It has been found that the cause of much of the damage, e.g. decline in tensile strength, to outdoor materials is ultraviolet radiation or UN light. While a number of improvements and advancements have been made in the field of outdoor fabrics, ultraviolet radiation is still a significant problem in terms of reducing the useful life of such a web when exposed to sunlight for extended periods. For example, car covers from nonwoven materials which provide acceptable lifetimes have been developed through extensive testing and experimentation. However, covers for marine applications in particular have had short lifetimes because of the large percentage of time that they are exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Extending the lifetime of fabrics for outdoor use, including as covers for automobiles and boats and other marine uses, would be of great utility.

It is therefore an objecr of this invention to provide a fabric coated with a material having an ultraviolet radiation resistant component wherein such material provides ultraviolet radiation protection to the fabric. It is a further object of this invention to provide a marine fabric having an acceptably long lifetime. It is yet another objective of this invention to provide a nonwoven laminate which will be resistant to UN light for periods of time exceeding those of presently known products in order to help maintain the tensile strength of nonwoven fabrics.

SUMMARY

There is herein provided a coated fabric having improved ultraviolet radiation stability comprising a fabric having outer surfaces and a cured, water-based coating mixture on at least one of the outer surfaces which is comprised of latex polymer and ultraviolet radiation stabilizer. The mixture may also contain a cure promoter and a viscosity modifier. The mixture may be applied to the fabric as an aqueous mixture with a pre-cure pH adjusted to above 8 using a fugitive alkali, a pre-cure viscosity of between about 500 and 1000 centipoise, and then cured at a temperature below the fabric's melting temperature.

RRTFF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) picture of a nonwoven fabric which has been coated with the coating of the present invention. The magnification of the photograph is 80X. This picture shows the spunbond layer having the coating in the top area, the finer fiber meltblown layer below the upper spunbond layer, and part of the other outer spunbond layer in the bottom of the picture.

Figure 2 is an SEM picture of a nonwoven fabric which has been coated with the coating of the present invention. The magnification of the photograph is 250X. This picture clearly

shows the penetration of the coating slightly into the spunbond layer, completely encasing some upper fibers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION DEFINITIONS

As used herein the term "nonwoven fabric or web" means a web having a structure of individual fibers or threads which are interlaid, but not in an identifiable manner as in a knitted fabric. Nonwoven fabrics or webs have been formed from many processes such as for example, meltblowing processes, spunbonding processes, and bonded carded web processes. The basis weight of nonwoven fabrics is usually expressed in ounces of material per square yard (osy) or grams per square meter (gs ) and the fiber diameters useful are usually expressed in microns. (Note that to convert from osy to gsm, multiply osy by 33.91) .

As used herein the term " icrofibers" means small diameter fibers having an average diameter not greater than about 75 microns, for example, having an average diameter of from about 0.5 microns to about 50 microns, or more particularly, microfibers may have an average diameter of from about 2 microns to about 40 microns. Another frequently used expression of fiber diameter is denier, which is defined as grams per 9000 meters of a fiber. For example, the diameter of a polypropylene fiber given in microns may be converted to denier by squaring, and multiplying the result by 0.00629, thus, a 15 micron polypropylene fiber has a denier of about 1.42 (15 ² X 0.00629 = 1.415). As used herein the term "spunbonded fibers" refers to small diameter fibers which are formed by extruding molten thermoplastic material as filaments from a plurality of fine, usually circular capillaries of a spinnerette with the diameter of the extruded filaments then being rapidly reduced as by, for example, in U.S. Patent no. 4,340,563 to Appel et al., and U.S. Patent no. 3,692,618 to Dorschner et al., U.S. Patent no. 3,802,817 to Matsuki et al., U.S. Patent nos. 3,338,992 and

3,341,394 to Kinney, U.S. Patent no. 2,502,763 to Hartman, U.S. Patent 3,502,538 to Levy, and U.S. Patent no. 3,542,615 to Dobo et al. Spunbond fibers are generally not tacky when they are deposited onto a collecting surface. Spunbond fibers are generally continuous and often have diameters larger than 7 microns, more particularly, between about 10 and 20 microns.

As used herein the term "meltblown fibers" means fibers formed by extruding a molten thermoplastic material through a plurality of fine, usually circular, die capillaries as molten threads or filaments into converging high velocity gas (e.g. air) streams which attenuate the filaments of molten thermoplastic material to reduce their diameter, which may be to microfiber diameter. Thereafter, the meltblown fibers are carried by the high velocity gas stream and are deposited on a collecting surface to form a web of randomly disbursed meltblown fibers. Such a process is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Patent no. 3,849,241. Meltblown fibers are microfibers which may be continuous or discontinuous, are generally smaller than 10 microns in diameter, and are generally tacky when deposited onto a collecting surface.

As used herein the term "polymer" generally includes but is not limited to, homopolymers, copolymers, such as for example, block, graft, random and alternating copolymers, terpolymers, etc. and blends and modifications thereof. Furthermore, unless otherwise specifically limited, the term "polymer" shall include all possible geometrical configuration of the material. These configurations include, but are not limited to isotactic, syndiotactic and random symmetries.

As used herein the term " onocomponent" fiber refers to a fiber formed from one or more extruders using only one polymer. This is not meant to exclude fibers formed from one polymer to which small amounts of additives have been added for coloration, anti-static properties, lubrication, hydrophilicity, etc. These additives, e.g. titanium dioxide for coloration, are generally present in an amount less than 5 weight percent and more typically about 2 weight percent.

As used herein the term "conjugate fibers" refers to fibers which have been formed from at least two polymers extruded from separate extruders but spun together to form one fiber. Conjugate fibers are also sometimes referred to as multicomponent or bicomponent fibers. The polymers are usually different from each other though conjugate fibers may be monocomponent fibers. The polymers are arranged in substantially constantly positioned distinct zones across the cross-section of the conjugate fibers and extend continuously along the length of the conjugate fibers. The configuration of such a conjugate fiber may be, for example, a sheath/core arrangement wherein one polymer is surrounded by another or may be a side by side arrangement or an "islands-in-the-sea" arrangement. Conjugate fibers are taught in U.S. Patent 5,108,820 to Kaneko et al., U.S. Patent 5,336,552 to Strack et al., and U.S. Patent 5,382,400 to Pike et al. For two component fibers, the polymers may be present in ratios of 75/25, 50/50, 25/75 or any other desired ratios.

As used herein the term "biconstituent fibers" refers to fibers which have been formed from at least two polymers extruded from the same extruder as a blend. The term "blend" is defined below. Biconstituent fibers do not have the various polymer components arranged in relatively constantly positioned distinct zones across the cross-sectional area of the fiber and the various polymers are usually not continuous along the entire length of the fiber, instead usually forming fibrils or protofibrils which start and end at random. Biconstituent fibers are sometimes also referred to as multiconstituent fibers. Fibers of this general type are discussed in, for example, U.S. Patent 5,108,827 to Gessner. Conjugate and biconstituent fibers are also discussed in the textbook Polymer Blends and Composites by John A. Manson and Leslie H. Sperling, copyright 1976 by Plenum Press, a division of Plenum Publishing Corporation of New York, IBSN 0-306-30831-2, at pages 273 through 277.

As used herein the term "blend" means a mixture of two or more polymers while the term "alloy" means a sub-class of

blends wherein the components are immiscible but have been compatibilized. "Miscibility" and "immiscibility" are defined as blends having negative and positive values, respectively, for the free energy of mixing. Further, "compatibilization" is defined as the process of modifying the interfacial properties of an immiscible polymer blend in order to make an alloy.

As used herein, through air bonding or "TAB" means a process of bonding a nonwoven conjugate fiber web which is wound at least partially around a perforated roller which is enclosed in a hood. Air which is sufficiently hot to melt one of the polymers of which the fibers of the web are made is forced from the hood, through the web and into the perforated roller. The air velocity is between 100 and 500 feet per minute and the dwell time may be as long as 6 seconds. The melting and resolidification of the polymer provides the bonding. Through air bonding has restricted variability and is generally regarded a second step bonding process. Since TAB requires the melting of at least one component to accomplish bonding, it is generally restricted to conjugate webs though it may be used with adhesive webs also.

As used herein, thermal point bonding means a process of bonding which involves passing a fabric or web of fibers to be bonded between a heated calender roll and an anvil roll. This method of bonding is quite common. In thermal point bonding, the calender roll is usually patterned in some way so that the entire fabric is not bonded across its entire surface. As a result, various patterns for calender rolls have been developed for functional as well as aesthetic reasons. One example is the expanded Hansen Pennings pattern with about a 15% bond area with about 100 bonds/square inch as taught in U.S. Patent 3,855,046 to Hansen and Pennings. Another common pattern is a diamond pattern with repeating and slightly offset diamonds.

As used herein, the term "machine direction" or MD means the length of a fabric in the direction in which it is produced, i.e., the direction of travel of the forming wire onto which spunbond and meltblown fabrics are typically formed.

The term "cross machine direction" or CD means the width of fabric, i.e. a direction generally .rpendicular to the MD.

As used herein, the term "marine fabric" means fabric which may be used in a service which is primarily on boats or otherwise in proximity to water, such as curtains for boats boat covers, boat seat material and cover material, bimini top material, covers for various boat equipment, e.g. crank covers, sail covers, engine covers and steering wheel covers, and other marine applications.

As used herein, the term "protective cover" means a cover for vehicles such as cars, trucks, boats, airplanes, motorcycles, bicycles, golf carts, etc., covers for equipment often left outdoors like grills, yard and garden equipment (mowers, roto-tillers, etc.) and lawn furniture, as well as floor coverings, table cloths and picnic area covers.

TEST METHODS

Hydrohead: A measure of the liquid barrier properties of a fabric is the hydrohead test. The hydrohead test determines the pressure of water (in millibars) which the fabric will support before a predetermined amount of liquid passes through. A fabric with a higher hydrohead reading indicates it has a greater barrier to liquid penetration than a fabric with a lower hydrohead. The hydrohead test is performed according to Federal Test Standard No. 191A, Method 5514, dated July 20, 1978.

Tensile: The tensile strength of a fabric may be measured according to the ASTM test D-1682-64. This test measures the strength in pounds and elongation in percent of a fabric. The results are expressed in pounds to break and percent stretch before breakage. Higher numbers indicate a stronger, more stretchable fabric. The term "load" means the maximum load or force, expressed in units of weight, required to break or rupture the specimen in a tensile test. The term "strain" or "total energy" means the total energy under a load versus elongation curve as expressed in weight-length units. The term

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BAD ORIGINAL tf

"elongation" means the increase in length of a specimen during a tensile test. One particular type of tensile test is the Modified Strip Tensile or Modified Zero Span test. In this test a 1 inch (25 mm) by 4 inch (102 mm) sample is placed between clamps with a 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) separation and pulled apart at a rate of 2 inches/minute (51 mm/min.) using a dynamometer, such as for example, an Instron Model TM available from the Instron Corporation, 2500 Washington St., Canton, MA 02021, or a Thwing-Albert Model INTELLECT II available from the Thwing-Albert Instrument Co. , 10960 Dutton Rd. , Phila. , PA 19154, or a Sintech 2/S using Testworks software available from Sintech, a division of MTS Systems Corporation, 1001 Sheldon Dr., Cary, NC 27513. Test results are given in pounds.

DISCUSSION

Fabrics for outdoor use suffer from degradation from ultraviolet radiation or UV light which results in a drop of in the tensile strength of the fabric. The hydrohead of the fabric also drops off, though liquid barrier properties are less important in the applications to which the coated fabric of this invention will be put. The primary interest and objective of this invention is to maintain the tensile strength of fabrics. Nonwovens fabrics in particular are generally made from thermoplastic polymers, the most common thermoplastics for this application being polyolefins, particularly polypropylene and polyethylene and copolymers and blends thereof. Other materials such as polyesters, polyetheresters, polyamides and polyurethanes are also used to form nonwoven fabrics.

Various methods have been developed to protect fabrics from ultraviolet radiation. For nonwovens, one method is to add a UN absorber to the nonwoven material to absorb UV light and minimize the damage to the fabric. Another method is to add a hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) to the nonwoven material. HALS stops the radicals generated in the polymer of the nonwoven by the ultraviolet radiation and thereby stop the

damage to the fabric they would otherwise cause. Both of these methods involve the compounding of the UV resistant material into the polymer during manufacture of the polymeric object. A drawback of this method of protecting the nonwoven is that since the UV light falls on the surface of the material, evenly distributing the UV absorber or HALS throughout the polymer results in relatively little UV protectant material on the surface of the fabric where it is most needed.

Yet another method of protecting a fabric is to cover it with a film of a UV absorbing polymer. A film coating for a fabric has the advantage of allowing all of the UV protectant to be located on the outside surface of the fabric where it is most needed. This method also avoids the problem of compatibility of the UV protectant with the polymer of the nonwoven fabric, which may be a problem when the two are mixed.

One example of a film for covering fabrics is available from the Monsanto Company, 800 No. Lindbergh Blvd. , St. Louis,

MO 63167. This material is sold under the trade name

SORBALITE* polymeric UN blockers (e.g. SORBALITE* 154B) as a water based latex containing 43 weight percent of active ingredient and which can be cast into a film. The exact chemical identification of SORBALITE* polymer is a trade secret of Monsanto.

Monsanto recommends a SORBALITE ^® UV blocker film thickness of about 2 microns. The inventors have found that, unfortunately, such a film is quite difficult to produce commercially. They have also found that such a thin film, when applied to a nonwoven or woven fabric, does not adhere well to the fabric's surface. These fabric's surfaces are quite rough and do not provide a good substrate upon which to adhere a film, especially such a thin one. As a result, the inventors have found an alternative, and, they believe, superior method of application.

The inventors have found that a coating containing a small amount of a UN blocker provides a surprisingly great amount of

UN stability to a fabric. Such a coating is not a film, because of the drawbacks experienced with such a method of

application as discussed above. Instead, the stabilizing coating is applied to the fabric as a latex polymer based liquid which is applied as evenly as possible across the surface of the fabric and which penetrates slightly into the surface. The coating of this invention also provides extra abrasion resistance to the fabric due to its penetration down into the fabric's surface.

The penetration slightly into the surface of the fabric is clearly shown in the SEM pictures, Figures 1 and 2, and is in contrast with the teachings of U.S. Patent 5,370,132. U.S. Patent 5,370,132 requires a topical liquid repellent treatment prior to applying a liquid barrier coating in order to maintain the coating in a film-like condition, i.e., without penetration into the fabric, to form an impervious barrier. No such topical treatment may be used in the practice of the instant invention and such an impervious barrier is not formed.

Samples were prepared in order to prove the efficacy of the instant invention with a coating at three concentrations of UN blocker, one control without UV stabilizer and one control without a coating.

The fabric onto which the UN blocker containing latex solution was coated in the samples was in the form of 5 inch by

12 inch (130 mm by 305 mm) sheets. The fabric used in the tests was formed from layers as follows: A spunbond layer having a basis weight of 85 gsm formed from polypropylene designated PF-305 by the Himont

Corporation of Wilmington, Delaware, 1.25 weight percent of

Chimassorb ^® 944 FL hindered amine light stabilizer, available from the Ciba-Geigy Corporation of Hawthorne, New York, and pigment in an amount of 2 weight percent.

Two meltblown layers, each having a basis weight of 17 gsm and formed from PF-015 polypropylene, a 1 weight percent Chimassorb ^® 944 FL hindered amine light stabilizer, and 2 weight percent pigment. A second spunbond layer having a basis weight of 44 gsm and formed from polypropylene designated PF-305 by Himont,

1.25 weight percent Chimassorb ^® 944 FL hindered amine light stabilizer, and 2 weight percent pigment.

These layers were ultrasonically bonded to form the laminate. None of the layers included internal fluorocarbon additives. This material has served well when used for car covers but suffers from degradation from UV light upon long term exposure.

There is no constraint on the basis weight or components of the fabric used in the practice of this invention, therefore, other fabrics may be used in the practice of this invention such as a bonded carded web, woven fabrics, spunbond fabrics or meltblown fabrics alone and the fabrics may also be made from conjugate or biconstituent fibers. Such fabrics may be a single layer embodiment or as a component of a multilayer laminate such as that used in the test and may be formed by a number of different laminating techniques including but not limited to using adhesive, needle punching, thermal point bonding, through air bonding and any other method known in the art. An SMMS laminate like that used in the examples, may have a basis weight for example, between 68 and 105 gsm for the first spunbond layer, a basis weight of between about 10 and 25 gsm for each meltblown layer and a basis weight of between 27 and 60 gsm for the last spunbond layer. The layer may, for example, contain from 0.5 to 2.5 weight percent of a hindered amine light stabilizer and between 0.25 and 5 weight percent of pigment.

Other multilayer laminates may, for example, be an embodiment wherein some of the layers are spunbond and some meltblown such as a spunbond/meltblown/spunbond (SMS) laminate as disclosed in U.S. Patent no. 4,041,203 to Brock et al. and U.S. Patent no. 5,169,706 to Collier, et al or a SFS (spunbond, film, spunbond) construction. An SMS laminate may be made by sequentially depositing onto a moving forming belt first a spunbond fabric layer, then a meltblown fabric layer and last another spunbond layer and then bonding the laminate in a manner described above. Alternatively, the fabric layers may

be made individually, collected in rolls, and combined in a separate bonding step. The fabric of this invention may also be laminated with, glass fibers, staple fibers, paper, and other web materials, provided, however, that the outer surface of the laminate onto which the coating is to be applied is a nonwoven fabric.

The nonwoven meltblown fibers or the film used in an intermediate layer may be made from non-elastomeric polymers such as polypropylene and polyethylene or may be made from an elastomeric thermoplastic polymer.

Elastomeric thermoplastic polymer may be those made from styrenic block copolymers, polyurethanes, polyamides, copolyesters, ethylene vinyl acetates (EVA) and the like. Generally, any suitable elastomeric fiber or film forming resins or blends containing the same may be utilized to form the nonwoven webs of elastomeric fibers or elastomeric film.

Commercial examples of such elastomeric copolymers are, for example, those known as KRATON ^® materials which are available from Shell Chemical Company of Houston, Texas. KRATON* block copolymers are available in several different formulations, a number of which are identified in U.S. Patent 4,663,220, hereby incorporated by reference.

Other exemplary elastomeric materials which may be used to form an elastomeric layer include polyurethane elastomeric materials such as, for example, those available under the trademark ESTANE ^® from B. F. Goodrich & Co., polyamide elastomeric materials such as, for example, those available under the trademark PEBAX ^® from the Rilsan Company, and polyester elastomeric materials such as, for example, those available under the trade designation HYTREL ^® from E. I. DuPont De Nemours & Company.

In the samples, UV radiation stabilizer was added to a latex polymer base. A cure promoter was added in order to allow curing of the coating at temperatures below that which would melt the polymer of the nonwoven web which generally includes polypropylene. The curing process is triggered by the loss of a fugitive alkali which was also part of the

formulation. Alternatively, latex polymers with internal :uring agents may be used. A viscosity modifier was also part of the formulation.

An acceptable latex polymer system for use in this invention must be compatible with the UV blocker and generally have a saturated hydrocarbon backbone. They must be able to be crosslinked at room temperature or at slightly elevated temperatures, must be stable to ambient weather conditions and produce a flexible coating. The latex polymer coating may also be elastic. Examples include polymers of ethylene vinyl acetates, ethylene vinyl chlorides, acrylates, and styrene- acrylate copolymers. Such latex polymers generally have a Tg in the range of -15 to +20 °C One such suitable latex polymer composition is known as HYCAR ^® 26084 from the B.F. Goodrich Company of Cleveland, OH. Other suitable latexes include HYCAR ^® 2671, 26445 and 26469 from Goodrich, RHOPLEX ^® B-15, HA- 8 and NW-1715 from Rohm & Haas and DUR-O-SET ^® E-646 from National Starch & Chemical Co. of Bridgewater, N.J.

An acceptable UV blocker for use in this invention must block most of the UN radiation which impinges on it and must not be fugitive. One suitable UN blocker is the SORBALITE* polymer mentioned above.

An acceptable cure promoter for use in this invention must cause or result in the crosslinking of the latex polymer in the coating to give it excellent water resistance properties, e.g. , to rain and sea water exposure. Acceptable cure promoters allow the latex based coating to cure at room temperature or slightly above so that the nonwoven web does not need to be heated to a temperature at which it may begin to melt in order to cure the latex. The preferred cure promoter becomes active at a pH which is neutral or acidic, therefore the composition must be kept at a pH of above 8 during mixing and application. The pre-cure pH is kept above 8 by the use of a fugitive alkali such as, for example, ammonia. Fugitive alkalis remain in solution until driven off by heating. The loss of the alkali causes a drop in the pH of the composition which triggers the action of the cure promoter. One such suitable cure promoter

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is known as XAMA'*'-7 and is available commercially from the B.F. Goodrich Company of Cleveland, OH.

An acceptable viscosity modifier for use in this invention must have thickening properties with Newtonian flow characteristics. One such suitable viscosity modifier is known as ACRYSOL ^® RM-8 and is available from the Rohm & Haas Company of Philadelphia, PA.

It is also possible to add pigments, colorants or other additives to the coating as well, however, it is important that any other additives not interfere with the UN blocking properties of the coating, and indeed some additives may enhance or add to the properties of the coating.

For the samples, the aqueous coating was prepared by adding the indicated amount of viscosity modifier to warm water and pouring this mixture into the latex. The pH was then adjusted with a fugitive alkali, in this case ammonia, to about 8.7. The UN blocker was then added and the pH rechecked and adjusted if necessary. Lastly, the cure promoter was added and the viscosity was checked and adjusted with viscosity modifier if necessary, to a final pre-cure viscosity of about 800 centipoise. The viscosity was tested using a Brookfield viscometer running at 30 rpm with a number 3 spindle.

The ingredients were mixed in a 1200 ml stainless steel beaker and lightly stirred with a stainless steel spatula. The particular ingredients used were HYCAR ^® 26084, SORBALITE ^® 154B, XAMA ^® -7, and ACRYSOL ^® RM-8, ammonia and water.

The levels of each ingredient in four different samples, A through D, were as shown in Table 1 in units of grams. The first column of Table 1 is the weight percent of Total Solids (T.S.) in the ingredient as used.

TABLE 1 T.S, A B C D

Latex 49.5 404 606 606 606

Viscosity Modifier 7 142 213 213 213 Cure promoter 100 10 15 15 15 UN Blocker 43 0 15.7 32 66 water 0 178 273 280 296

After preparation, the A through D mixtures were coated onto the heavier basis weight side of the laminate using a number 32 Mayer rod, though any other effective method known to those skilled in the art such as spraying or dipping and squeezing may be used. The coated nonwoven was dried in an air circulation oven at about 107"C for 3 minutes and cured at room temperature for about 30 minutes. The coated weight of all dried and cured sample coatings ranged from 50 to 58 gsm.

The amount of coating on a fabric in the practice of this invention will depend on a number of factors such as the smoothness of the fabric, which is related to the thread count, and the UV stability or susceptibility of the fabric. The amount of coating to be used in each instance would be the amount of coating which confers ultraviolet stability on the subject fabric. A practical overall range for the coating on fabric would be a dry weight of from 25 to 100 gsm. More coating could probably be used in any case but any amount beyond that needed to meet the ultraviolet stability requirements of the fabric would be superfluous. The samples were then exposed, coated side out, to solar ultraviolet radiation or light by way of open air southern exposure at an angle of 45* in Miami, Florida. The samples were tested every other month using the Modified Strip Tensile test for strength and for hydrohead on occasion. The tensile results of the exposure are shown in Table 2 and the hydrohead results are shown in Table 3. The samples on the left hand side of the tables correspond to the samples in Table 1, with the addition of a sample E which is a sample of the same fabric without any coating at all. The first data column is the initial tensile (I.T.) strength and the initial hydrohead (I.H.) in Tables 2 and 3 respectively. The months are then shown across the top of Tables 2 and 3 and the property measured is given as percent retention of the original property.

TABLE 2

Sample I.T. 0 2 4 6 8

A 35 100 83 91 91 94

B 30 100 109 82 108 106

C 31 100 108 95 86 92

D 32 100 110 93 79 94

E 26 100 102 86 95 99

TABLE 3

Sample I.H. 0 2. 4 6 8 _.

A 67 100 NA NA 29 19

B 70 100 NA NA 45 30

C 73 100 NA NA 43 43

D 71 100 NA NA 59 40

E 82 100 NA NA 14 6

Note that the coating according to this invention does not improve either the initial tensile strength or the initial hydrohead of the fabric. The primary object of this invention was the prolongation of the retention of tensile strength upon exposure to UN radiation, not an improvement in tensile or barrier properties.

While the above results are not striking for tensile strength, the comparison of hydrohead for sample A and especially sample E versus the samples containing the UN blocker show improved retention of this property with the UV blocker, e.g. at least 40 percent retention of the original hydrohead after 6 months. The inventors believe the tensile strength will show a similar improvement due to the UV blocker, however, more time would be needed to show such a result. It is believed that when the ability of the UV blocking coating wanes, the fabric will then experience its normal life expectancy. Thus, the UN blocking coating will have extended the life of the fabric significantly.

While the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that

numerous variations, modifications and changes of the invention may be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the following claims. Such other embodiments may include, for example, a nonwoven laminate embodiment wherein all of the nonwoven layers are elastic and the latex coating is elastic as well.