Sweat resistant gas protective material

Claim 1

A method of minimizing the adverse effect of sweat and sebum on a laminated fabric material comprising an air- and water vapor-permeable open cell flexible polyurethane foam resistant to passage therethrough of noxious chemicals in liquid or vapor form, said foam being bonded to an air- and water vapor-permeable fabric backing, said foam having dispersed therein particulate activated carbon adsorbent material for the noxious chemicals, which particulate adsorbent material is bonded in said foam by an organic binder substantially free from substance which would substantially deactivate said adsorbent material, and an air- and water vapor-permeable fabric backing to which the foam is bonded, which method comprises: impregnating the adsorbent material with a first liquid organic polymeric water- and oil-repellent substance containing a high proportion of perfluorocarbon chains, said repellant substance being compatible with said organic binder and being of a type which does not reduce to any significant extent the adsorptive capacity of said adsorbent, said impregnating occurring by mixing as an aqueous dispersion said activated carbon adsorbent material and said repellant substance; applying said aqueous dispersion of activated carbon adsorbent material and repellant substance to the laminated fabric material thereby impregnating the adsorbent material within the foam; drying the impregnated laminated fabric material; dissolving in an organic solvent a second organic polymeric water- and oil-repellant substance, different from said first substance, but also containing a high proportion of perfluorocarbon chains, being compatible with the organic binder, and being of a type which does not reduce to any significant extent the adsorptive capacity of the adsorbent; and applying the organic solvent-repellent solution to the dried impregnated laminated fabric material.

Claim 2

A method of minimizing the adverse effect of sweat and sebum on a laminated fabric material comprising an air- and water vapor-permeable open cell flexible polyurethane foam resistant to passage therethrough of noxious chemicals in liquid or vapor form, said foam being bonded to an air- and water vapor-permeable fabric backing, said foam having dispersed therein particulate activated carbon adsorbent material for the noxious chemicals, which particulate adsorbent material is bonded in said foam by an organic binder substantially free from substance which would substantially deactivate said adsorbent material, and an air- and water vapor-permeable fabric backing to which the foam is bonded, which method comprises: impregnating the adsorbent material with a first liquid organic polymeric water- and oil-repellent substance containing a high proportion of perfluorocarbon chains, said repellant substance being compatible with said organic binder and being of a type which does not reduce to any significant extent the adsorptive capacity of said adsorbent, said impregnating occurring by mixing as an aqueous dispersion said activated carbon adsorbent material and said repellant substance; applying said aqueous dispersion of activated carbon adsorbent material and repellant substance to the laminated fabric material thereby impregnating the adsorbent material within the foam; drying the impregnated laminated fabric material; dissolving in an organic solvent a second organic polymeric water- and oil-repellant substance, different from said first substance, but also containing a high proportion of perfluorocarbon chains, being compatible with the organic binder, and being of a type which does not reduce to any significant extent the adsorptive capacity of the adsorbent; and applying the organic solvent-repellent solution to the dried impregnated laminated fabric material.