WO2026019750A1

WO2026019750A1 - Articles having anti-blocking surface and method for preparing same

Info

Publication number: WO2026019750A1
Application number: PCT/US2025/037632
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mridula Nair
Original assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
Current assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
Priority date: 2024-07-18
Filing date: 2025-07-15
Publication date: 2026-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 2027-01-18

Abstract

An article is prepared to have a finished fabric with finished surfaces and a treatment on at least one of the finished surfaces, which treatment is a dry non-foamed aqueous composition applied as a flock substitute at 0.5-15 g/m². This flock improves anti-blocking and masks any tacky feel of the treated finished surface. The dry non-foamed aqueous composition includes: (i) hollow glass particles of 5-100 µm average particle size in an amount of 10-99 weight %, which hollow glass particles have an impact (crush) strength of >50 MPa; (ii) a water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder with a T_g of less than 25℃; (iii) a crosslinking agent if needed; and (iv) porous particles in an amount of less than 0.1 weight %. The weight ratio of the (i) hollow glass particles to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is from 1:5 to and including 10:1.

Description

ARTICLES HAVING ANTI-BLOCKING SURFACE AND METHOD FOR PREPARING SAME

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to articles having a flock substitute or alternative on an outer surface of a finished fabric provided by the presence of a non-foamed aqueous composition containing hollow glass particles. The articles can be obtained without the use of conventional flock on finished fabric surfaces but have many of the useful properties that conventional flock provides. This invention also relates to methods for making such articles with the flock substitute or alternative.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Finished (or “treated”) fabrics are textiles that have been chemically treated with one or more specialized coatings to provide various properties. The coatings used in this manner can provide a range of benefits to the textiles, including durability, fire resistance, and greater resistance to wear and tear. In addition, “environmental resistance” created in such finished fabrics can improve their resistance to chemicals, oils, UV radiation, scratches, and abrasions. Finished coatings on textiles can also make them water- and stain-resistant. Other benefits from such treatments can include antistatic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Such finished fabrics are used in many ways in diverse industries such as the furnishing and clothing, chemical materials, construction, aerospace, automotive, medical, marine, and manufacturing industries.

Materials used for coating finished fabrics include lacquers, varnishes, rubbers, plastic resins, or other substances that are well known in the art. For example, to provide a soft feel and touch instead of a rubbery feel of finished fabrics, they are often treated by applying what is known as “flock” on outer surfaces. The flocking process involves applying potentially millions of short monofilament fibers, usually composed of nylon, rayon, or polyester, directly onto an adhesive-like wet coating on a textile substrate prior to drying or curing. The diameter of individual flock strands is only a few thousandths of a centimeter and can have a length of from 0.25 mm to 5 mm. Such flocked fabrics are used for various purposes, both technical, functional, and decorative purposes, for example. Adhesive compositions that are sometimes used to adhere (or capture) flock fibers must have the same flexibility as the underlying fabric substrate.

The textile industry has been investigating improvements to flocking techniques for decades. For example, U.S. Patent 3,492,144 (Sheehan et al.) describes curling of the ends of long-sections of synthetic polymeric fibers before application to an adhesive composition to improve wear, feel, pile resiliency, and general appearance of the flock surface.

Flocked fabrics are also described in U.S. Patent 3,961,116 (Klein) in which an adhesive composition is applied to a front side of a loosely interlaced fabric substrate, which adhesive composition is allowed to migrate through that fabric substrate to the back side to which a backing layer can be adhered. Flock can be applied to the adhesive composition on the front side of the fabric substrate.

U.S. Patent 9,012,005 (Abrams) describes the application of flock to elastic or stretchable carrier sheets that also has an adhesive composition on each opposing side to which flock is applied.

While flocking and flocked fabrics have enjoyed considerable popularity and uses for many years, there is a desire to replace it in the textile industry because of numerous safety problems such as flammability in drying ovens (after flock is applied to an adhesive composition), risk of explosion due to combustibility of fine flock dust in operational environment, and high potential negative impact on human health (the flock fibers can be readily inhaled into the lungs), and on the working and general atmosphere. The small airborne fibers can land anywhere in an operations environment, requiring high intensity vacuums or other expensive removal devices. Because of the very small size of flock fibers, they can be readily sent airborne to be inhaled or deposited lengthy distances downwind, potentially entering humans, animals, waterways, and arable land, and thus, as well as potentially entering the food chain as highly undesirable “microplastics.” Thus, there are many technical, environmental, and health reasons to replace flock and flocking operations. The present invention is directed to solving these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an article consisting of: a finished fabric having two finished surfaces, and a treatment on at least one of the two finished surfaces in the form of a dry non-foamed aqueous composition disposed on at least one of the two finished surfaces as a flock substitute at a dry coverage of at least 0.5 g/m² and up to and including 15 g/m², and having an anti -blocking characteristic and masking any tacky feel of the finished fabric on the treated at least one of the two finished surfaces, the dry non-foamed aqueous composition comprising:

(i) hollow glass particles having an average particle size of at least 5 pm and up to and including 100 pm, that are present in an amount of at least 10 weight % and up to and including 99 weight %, based on the total weight of the dry non-foamed aqueous composition, the hollow glass particles having an impact strength of greater than 50 MPa;

(ii) a water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder that has a glass transition temperature of less than 25°C;

(iii) a crosslinking agent if it is needed to crosslink the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder; and

(iv) porous particles that are present in an amount of less than 0.01 weight %, if at all, based on the total weight of the dry non-foamed aqueous composition, wherein the weight ratio of the (i) hollow glass particles to the (ii) water- soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is from 1 :5 to and including 10: 1.

This invention also provides a method for providing an inventive article as described herein, this method comprising:

A) providing a finished fabric having two finished surfaces, and B) treating the one or both of the two finished surfaces by applying a non-foamed aqueous composition as a flock substitute directly to the finished fabric on one or both of the two finished surfaces to provide the flock substitute at a dry coverage of at least 0.5 g/m² and up to and including 15 g/m² per finished surface, to improve the anti -blocking characteristic of the one or both finished surfaces, and to mask any tacky feel of the finished fabric on the treated one or both of the two finished surfaces, wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition has at least 0.5% solids and up to and including 20% solids, and comprises the following components (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv):

(i) hollow glass particles having an average particle size of at least 5 pm and up to and including 100 pm, that are present in an amount of at least 0.25 weight % and up to and including 20 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition, the hollow glass particles having a crush strength of greater than 50 MPa;

(iv) porous particles that are present in an amount of less than 0.1 weight %, if at all, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition, wherein the weight ratio of the (i) hollow glass particles to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is from 1 : 5 to and including 10: 1.

The present invention provides a means for addressing the problems associated with the use of conventional flock in various industries.

The present invention provides articles that have an outer surface treatment that replaces the common flock treatments, but which provides outstanding feel and texture as well as various practical property improvements such as anti-blocking properties when the treated inventive articles are stacked or rolled up. Thus, an article provided according to the present invention can exhibit a good feel and other practical properties by using a surface treatment that does not require the less controllable, tedious, and potentially dangerous flocking operations. The present invention utilizes a flock alternative or substitute that comprises at least (i) hollow glass particles, and a specific type of (ii) water- soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder, as part of a non-foamed aqueous composition. This flock alternative can be applied to one or both finished surfaces of a finished fabric to mask any tacky feel of the finished fabric on the treated surface, and to provide a number of other useful properties including the anti-blocking feature noted above.

BRIEF DISCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. l is a schematic cross-sectional view of an article prepared according to the present invention, the article comprising a finished fabric, and on only one opposing surface of the finished fabric, an adhesive composition, and a dry non-foamed aqueous composition disposed on the adhesive composition, wherein both the adhesive composition and the dry non-foamed aqueous composition cover the entire opposing surface of the fabric.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment prepared according to the present invention, similar to the embodiment of FIG. 1, but in which an adhesive composition and disposed dry non-foamed aqueous composition are present entirely on both of the two opposing surfaces of the finished fabric and cover both of the two opposing surfaces in entirety.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an embodiment prepared according to the present invention in which the article comprises a finished fabric, and on only one opposing surface of the finished fabric, a dry nonfoamed aqueous composition is disposed directly on the opposing surface and covers the entire opposing surface of the finished fabric.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of still another embodiment prepared according to the present invention in which a disposed dry non-foamed aqueous composition is present on both of the two opposing surfaces of the finished fabric and cover both of the two opposing surfaces in entirety. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Definitions

Glass transition temperatures of the organic polymers used to prepare the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binders described below, can be measured using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) using known equipment such as Differential Scanning Calorimeters available from TA Instruments and appropriate procedures, for example a ramp up rate of 10°C/minute. For many commercially available water- soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binders, the glass transition temperatures are known from commercial suppliers or manufacturers.

Uses

The method of the present invention can be used to prepare various inventive articles comprising “finished” fabrics having the properties described herein. The outer surfaces (also known as “finished surfaces”), and particularly the “back” opposing surface of the articles of the present invention can be designed with desired texture, feel, and appearance without the use of flock. Such articles can be used as, for example, to make privacy curtains and window treatments, room dividers, cubicle curtains, banners, liners for various containers, upholstery, and other uses that would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. Such articles can optionally have images of various types on one or more outer surfaces (such as the “face” or observable opposing surface) using various imaging means including but not limited to screen printing, gravure printing, inkjet printing, and thermal imaging (such as “dye sublimation thermal transfer”).

Fabrics

A finished fabric used as the basic substrate in making the articles (also identified herein as “product articles”) of the present invention can be woven or non-woven textiles or laminates of textiles with other materials, and they can have any desirable size, shape, or surface roughness that would be useful for a given use of the product article. For example, some woven textiles can be composed of woven fiberglass or woven synthetic or naturally-occurring fibers. Such fibers can also be tinted if desired by a textile manufacturer.

For example, fabrics that can be used in the practice of the present invention can be generally prepared by appropriate fashioning or weaving of continuous yams, using known procedures, into woven textiles (or woven textile structures) of any desired width and length. In some embodiments, however, the present invention can be useful to provide articles using woven textiles that are woven from coated yarns comprising one or more fiberglass fibers in the cores.

Useful yarns for making woven textiles can also be prepared using suitable extrusion techniques known in the art. A composite yam can be prepared to have a core of a continuous yarn fiber and a coated sheath disposed coaxially around that core as described for example in U.S. Patent 6,032,454, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Other compositions used to make composite yarns for preparing useful woven textiles are described in U.S. Patent Application Publications 2020- 0172744 (Brick et al.), 2020-0173099 (Nair et al.), and 2020-0173067 (Sedita et al.).

Woven textiles useful in the present invention can be prepared by appropriate weaving or other manufacturing processes using a plurality of composite (or non-composite) yams. For example, a yarn can be subjected to warping, weaving, tentering, and finishing processes or operations to obtain a formed finished fabric of any size or shape. Alternatively, the yarn can be woven, interlocked, spun, knitted, or adhesively-bonded using techniques known in the art. Details about such processes are provided in [0072] through [0076] of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0052900 (Jung et al.).

Non-woven textiles are also useful in the practice of this invention. Non-woven fabrics can be composed of a blended or nonblended fabric and can be considered as spunlaced non-woven fabrics (or tanglefaced non-woven fabrics). Spunlaced non-woven fabrics are generally textile fabrics consisting of fibers entangled in a predetermined pattern to form a strong, unbonded structure. Thus, such non-woven fabrics can be typically in the form of fabrics composed of fibers locked into place by fiber interaction, thereby providing a cohesive structure without the need for chemical binders or fiber fusing.

Useful non-woven fabrics can be formed from naturally-occurring fibers, synthetic fibers, or mixtures of naturally-occurring fibers and synthetic fibers. Alternatively, an outer surface can be covered by suitable means with a colorless continuous or discontinuous layer to provide a desired protective finish, or anti-microbial or soil release properties. In many instances, the image formed in this manner, for example, on an outer surface, is not visible or discernible from the other outer surface of the laminated decorative article. Polyester fibers are particularly useful, especially for spunlaced non-woven fabrics. In additions, blends of one or more naturally-occurring fibers and synthetic fibers can be used.

“Finishing” of one or both opposing surfaces of untreated woven or nonwoven textiles in the industry can be accomplished using known aqueous coating compositions and procedures to provide one or more properties or chemistries to the one or both opposing surfaces. Common textile finishes include functional finishes, performance finishes, chemical or wet finishes, and mechanical finishes. For example, finishing can be carried out using known processes and chemicals to incorporate flame retardants, abrasion resistance, airholding properties, sound abatement, soil release agents, antimicrobial agents, water repellency agents, and antistatic agents into the woven or nonwoven textiles (for example, on one or both opposing surfaces or throughout the woven or nonwoven textile). The incorporation of one or more flame retardants into the woven or nonwoven textiles is particularly desirable for the finished fabrics, as is common in the textile industry. The compositions and amounts of such flame retardants would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art.

Adhesive Compositions

In some embodiments of the present invention, one or more opposing surfaces of the finished fabrics can be treated with an adhesive composition, for example, using a spraying technique described in more detail below. For example, an adhesive composition can be applied to one or both finished surfaces of an otherwise finished fabric just prior to application of the non-formed aqueous composition described below. Such adhesive compositions can be foamed or non-foamed. If they are nonfoamed, they may be more easily provided by spraying onto the one or both opposing surfaces.

Useful adhesive compositions would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art and include such materials that are often used for adhering flock materials to fabrics. Adhesive compositions can be described as “aqueous-based,” “solvent-based,” or “curable” adhesive compositions. Aqueous-based acrylic adhesive compositions are particularly useful. Useful adhesive compositions should have several properties that would facilitate the application of non-foamed aqueous compositions thereto, such as being film-forming, have sufficient adhesive properties so that the applied non-foamed aqueous compositions are not readily dislodged after application and drying, and does not significantly alter the hand or appearance of the fabric in most cases. The adhesive compositions can be clear in color, or they can have any desirable tint with the presence of suitable tinting compounds.

Aqueous-based adhesive compositions generally comprise one or more polymeric binder materials such as an emulsion polymer, and a viscosity builder. They can also include plasticizers, thermosetting resins, curing catalysts, stabilizers, tinting compounds, and other additives known in the art for this purpose. Emulsion polymers can include acrylic polymers composed of one or more acrylic esters or methacrylic esters; polyurethanes, and styrene-based homopolymers and copolymers.

Further details of such adhesive compositions are described in U.S. Patent 3,961,116 (Klein). Commercial sources of useful adhesive compositions for finished fabrics include but are not limited to, Henkel Adhesives, Jowat Adhesives, Beacon Adhesives, and Bostik.

In many embodiments, one or more materials can be present in the non-foamed aqueous composition described below, to provide adhesive properties so that a separate adhesive composition need not be used to make the inventive articles. Such materials can be purposely incorporated for this purpose, or they may simply have multiple properties including adhesive properties. For example, the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binders described below may be chosen in composition and amount to also providing adhesive properties for the non-foamed aqueous compositions to suitably adhere to the one or both finished surfaces for the benefits of the present invention.

Non-foamed Aqueous Compositions

The non-foamed aqueous compositions used in the practice of the present invention are generally formulated to have at least 0.5% or at least 5% and up to and including 15% or up to and including 20%, solids.

It is essential that there be minimal air bubbles (or other gaseous voids) in the non-foamed aqueous compositions since air bubbles can reduce the uniformity of coating or application to a finished surface of a finished fabric. As noted below, to minimize or prevent foaming of the non-foamed aqueous composition in its wet formulation, it can include a water-soluble or water- dispersible defoaming agent or anti-foaming agent in an appropriate amount. In general, it is desired that the non-foamed aqueous composition, in its wet formulation, has a density greater than 0.9 g/cm³ or greater than 0.95 g/cm³.

In many embodiments, the non-foamed aqueous composition used according to this invention contains the following essential components, all defined below: (i) hollow glass particles; a (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder; and a (iii) crosslinking agent if it is needed to crosslink the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder. Mixtures of the (ii) and (iii) essential components can be used if desired.

In the inventive method described below used to prepare inventive articles, the non-foamed aqueous composition can provide an “anti-blocking” outer surface as well as desired texture or feel to that outer surface, thus replacing conventional flock normally used for that purpose. The dry non-foamed aqueous composition can exhibit, among other properties: a “release” function where the coefficient of friction between the dry non-foamed aqueous composition and any other solid surface is reduced allowing easy separation of the contacting surfaces; an anti -blocking function where microscopic protrusions or asperities of the (i) hollow glass particles help to minimize surface adherence between the dry non- foamed aqueous composition and any other solid surface by increasing the distance between the two contacting surfaces; an antimicrobial function if one or more antimicrobial agents are present; a tactile function where the non-foamed aqueous composition enhances the tactile experience (or “feel”) of the outer surface; an antistatic function to reduce static charge; and a soil resistance function to reduce potential soiling.

Useful (i) hollow glass particles in the non-foamed aqueous composition generally have an average particle size of at least 5 pm or of at least 20 pm, and up to and including 40 pm or up to and including 60 pm or even up to and including 100 pm. Average particle size can be determined by using known procedures and equipment to measure the largest diameter of a plurality of (i) hollow glass particles and determining an arithmetic average.

Useful (i) hollow glass particles can be made from different chemical types of glasses. This includes soda-lime borosilicate, alkali-free or fused silica, among other specialized glasses. Such materials can be obtained from various commercial sources or prepared using known procedures and starting materials. Each of the (i) hollow glass particles has a single void volume or cavity surrounded by a “shell” of glass. Such (i) hollow glass particles typically do not contain multiple voids or “pores” within the particle volume. The single void volume is generally spherical or ovate in shape, or even more irregular in shape, and the single void volume can be of the same or different shapes in all of the (i) hollow glass particles that are used. Examples of useful commercial materials of this nature include soda-lime-borosilicate hollow glass spheres from 3M Corporation that are available as a series of products for different applications, for example, the S series, K series, iM series, XLD series, and HGS series. The iM16K product (i) hollow glass particles is particularly desirable. Two or more types of (i) hollow glass particles can be used if desired as long as such mixture of hollow glass particles satisfies the features described herein.

The (i) hollow glass particles can have a density of at least 0.1 g/cm³ or of at least 0.4 g/cm³, and up to and including 0.7 g/cm³ or up to and including 0.8 g/cm³. It is also desirable that the (i) hollow glass particles have a crush strength of greater than 50 MPa, or even at least 80 MPa, as determined by measuring the isostatic crush strength of a large volume of the (i) hollow glass particles. The isostatic compression of the (i) hollow glass particles can be calculated using a modified version of ASTM standard D 3102-78: “Standard Practice for Determination of Isostatic Collapse Strength of Hollow Glass Microspheres and involves crushing large volume of microspheres at once instead of individual microspheres.” The vendor who measures and reports this crush strength uses a cutoff of 10% failure for their crush strength, meaning that the crush strength recorded is the pressure that occurs at a Vcoiiapse Fraction of 0.1.

The (i) hollow glass particles can be present in the non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 0.25 weight % or at least 5 weight %, and up to and including 15 weight % or up to and including 20 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation (that is, the wet composition). The corresponding amounts of the (i) hollow glass particles in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition present in the articles of the present invention is at least 10 weight % or at least 25 weight %, and up to and including 80 weight % or up to and including 99 weight %, all based on the total weight of the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

The non-foamed aqueous composition also comprises one or more (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binders, in which the (i) hollow glass particles and all other added components are dispersed. Each useful (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is designed and chosen to have good light stability and heat stability, and to generally have a T_g below 25°C (determined as described above) or a T_g of less than 0°C, or even a T_g of less than -10°C. As noted above, such (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymer(s) can also provide adhesive properties for the dry non-formed aqueous composition.

The (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder can be provided as an emulsion, dispersion, or in an aqueous solution, to form a film once applied and dried. Such materials can be self- crosslinkable or self-curing, or crosslinkable using a suitable (iii) crosslinking agent as described below and thus cured or crosslinked at least partially or wholly. Useful (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binders include but are not limited to, film forming polymers such as a partially hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, poly(vinyl alcohol), poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), cellulosic polymers (such as carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxymethyl cellulose), a polysaccharide, a poly(ethylene oxide), acrylamide polymers, polyester ionomers, gelatin or gelatin derivatives, gellan, starches, polyethylene imine, polyvinyl amine, and derivatives of these materials, fluorinated polymers such as fluorinated polyurethanes, polymers containing siloxane moieties, polyurethanes, urethane-acrylic copolymers, other acrylic polymers derived at least in part from one or more acrylic esters or methacrylic esters, styrene-acrylic copolymers, vinyl polymers, polyesters, or a combination of two or more of same or different types of these organic polymer binders. In some embodiments, chlorinated polymers are useful and such polymers include but are not limited to, vinyl chloride polymers (homopolymers or copolymers) and vinylidene chloride polymers (homopolymers or copolymers), each comprising pendant chloro groups in at least some recurring units along the polymeric chain.

Such (ii) organic polymeric binders are readily available from various commercial sources or prepared using known starting materials and synthetic conditions. For example, a useful material is a self-crosslinking copolymer derived from //-butyl acrylate, ethyl acrylate, and N-methylol acrylamide having a glass transition temperature (T_g) that is less than -5°C.

In some embodiments, a useful (ii) water-soluble or water- dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is a poly(vinyl alcohol), a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate), a cellulosic polymer, a poly(ethylene oxide), a poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), an acrylic polymer, an acrylamide polymer, a fluorinated polymer, a chlorinated polymer, a polymer containing siloxane moieties, gelatin or a gelatin derivative, a polysaccharide, a polyurethane, a polyester ionomer, or a combination of two or more of these recited polymeric materials.

The (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder can be present in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 5 weight % and up to and including 75 weight % or up to and including 90 weight %, based on the total dry non-foamed aqueous composition weight. Such materials can be present in the wet formulation of the non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 0.05 weight % or of at least 1 weight % or of at least 4 weight %, and up to and including 15 weight % or up to and including 20 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition wet formulation.

It is also possible to have a weight ratio of the (i) hollow glass particles to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder of from 1 :5 or from 1 :3 or even from 1 : 1, to and including 6: 1 or to and including 8: 1 or even to and including 10: 1.

It may be beneficial to chemically crosslink some (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binders, if they are crosslinkable, to improve non-foamed aqueous composition cohesiveness by including a suitable (iii) crosslinking agent. Such (ii) water-soluble or water- dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binders can be at least partially curable or crosslinkable and can be cured up to and including 100% of all potential curable or crosslinking sites upon activation by heat, radiation, or other known means. The identity and amount of a suitable (iii) crosslinking agent will depend on the choice of (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible organic polymeric binder and its reactivity with the (iii) crosslinking agent, the number of crosslinking sites available, compatibility with other nonfoamed aqueous composition components, and manufacturing constraints such as non-foamed aqueous composition formulation pot life, application means, and drying speed. In one embodiment, a crosslinked (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible filmforming organic polymeric binder includes a hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate polymer that can be crosslinked using an epichlorohydrin polyamide resin compound. The amount of suitable (iii) crosslinking agent in a particular nonfoamed aqueous composition would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. However, some of the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binders are self-crosslinking, and an incorporated (iii) crosslinking agent is not necessary.

Besides the essential (i) and (ii) components described above and the optional (iii) component, the non-foamed aqueous composition can further include one or more of a defoaming agent, an anti -foaming agent, a lubricant, a flame retardant, and a tinting agent, all of which are different from the (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv) components described herein. Details and examples of such optional addenda are provided in Cols. 22-26 of U.S. Patent 11,377,567 B2 (Nair et al.). Materials to provide adhesive properties can also be present, as described above.

It can be desirable to include a coating aid in the non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 0.01 weight % and up to and including 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition (that is, the wet formulation). The one or more coating aids (or wetting surfactants) can aid in the coating or deposition of the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation and will lower the surface tension of the nonfoamed aqueous composition formulation sufficiently to prevent edge- withdrawal, repellencies and other coating defects. Useful coating aids (or wetting surfactants) include but are not limited to, alkyloxy- or alkylphenoxypolyethers and polyglycidol derivatives and their sulfates, such as nonylphenoxypoly(glycidol) that are available from Olin Matheson Corporation; sodium octylphenoxypoly(ethyleneoxide) sulfate; organic sulfates and sulfonates, such as sodium dodecyl sulfate, sodium dodecyl sulfonate, sodium bis(2- ethylhexyl)sulfosuccinate (Aerosol OT); and alkyl carboxylate salts such as sodium decanoate.

If the non-foamed aqueous composition is to be disposed on a finished surface by spraying, coating aids (or wetting surfactants known in the art as spreading agents that are capable of reducing the surface tension substantially to aid in the formation of small drops) are desirably present. Examples of such coating aids are trisiloxanes like SILWET® L-77 and L-7608, and acetylenic diols such as SURFYNOL® 104 and SURFYNOL® 104A. Useful coating aids (wetting surfactants) generally have a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) number of at least 5, or more likely of at least 7. HLB is a known parameter used to define the hydrophilic and lipophilic properties and components of surface-active agents and can be determined using known methods and apparatus.

Useful thickeners that can be present in the non-foamed aqueous composition singly or in combinations are generally non-associative thickeners, to modify the viscosity, examples of which are alginin, guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, acrylic polymers that are alkali swellable, agar, carboxymethyl cellulose, pectin, or carrageenan. Particularly useful rheology modifiers are RHEOLATE® HX 6010 (Elementis), OPTIFLO®-T 1000 (BYK), RHEOVIS® PU 1214 (BASF), ACRYSOL® Gill (Dow Chemical Company), and Paragum (Royal Adhesives, Inc.). Such thickeners can be present in the wet formulation of the non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 0.001 weight % and up to and including 2 weight % or up to and including 10 weight %, based on the total weight of the wet formulation of the non-foamed aqueous composition.

It is important that the non-foamed aqueous compositions used according to the present invention contain little to no iv) porous particles, whether organic or inorganic in nature, which are known in the art. By “porous” particles, it is meant that the average porosity of the particles is at least 10 volume %. Such iv) porous particles that are intentionally omitted or kept to a minimum are those described for example, in U.S. Patents 8,110,628 (Nair et al.), 8,703,834 (Nair), 7,754,409 (Nair et al.), 7,887,984 (Nair et al.), 8,329,783 (Nair et al.), 8,252,414 (Putnam et al.), and 10,920,032 (Nair et al.). Particle porosity can be measured using the mercury intrusion technique using equipment and procedures that would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art of polymer and physical chemistry.

The amount of such iv) porous particles in the non-foamed aqueous compositions according to the present invention is less than 0.1 weight % or less than 0.01 weight % or even less than 0.001 weight %, and they can be completely absent (that is, 0 weight %), based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition (wet composition).

In the practice of the present invention, the presence of foam or entrained air in the non-foamed aqueous composition is generally undesirable and can significantly impact the outcome (for example, appearance and performance of the resulting coated fabric). To prevent foam and the problems it generates, and to keep the manufacturing process running smoothly, many embodiments of the non-foamed aqueous compositions of this invention include one or more defoaming agents. Thus, one or more defoaming agents or anti -foaming agents (or anti-foamants), or both defoaming agents and anti-foaming agents, can be present in a total amount of at least 0.01 weight % and up to and including 1 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous compositions according to the present invention. If present, these defoaming agents and anti-foaming agents are different from all of the i), ii), iii), iv) components described above, and other optional components described herein.

The chemistry of defoaming agents and anti-foaming agents is often similar, their main difference being timing of application. Defoaming agents can be used to control any existing foam in a non-foamed aqueous composition (“wet” composition) while anti-foaming agents can be used to prevent the formation of foam in a non-foamed aqueous composition (“wet” composition).

Typically, anti-foaming agents and defoaming agents are inert (or non-reactive) chemicals. Useful defoaming agents and anti-foaming agents include but are not limited to, liquids such as mineral oil, silicone, and/or hydrophobic polyol, and a hydrophobic solid, such as hydrophobic silica, ethylene-bis-stearamide, fatty acid, and/or fatty alcohol. For example, a useful defoaming agent is available as BYK® 022 from BYK Gardner.

It can also be desirable to include one or more flame retardants in the non-foamed aqueous compositions of the present invention to reduce the flammability of the resulting articles. Useful flame retardant materials are well known in the art, and include but are not limited to, oxygenated antimony compounds (such as antimony trioxide), hydrated metal oxides (such as hydrated alumina, magnesium, tin, zinc, and lead oxides, including alumina trihydrate); phosphorus- or nitrogen-containing flame retardant compounds (such as ammonium polyphosphates); melamine isocyanurate; derivatives or pentaerythritol and a melamine; ammonium molybdates; hydrated or non-hydrated zinc borates; and mixtures of two or more of these compounds. Specific examples of useful compounds are described in [0036]-[0043] of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0052900 (Jung et al.) and in U.S. Patent 6,032,454 (Damour et al.). In addition, biocides (that is, antimicrobial agents or antifungal agents) can be present in the non-foamed aqueous compositions to reduce or prevent growth of microorganisms and fungi in the resulting articles. Examples of such materials are well known and are commercially available from various sources.

Tinting agents can be present to provide a specific observable color, coloration, or hue in the resulting article, as long as the coloration is “light” in nature, which is having a low chroma value and visually appears to emit or reflect more light and having an L* of at least 60 or even of at least 75. Mixtures of tinting colorants can be present, and they can be different in composition and amounts. The desired coloration or hue can be obtained using specific tinting colorants and can be used in combination with other non-foamed aqueous composition components to offset or modify the original color and to provide more whiteness (or brightness) in the final “color” (or coloration) of the article.

It can also be useful to include one or more optical brighteners to increase the whiteness (brightness, L*, or “fluorescent” effect) of the final article. Optical brighteners are sometimes known in the art as “fluorescent whiteners” or “fluorescent brighteners.”

Dispersants and surfactants can be present in the non-foamed aqueous compositions (“wet” composition) to provide colloidal stability and prevent agglomeration of the particulate materials thereby ensuring storage stability (no viscosity instability, no separation) in the formulations, and as coating aids to provide good static control and dynamic surface tension reduction. Examples of useful dispersants include but are not limited to, COATOSIL® 77 nonionic organo-modified trisiloxane, DYNOL™ 604 acetylenic diol-based wetting agent, MAXXSPERSE® 3000 sodium polyacrylate, and water-soluble SOLSPERSE® 43000 polymeric dispersants.

The non-foamed aqueous compositions according to the present invention can be prepared by mixing the essential and optional components described above in a suitable aqueous medium (that is, predominantly water) using suitable mixers such as an overhead stirrer attached with a Cowles blade, impeller or turbine blade in order to break up any agglomerated particles and to create a stable suspension (or dispersion) of fine solids. Mixing should be carried out in a manner such that foaming or bubble formation is minimized, and the presence of the defoaming agents noted above can aid in this result also.

After application to a finished surface of a finished fabric and drying to form an article according to the present invention, the resulting dry nonfoamed coating generally has very little aqueous medium (such as water) left. That is, the residual amount of aqueous medium can be as little as 5 weight % or less, or even 1 weight % or less, based on the total weight of the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

The dry non-foamed aqueous composition can be present in an article of the present invention at a dry coverage of at least 0.5 g/m² or of at least 1 g/m² and up to and including 10 g/m² or up to and including 15 g/m².

Preparing Inventive Articles

Articles (“product articles”) prepared according to the present invention can be designed for various purposes as described above. To prepare these articles, a finished fabric as described above is provided [step A)], the finished fabric having two opposing surfaces that are understood to be finished surfaces, according to the inventive method.

If desired, prior to step B), a suitable adhesive composition (for example, as described above) can be formed essentially uniformly on one or both opposing surfaces of the finished fabric. Such adhesive composition can be provided using any suitable means, including a coating technique, and spraying using equipment and procedures that would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art, and especially to one skilled in the art of providing flock to a finished fabric.

Before or after treating the finished fabric with the non-foamed aqueous composition in step B), in a step C), it is possible to provide (for example, print) images or designs either on the applied non-foamed aqueous composition (described below) or on an opposing surface having no applied nonfoamed aqueous composition. Alternatively, the same or different image or design can be provided on both the applied non-foamed aqueous composition and an opposing surface having no applied non-foamed aqueous composition on one or both outer surfaces of the finished fabric using any suitable printing means such as inkjet printing or flexographic printing, thereby forming printed images of text, pictures, symbols, or combinations thereof. Such printed images or designs can be visible, or they can be invisible to the unaided eye (for example, using fluorescent dyes or other security images detectable only with certain readers).

A thermally printed image can be formed on one or both outer surfaces of a finished fabric at a suitable time in the manufacturing process, for example, by using a thermal (sublimable) dye transfer printing process (using heat and with or without pressure) from one or more thermal donor elements comprising a dye donor layer comprising one or more dye sublimation printable colorants. For example, a thermal colorant image can be obtained using one or more thermal dye patches with or without a thermal colorless (clear) patch. Useful details of such a process to make thermally printed images are provided in U.S. Patent 10,145,061 (Nair et al.).

With or without the provision of a separate adhesive composition on at least one of the two opposing surfaces of the fabric, in step B), the one or both finished surfaces are treated by applying a non-foamed aqueous composition as defined herein, as a flock substitute, directly to the one or both finished surfaces, to provide a dry coverage of at least 0.5 g/m² or of at least 2 g/m² or of at least 5 g/m², and up to and including 10 g/m² or up to and including 15 g/m² per finished surface. Once dried and optionally cured, the non-foamed aqueous composition can provide or improve the anti -blocking characteristic of the one or both finished surfaces, and to mask the tacky feel of the one or both finished surfaces. In some embodiments, a non-foamed aqueous composition is applied in step B) to both of the two opposing (or two finished) surfaces of the finished fabric.

The non-foamed aqueous composition is generally an aqueous dispersion (containing water as the predominant solvent, which is water of at least 60 weight % of the total of the solvents) comprising the various essential and optional components described above. The non-foamed aqueous composition can be provided by mixing the various essential and optional components in any suitable order in water and other water-miscible solvents using conventional mixing equipment and procedures. A skilled worker in chemistry would be able to determine the requisite proportions of various components of the non-foamed aqueous composition using routine experimentation, for a particular means of application.

For example, the non-foamed aqueous composition, as a wet nonfoamed aqueous composition formulation, can be disposed on a finished surface in step B) using any number of suitable application techniques such as uniformly or non-uniformly spraying, wrapped wire rod coating, rotary screen coating, air knife coating, screen printing, gravure coating or flexographic printing (or other offset coating techniques), reversed roll coating, slot coating, gap coating, blade coating, extrusion hopper coating, roll coating, slide coating, curtain coating, pad coating, and other techniques that would be readily apparent to one skilled in the art. For example, application of the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation can be carried out using an engraved flexible or non-flexible roller in an “anilox coating system” where the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation, usually of controlled viscosity, is deposited on the flexible or non- flexible roller. A doctor blade is used to meter excess fluid from the roller surface leaving just the measured amount of fluid in the engraved cells. The anilox roll then rotates to contact the finished surface of the finished fabric that receives the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation from the cells.

Alternatively, it can be desirable to apply the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation in a non-contact manner onto a finished surface using any suitable spray apparatus and system. There are several methods for spraying fluids that are known in the art and that can be used in the practice of this invention. These include compressed air spraying that converts the drops of the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation into a mist; electrostatic spray systems where application of electric field at the nozzle controls the drop size and the electric field between the drop of non-foamed aqueous composition formulation and the surface controls its deposition; ultrasonic spray systems where the ultrasonic energy can be used to create a mist of uniform drop size of the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation; and rotary spray that uses centrifugal force to atomize the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation. The most common spray technology uses fluid pressure and nozzle design to create non-foamed aqueous composition formulation drops of a desired size. In addition to controlling drop size, nozzle designs also include the geometry of an ensemble of drops exiting the nozzle. Such geometries include, for example, a cone, a fan (trapezoidal), or a jet. The choice of the geometry is selected based on the application method and depends upon the orientation between the spray nozzle and the finished fabric and whether the spray system is mobile, and the finished surface is stationary or vice versa or a combination of the two.

One desirable method of applying the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation according to the present invention is to use a stationary spray system with a moving finished surface. In this instance, the desired geometry of the ensemble of drops exiting a nozzle is that of a fan with the finished fabric moving perpendicular to the plane of the fan. When the finished surface width is larger than the width of the fan, multiple nozzles can be employed and spaced apart such that the overlapping sprays from adjacent nozzles creates a uniform coverage of drops across the width of the finished surface. In addition to using hydraulic pressure to disperse the drops, other mechanical forces such as nozzle pulsation, ultrasound, centrifugal force, or air currents, or a combination of two or three of these means, can be used to aid uniform distribution of the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation onto the finished surface. Another aspect of controlling the uniformity of depositing the non-foamed aqueous composition formulation is to control its properties, specifically its viscosity and surface tension, properties well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, for achieving desirable small drops, the viscosity and surface tension at the shear rates experienced at the nozzle should be as low as possible. Shearing thinning fluids are preferred such that the viscosity at the nozzle shear rates is as low as possible. In such embodiments, the nonfoamed aqueous composition formulation comprises a suitable coating aid (wetting surfactant), such as any low molecular weight surfactant that can lower the dynamic surface tension and provide the lowest surface tension. Useful surfactants for this purpose are based on silicones such as, for example, organo- modified trisiloxanes as well as other materials described above.

A uniformly distributed coating can be formed over (or directly on) the one or both finished surfaces (with or without an adhesive composition), or discontinuous applications can be made to provide regular or irregular patterns by spraying or other application techniques.

The applied non-foamed aqueous composition formulation can be dried by simple evaporation of water and any other solvents, to form the nonfoamed aqueous composition on one or both of the finished surfaces. This drying can be accelerated by known techniques such as convection heating including forced air or infrared heating, or other means that would be apparent to one skilled in the art. The drying can also be carried out or continued in any curing operation described as follows.

For example, curing the applied non-foamed aqueous composition can then be accomplished using heat or infrared radiation or other conditions to which the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder and crosslinking agents (if present) are responsive to crosslinking.

Further details of coating and drying techniques, in general, are described in Research Disclosure No. 308119, December 1989, pages 1007-1008 and in references cited therein. For example, curing of the applied non-foamed aqueous composition can be carried out at temperatures for example, of from at least 100°C and up to and including 160°C for suitable times.

In some embodiments, the non-foamed aqueous composition described herein can be applied to only one of the two finished surfaces, and the other finished surface is optionally adhered to a secondary substrate composed of any type of material, including the same or different fabric, polymeric film, formed plastic, paper, metal, or ceramic.

The resulting articles provided by the present invention can be cut to desired sizes, in any suitable manner, images or text can be printed thereon as described above for the finished fabrics, and the resulting articles can be packaged or used in any suitable manner. Some particular embodiments of the present invention can be further understood by referring to FIGS. 1-4. The same or similar components or features of the various articles are identified using the same reference numbers where possible. It is to be noted as described above that the adhesive compositions illustrated in FIGS. 1-2 may not be preferred and need not be present, and the dry non-formed aqueous compositions can be disposed directly on the one or both finished surfaces of the finished fabrics as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of article 10 according to the present invention, not to scale, comprising finished fabric 12 having finished surfaces 14 and 16. Disposed on finished surface 14 is separately coated or otherwise applied adhesive composition 18. Dry non-foamed aqueous composition 20 is disposed directly on adhesive composition 18. Dry non-foamed aqueous composition 20 comprises multiple (i) hollow glass particles 22 dispersed throughout the composition along with (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder(s) and other components that are not specifically identified in FIG. 1. Anti -blocking surface 24 provides an outer surface of article 10 and finished surface 16 provides an opposing outer surface of article 10.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention, not to scale, that is article 30 to which both finished surfaces 14 and 16 of finished fabric 12 are applied the same or different adhesive compositions 18 and 32, respectively. The same or different dry nonfoamed aqueous compositions 20 and 34 are applied to adhesive compositions 18 and 32, respectively, and they comprise the same or different multiple (i) hollow glass particles 22 and 36, respectively, dispersed throughout the compositions along with (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder(s) and other components that are not specifically identified in FIG. 2. Antiblocking surface 38 provides an outer surface of article 30 and anti -blocking surface 24 provides an opposing outer surface of article 30.

Referring to FIG. 3, the schematic cross-sectional view of article 40 is similar to article 10 in FIG. 1, and also not to scale, except a separate adhesive composition has not been applied to finished fabric 12 such that dry nonfoamed aqueous composition 20 comprising multiple (i) hollow glass particles 22 along with (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder(s) and other components that are not specifically identified, is disposed directly on finished surface 14 of finished fabric 12 to provide anti -blocking surface 24 that provides an outer surface, and finished surface 16 provides an opposing outer surface.

In FIG. 4, the schematic cross-sectional view of article 50 is shown similarly to FIG. 2, and also not to scale, except that separate adhesive compositions have not be applied such that the same or different dry non-foamed aqueous compositions 20 and 34 are disposed directly on finished surfaces 14 and 16 of finished fabric 12, respectively, to provide opposing anti -blocking surfaces 24 and 38, respectively. Each of dry non-foamed aqueous compositions 20 and 34 comprise the same or different multiple (i) hollow glass particles 22 and 36 dispersed throughout the compositions along with (ii) water-soluble or water- dispersible film-forming organic polymer binder(s) and other components that are specifically identified in FIG. 4.

The present invention provides at least the following embodiments and combinations thereof, but other combinations of features are considered to be within the present invention as a skilled artisan would appreciate from the teaching of this disclosure:

1. An article consisting of a finished fabric having two finished surfaces, and a treatment on at least one of the two finished surfaces in the form of a dry non-foamed aqueous composition disposed on at least one of the two finished surfaces as a flock substitute at a dry coverage of at least 0.5 g/m² and up to and including 15 g/m², and having an anti -blocking characteristic and masking any tacky feel of the finished fabric on the treated at least one of the two finished surfaces, the dry non-foamed aqueous composition comprising:

2. The article of embodiment 1, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 25 weight % and up to and including 80 weight %, based on the total weight of the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

3. The article of embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the dry nonfoamed aqueous composition further comprises one or more of a defoaming agent, an anti-foaming agent, a lubricant, a flame retardant, and a tinting agent, all of which are different from all of the components (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv).

4. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles have an average particle size of at least 20 pm and up to and including 60 pm.

5. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition have a density of at least 0.1 g/cm³ and up to and including 0.8 g/cm³.

6. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the (iv) porous particles are completely absent from the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

7. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition in relation to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder at a weight ratio of from 1 :3 to and including 8: 1.

8. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition in relation to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder at a weight ratio of from 1 : 1 to and including 6: 1.

9. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is a poly(vinyl alcohol), a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate), a cellulosic polymer, a polyethylene oxide), a poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), an acrylic polymer, an acrylamide polymer, a fluorinated polymer, a chlorinated polymer, a polymer containing siloxane moieties, gelatin or a gelatin derivative, a polysaccharide, a polyurethane, a polyester ionomer, or a combination of two or more of these recited polymeric materials.

10. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is an acrylic polymer, a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate), a chlorinated polymer, and a combination of two or more of these recited polymeric materials.

11. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is an acrylic polymer derived at least from one or more (meth)acrylates and N-methylol (meth) aery 1 ami de .

12. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the nonfoamed aqueous composition further comprises a coating aid.

13. The article of embodiment 12, wherein the coating aid has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance number of at least 7.

14. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the dry non-foamed aqueous composition has a density greater than 0.9 g/cm³.

15. The article of any embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the dry non-foamed aqueous composition further comprises a thickener.

16. The article of embodiment 15, wherein the thickener is xanthan gum. 17. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 16, wherein the finished fabric is a woven fabric, optionally comprising one or more flame retardants.

18. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 17, wherein the finished fabric comprises woven fiberglass.

19. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the finished fabric comprises woven tinted fibers.

20. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 19, further comprising a design either on the dry non-foamed aqueous composition or on a finished surface of the finished fabric having no dry non-foamed aqueous composition, or on both the dry non-foamed aqueous composition and the finished surface of the finished fabric having no dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

21. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 20, further comprising an adhesive composition that is disposed on only one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric and underneath the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

22. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 21, further comprising an adhesive composition disposed over the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

23. The article of any of embodiments 1 to 22, wherein the dry non-foamed aqueous composition is disposed on only one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric, and the other finished surface is in contact with a secondary substrate.

24. A method for providing an article of any of embodiments 1 to 23, the method comprising:

A) providing a finished fabric having two finished surfaces, and

B) treating the one or both of the two finished surfaces by applying a non-foamed aqueous composition as a flock substitute directly to the finished fabric on one or both of the two finished surfaces to provide the flock substitute at a dry coverage of at least 0.5 g/m² and up to and including 15 g/m² per finished surface, to improve the anti -blocking characteristic of the one or both finished surfaces, and to mask any tacky feel of the finished fabric on the treated one or both of the two finished surfaces, wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition has at least 0.5% solids and up to and including 20% solids, and comprises the following components (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv):

25. The method of embodiment 24, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 5 weight % and up to and including 15 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition, and the (i) hollow glass particles have an average particle size of at least 20 pm and up to and including 60 pm.

26. The method of embodiment 24 or 25, wherein the nonfoamed aqueous composition further comprises a coating aid in an amount of at least 0.01 weight % and up to and including 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition.

27. The method of any of embodiments 24 to 26, wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition further comprises a thickener. 28. The method of any of embodiments 24 to 27, further comprising:

C) providing a design either on the applied non-foamed aqueous composition or on a finished surface of the finished fabric having no applied nonfoamed aqueous composition, or on both the applied non-foamed aqueous composition and on the finished surface of the finished fabric having no applied non-foamed aqueous composition.

29. The method of any of embodiments 24 to 28, wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition is applied to only one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric.

30. The method of any of embodiments 24 to 29, further comprising providing an adhesive composition on at least one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric.

31. The method of any of embodiments 24 to 30, further comprising after step B), applying an adhesive composition over the applied nonfoamed aqueous composition.

32. The method of any of embodiments 24 to 31, comprising step B) applying the non-foamed aqueous composition to both finished surfaces of the finished fabric.

33. The method of any of embodiments 24 to 32, wherein step B) comprises spraying the non-foamed aqueous composition onto the one or both finished surfaces of the finished fabric.

PARTS LIST

10 article

12 finished fabric

14 finished surface 16 finished surface

18 adhesive composition

20 dry non-foamed aqueous composition

22 (i) hollow glass particles

24 anti-blocking surface 30 article

32 adhesive composition

34 dry non-foamed aqueous composition

36 (i) hollow glass particles

38 anti-blocking surface 40 article

50 article

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An article consisting of: a finished fabric having two finished surfaces, and a treatment on at least one of the two finished surfaces in the form of a dry non-foamed aqueous composition disposed on at least one of the two finished surfaces as a flock substitute at a dry coverage of at least 0.5 g/m² and up to and including 15 g/m², and having an anti -blocking characteristic and masking any tacky feel of the finished fabric on the treated at least one of the two finished surfaces, the dry non-foamed aqueous composition comprising:

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 25 weight % and up to and including 80 weight %, based on the total weight of the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

3. The article of claim 1 or 2, wherein the dry non-foamed aqueous composition further comprises one or more of a defoaming agent, an antifoaming agent, a lubricant, a flame retardant, and a tinting agent, all of which are different from all of the components (i), (ii), (iii), and (iv).

4. The article of any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles have an average particle size of at least 20 pm and up to and including 60 pm.

5. The article of any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition have a density of at least 0.1 g/cm³ and up to and including 0.8 g/cm³.

6. The article of any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the (iv) porous particles are completely absent from the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

7. The article of any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition in relation to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder at a weight ratio of from 1 :3 to and including 8: 1.

8. The article of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the dry non-foamed aqueous composition in relation to the (ii) water-soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder at a weight ratio of from 1 : 1 to and including 6: 1.

9. The article of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the (ii) water- soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is a poly(vinyl alcohol), a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate), a cellulosic polymer, a polyethylene oxide), a poly(vinyl pyrrolidone), an acrylic polymer, an acrylamide polymer, a fluorinated polymer, a chlorinated polymer, a polymer containing siloxane moieties, gelatin or a gelatin derivative, a polysaccharide, a polyurethane, a polyester ionomer, or a combination of two or more of these recited polymeric materials.

10. The article of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the (ii) water- soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is an acrylic polymer, a partially hydrolyzed poly(vinyl acetate), a chlorinated polymer, and a combination of two or more of these recited polymeric materials.

11. The article of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the (ii) water- soluble or water-dispersible film-forming organic polymeric binder is an acrylic polymer derived at least from one or more (meth)acrylates and N-methylol (meth) aery 1 ami de .

12. The article of any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the nonfoamed aqueous composition further comprises a coating aid.

13. The article of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the dry nonfoamed aqueous composition has a density greater than 0.9 g/cm³.

14. The article of any of claims 1 to 13, wherein the dry nonfoamed aqueous composition further comprises a thickener.

15. The article of any of claims 1 to 14, wherein the finished fabric is a woven fabric, optionally comprising one or more flame retardants.

16. The article of any of claims 1 to 15, wherein the finished fabric comprises woven fiberglass.

17. The article of any of claims 1 to 16, further comprising a design either on the dry non-foamed aqueous composition or on a finished surface of the finished fabric having no dry non-foamed aqueous composition, or on both the dry non-foamed aqueous composition and the finished surface of the finished fabric having no dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

18. The article of any of claims 1 to 17, further comprising an adhesive composition that is disposed on only one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric and underneath the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

19. The article of any of claims 1 to 18, further comprising an adhesive composition disposed over the dry non-foamed aqueous composition.

20. The article of any of claims 1 to 19, wherein the dry nonfoamed aqueous composition is disposed on only one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric, and the other finished surface is in contact with a secondary substrate.

21. A method for providing an article of any of claims 1 to 20, the method comprising:

A) providing a finished fabric having two finished surfaces, and

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the (i) hollow glass particles are present in the non-foamed aqueous composition in an amount of at least 5 weight % and up to and including 15 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition, and the (i) hollow glass particles have an average particle size of at least 20 pm and up to and including 60 pm.

23. The method of claim 21 or 22, wherein the non-foamed aqueous composition further comprises a coating aid in an amount of at least 0.01 weight % and up to and including 5 weight %, based on the total weight of the non-foamed aqueous composition.

24. The method of any of claims 21 to 23, wherein the nonfoamed aqueous composition further comprises a thickener.

25. The method of any of claims 21 to 24, further comprising: C) providing a design either on the applied non-foamed aqueous composition or on a finished surface of the finished fabric having no applied nonfoamed aqueous composition, or on both the applied non-foamed aqueous composition and on the finished surface of the finished fabric having no applied non-foamed aqueous composition.

26. The method of any of claims 21 to 25, wherein the nonfoamed aqueous composition is applied to only one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric.

27. The method of any of claims 21 to 26, further comprising providing an adhesive composition on at least one of the two finished surfaces of the finished fabric.

28. The method of any of claims 21 to 27, further comprising after step B), applying an adhesive composition over the applied non-foamed aqueous composition.

29. The method of any of claims 21 to 28, comprising step B) applying the non-foamed aqueous composition to both finished surfaces of the finished fabric.

30. The method of any of claims 21 to 29, wherein step B) comprises spraying the non-foamed aqueous composition onto the one or both finished surfaces of the finished fabric.