Water and oil repellent masonry treatments

Abstract

The present invention provides a water-soluble and shelf-stable aqueous fluorochemical polymeric treatment useful to treat porous substrates to render them repellent to water- and oil-based stains. The treatment comprises a water-soluble or dispersible fluorochemical polymer containing only carbon atoms in the backbone, with a plurality of each of the following groups pendent from the backbone: (a) fluoroaliphatic groups, (b) carboxyl-containing groups, (c) silyl groups and optionally (d) other non-hydrophilic groups. Because the water-soluble polymeric treatment of the present invention, and the shelf-stable aqueous solutions thereof, can be applied to porous substrates in aqueous solution, they eliminate the need for environmentally harmful and toxic co-solvents. Particularly when applied to masonry and other siliceous materials, these polymeric treatments can react with the substrate onto which they are applied to form an invisible and water-insoluble coating that repels both water and oil, resists soiling, and that cannot be easily washed from the surface of the substrate. Substrates treated with these polymers are thereby durably protected from rain and normal weathering.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.