Patent Number: 
Section: abstract

An article which has radiopaque qualities and a method for making it. In a preferred embodiment, a lightweight fabric, such as a cloth surgical mask liner (24) or an entire surgical mask (10), is impregnated with a relatively lightweight radiopaque material, such as a barium sulfate compound, to impart radiopaque qualities. In other embodiments, a similar fabric is used to produce an entire radiation protective jumpsuit, a tent, wallpaper or a liner for a commercial aircraft cabin. Impregnation of the relatively lightweight radiopaque material can be performed in a number of ways, including soaking the fabric in a solution containing the relatively lightweight radiopaque material or using the fabric as a filter in a passing solution of the lightweight radiopaque material. In one preferred embodiment, which is particularly suited for mass production of relatively lightweight radiopaque fabrics, a lightweight radiopaque material is mixed with a liquid polymer. The polymeric mixture is then laminated onto one or more layers of the fabric and perforated, as needed, to produce a plasticized form of lightweight radiopaque fabric. Alternatively, the polymeric mixture can be formed into a free standing film.