Info on Scent Loc, also pertains to Scent Block
In 2006 the Scent Lok site stated:
"How are odors released?
It is common knowledge that heat makes molecules move more rapidly. Reactivation is only obtained by using a clothes dryer. Reactivation is achieved by placing the suit in a dryer for twenty to thirty minutes on a medium to high heat setting or according to the label instructions. The heat from the clothes dryer creates what is scientifically known as Brownian molecular motion, which causes the scent molecules to move rapidly. This movement breaks the molecules free from the surfaces of the activated carbon particles and interior pores of the carbon, and allow them to eventually exit out of the dryer vent."
Conclusion: Here Scent Lok implies that the bond between human perspiration and other odors is "molecular". By the use of the words "molecules" and "molecular motion" they imply that they were originally talking about was chemical adsorbtion, not physical adsorbtion.
There is no such term as "Brownian molecular motion", because it does not apply to "molecules". The correct term is "Brownian motion", and it does not appear to apply to the release of odors from activated carbon. The web page at
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brownian_motion defines Brownian motion as:
Brownian motion (named in honor of the botanist Robert Brown) is either the random movement of particles suspended in a fluid or the mathematical model used to describe such random movements, often called a Wiener process.
Conclusion: This term relates to particles suspended in water, it has nothing to do with the release of odors from activated carbon in a household dryer.
In 2006 the Scent Lok site (
http://www.seattlefabrics.com/scent-lok_science.htm http://www.seattlefabrics.com/scent-lok_science.htm) stated:
"The bonding process
In the Scent-Lok products the odor adsorbing linings are designed so that the human odors, gases, and moisture pass through the fabrics, make contact with the activated carbon, and are then expelled as "filtered" air. Once through the suit the air no longer contains human odor. The scientific name for this molecular attraction to carbon is called the VanderWaal's bond."
There is no such term as "VanderWaals bond". The correct term is "van der Waals forces" (note the spelling and term differences).
The web site at
http://www.biochem.northwestern.edu/holmgren/Glossary/Definitions/Def-V/Van_der_Waals_force.html defines van der Waals as:
"Van der Waals dispersion force. AKA: London force, dispersion force
The weakest of the imtermolecular forces. Present on all particles and increasing strength with increasing size. Results from the fact that a preponderance of electrons can end up on one side of an atom. The dispersion force which in fact is an induced dipole - induced dipole interaction depends on the polarisability of the interacting molecules and is inversely proportional to the sixth power of separation. In the case of e.g. two CH4 molecules at a separation of 3Å, the dispersion interaction energy is of the order of -1.1 Kcal/mole."
The web page at
http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae206.cfm states:
"Question: Could you explain van der Waals' forces to me, and their role in why energy is needed to vaporize water?
Answer: It is important to remember that van der Waals' forces are forces that exist between molecules of the sam substance. They are quite different from the forces that make up the molecule. For example, a water molecule is made up of hydrogen and oxygen, which are bonded together by the sharing of electrons. These electrostatic forces that keep a molecule intact are existent in covalent and ionic bonding but they are NOT van der Waals' forces.
Van der Waals' forces are the forces that exist between the millions of separate water molecules, and not between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in the case of water."
Conclusion: Van der Waals has nothing to do with the "filtering" of air through activated carbon in a Scent Lok suit by means of physical adsorbtion. (which is how Scent Lok now claims human perspiration and other odors are eliminated/controlled/reduced by the powdered activated carbon in their suits.)
The use of this term in previous advertising and marketing by Scent Lok shows that they were implying that the human perspiration adsorbed by the activated carbon in their suits was by "chemical adsorbtion".
However, in early 2007 Scent Lok began to claim their suits work by "physical adsorbtion", not "chemical adsorbtion".
Either Scent Lok intended to deceive the hunting public in their previous advertising and marketing, or they are now covering their tracks because they previously misled the hunting public.
This information suggests that Scent Lok may be engaged in false if not deceptive advertising. In fact "re-activation" is the basis for Scent Lok's claim that their suits are effective because they can be "reactivated" and can therefore be used for an indefinite period of time; which research shows cannot be done.
The Following article is from the NORIT Activated Carbon web site. Note that it is about activated carbon used for air; not only water.
(begin quote)
NORIT's reactivation service is a cost-effective and environmentally sound solution. 'The recent implementation of the EU Landfill Directive in the UK is further boosting interest in thermal reactivation of exhausted GAC,' comments Mark Currier, NORIT UK Sales Manager. During thermal reactivation, the exhausted granular activated carbon (GAC) is heat treated in dedicated kilns at temperatures exceeding 900 C. Adsorbed organic compounds are cracked and oxidised. Following reactivation, the GAC's adsorptive properties are restored to a level comparable to that of virgin GAC. As a result, the GAC can be reused in the same or a similar application.
Exhausted carbon: green and amber;
The relevant EU regulation categorises exhausted GAC as either green (used in water purification and food production) or amber (used in the treatment of gas/air or wastewater). NORIT reactivates green and amber GAC in completely separate systems, precluding the risk of cross contamination.
(end quote)
The above article shows that activated carbon for air is reactivated (de-sorbed) at temperatures above 900 degrees C. Again, no hunter has access to such a dryer, and if he did, it would incinerate his suit.
This information suggests that Scent Lok may be engaged in false if not deceptive advertising. In fact "re-activation" is the basis for Scent Lok's claim that their suits are effective because they can be "reactivated" and can therefore be used for an indefinite period of time; which research shows cannot be done.
The Questions Hunters Should be Asking
1. One question is whether or not activated carbon can be reactivated, especially at the 30% less Scent Lok says it is now using; because all of the Scientific literature available says it cannot be reactivated.
If it cannot be reactivated, and Scent Lok says it can, they are guilty of "consumer fraud" through "false advertising".
2, Another question is why have they used (altered/misspelled/misleading) chemical terms (referring to chemical processes), or chemical processes, to support the idea that their product works, when those chemical processes have nothing to do with activated carbon used to reduce odors, in the air, not water.
This probably constitutes "false advertising".
3. Another question is "how thick (in inches) is the activated carbon layer in a Scent Lok suit, and is it thick enough to stop odors coming out from the suit".
This goes to the question of the effectiveness of the suit.
The above photo is a scan of a 6.5 x 6.5 inch piece of Scent Lok fabric, saved at 72dpi. The black flecks are the powdered activated carbon on the fabric, they are about the same width as the threads in the fabric.
You can see that the activated carbon probably covers less than 25% of the fabric surface, which would allow any scents on the inside of the suit to exit the suit without coming into contact with the activated carbon, with the results that those scents can exit the suit and the hunter can be unequivocally detected by whitetails.
How can this possibly work to keep all human perspiration odor from escaping the suit?
4. Another question is, "is every square centimeter of the fabric of a Scent Lok suit covered with activated carbon, so that every odor within the suit has to go through the activated carbon, or is there room between the activated carbon particles to allow odors to exit the suit without going through the activated carbon".
If there is room for odors to exit the suit without going through activated carbon it brings into question Scent Lok's guarantee that their suit will stop those odors, so that the wearer is not detected by a deer when he is hunting.
If Scent Lok's statement is untrue, every hunter who purchased a Scent Lok suit deserves to get their money back, because they have been defrauded, of their hard-earned money.
