U.S. patent application number 11/210667 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-01 for increasing receptivity for acid dyes.
This patent application is currently assigned to Mohawk Brands, Inc.. Invention is credited to Michael E. Bell.
Application Number | 20070044255 11/210667 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37802020 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070044255 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bell; Michael E. |
March 1, 2007 |
Increasing receptivity for acid dyes
Abstract
Dye receptivity of fibers used in the dyeing and printing of
cationic dyeable nylon as used as carpet fibers or similar polymers
difficult to dye with anionic dyes are improved by a coating
rendering these fibers more receptive to anionic dyes.
Inventors: |
Bell; Michael E.;
(Lexington, VA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON & VANDERHYE, PC
901 NORTH GLEBE ROAD, 11TH FLOOR
ARLINGTON
VA
22203
US
|
Assignee: |
Mohawk Brands, Inc.
Wilmington
DE
|
Family ID: |
37802020 |
Appl. No.: |
11/210667 |
Filed: |
August 25, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
8/539 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06P 3/06 20130101; D06P
1/655 20130101; D06P 3/04 20130101; D06P 1/525 20130101; Y10T
428/23993 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
008/539 |
International
Class: |
D06P 3/00 20060101
D06P003/00 |
Claims
1. A process for increasing the receptivity of cationic dyeable
nylon fiber or other difficult to dye polymer fiber to acid dye
comprising: (1) applying to the fiber a cationic polymer coating
that is receptive to acid dye and provides anionic dye sites for
subsequent coloration, and thereafter (2) applying an acid dye or
premetallized acid dye to the thus treated polymer and dyeing the
fiber.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the fiber is a cationic dyeable
nylon.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the fiber is polyvinyl chloride,
polypropylene, polyester or combinations of two or more of
these.
4. The process of claim 1 in which the receptivity-improving
polymer is a cationic styrene-acrylic copolymer.
5. The process of claim 1 in which the receptivity-improving
polymer is a cationic acrylic copolymer.
6. The process of claim 1 in which the receptivity-improving
polymer is a styrene maleic anhydride imide resin.
7. The process of claim 1 in which the receptivity-improving
polymer is a maleic anhydride adhesive polymer.
8. The process of claim 1 in which the receptivity-improving
polymer is a poly-diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride.
9. The process according to claim 1 wherein in step (2) the fibers
are dyed with an acid dye or a premetallized acid dye at a pH of
from about 2.0 to about 6.5 and thereby fixing dye to the
fibers.
10. The process according to claim 1 wherein in step (2) the fibers
are dyed with an acid dye or a premetallized acid dye at a pH of
from 2.0 to 6.5 to impart a pre-requisite depth of shade to the
nylon fibers, and an additional step of (3) heating the dye-laden
fibers to fix the dye into the fibers.
11. The process of claim 1, in which the cationic dyeable nylon
fibers contain SO.sub.3H and/or COOH groups receptive to cationic
or basic dyes.
12. The process of claim 1, in which, subsequent to dye fixation, a
fluorocarbon soil repellant is applied to the fibers.
13. A method of increasing the receptivity of cationic dyeable
nylon fibers to acid dye comprising (1) applying to the nylon
fibers a cationic acrylic polymer or cationic styrene-acrylic
polymer receptive to acid dye, and thereafter (2) dyeing the
treated fibers of step (1) with an acid dye.
14. The process of claim 13 in which the fibers are in the form of
a yarn.
15. Nylon carpet having improved stain resistance composed of
fibers comprised of a cationic dyeable nylon treated with a
cationic polymer acid dye receptivity agent then dyed at a pH of
from about 2.0 to 6.5 with an acid or premetallized acid dye.
16. A process for increasing the receptivity of cationic dyeable
nylon fiber or other difficult to dye polymer fiber to acid dye
comprising: (1) applying to the fiber a cationic polymer coating
that is receptive to acid dye, and provides anionic dye sites for
subsequent coloration, and thereafter (2) applying an acid dye or
premetallized acid dye to the thus treated polymer and dyeing the
fiber, wherein the fibers treated in step (1) have an increase in
anionic dye dyeability, when measured by spectrophotometry, up to
100% or greater as compared to fibers not subjected to treatment
prior to step (2).
17. The process of claim 16 in which the increase in anionic dye
dyeability, when measured by spectrophotometry, is at least 100% as
compared to fibers not subjected to treatment prior to step (2).
Description
[0001] This invention relates to treating fibers used in the dyeing
and printing of cationic dyeable nylon as used in carpet fibers or
similar polymer difficult to dye with anionic dyes to render the
cationic dyeable fibers more receptive to anionic dyes.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Various polymers such as cationic dyeable nylon used as a
carpet fiber are difficult to dye and have reduced uptake of
anionic dyes as compared with acid dyeable nylon.
[0003] Nylon carpet fiber is generally classified as to type,
depending upon the nylon's receptivity to acid or anionic dyes and
basic or cationic dyes. Cationic dyeable nylons contain within the
polymer structure sufficient SO.sub.3H groups or COOH groups (which
groups are receptive to cationic or basic dyes) to render the nylon
fiber dyeable with cationic dyes. Acid dyeable nylons are
essentially conventional nylons, such as polyhexamethylene
adipamide and polycaprolactam. Acid dyeable nylons vary as to type
and are characterized as being weakly dyed with acid dyes, average
dyed with acid dyes, or deeply dyed with acid dyes.
[0004] The advantages of employing the inherent acid type stain
resistance of cationic dyeable nylon fibers, particularly when used
in carpets and floor coverings, and dyed to the appropriate shade
with anionic dyes at pH of about 2.0 to about 6.5 are described in
earlier patents to Jenkins such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,085,667;
5,199,958; 5,350,426; 5,354,342; 5,466,527; 5,571,290; 5,912,409
and 6,013,111, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by
reference. As used herein anionic dyes includes acid dyes and
premetallized acid dyes. These carpets are known commercially as
Duracolor.RTM. (Lees/Mohawk).
[0005] Cationic dyeable nylons generally exhibit inherent stain
resistant properties, especially to acid-type stains found in many
colored drinks and other food products, as compared to other nylon
types used for carpet. However, while useful this resistance to
acid dyes reduces the uptake of acid dyes in manufacturing when
compared to acid dyeable nylon.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention includes providing a coating on a
difficult to dye polymeric substrate such as cationic dyeable nylon
fibers that renders the polymeric surface receptive to anionic
dyes, followed by application of an anionic dye or dyes. In the
case of carpets treating the cationic dyeable nylon fibers to make
them receptive to acid dyes allows heavier shades to be developed
than with previous procedures and affords carpets with further
choices in style and in particular shade. When applied to either
yarn or carpet constructed of cationic dyeable nylon fibers,
increased shade is developed. The treatment may be applied to
either yarns before being made into carpets or to carpet fabrics,
either undyed or predyed with anionic dyes. Dyeing or an additional
dyeing step, as the case may be, with an acid dye occurs after the
fibers are treated. The stain resistance of the treated
yarns/carpets is not diminished because the dye sites created by
the treatment process contain all the acid dyes from the subsequent
dyeing.
[0007] The invention includes a process for imparting increased
receptivity for acid dyes to the surface of cationic dyeable nylon
fibers by applying to the nylon fibers a cationic polymer that
enhances the fiber's receptivity to acid dyes by establishing dye
sites on the nylon fibers. The coatings are applied with any of the
conventional means for finishing and/or dyeing fibers, yarns or
carpets, as the case may be.
[0008] The process of the invention may also be carried out on
other polymers that are themselves not normally acid dyeable such
as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polypropylene (PP) as well as
polyester. When constructed into carpets treating polymers of this
group will produce carpets with these polymers as wear surfaces
that are acid dyeable.
[0009] A coating or finish is applied to the polymer surface for
which enhanced anionic dye acceptance is required with a coating
material that improves anionic dye receptivity. Materials suited
for this task are group of cationic polymers exhibiting the ability
to bond to the cationic dyeable polyamide, PVC, polypropylene or
polyester, yet provide anionic dye sites for subsequent coloration.
These materials may or may not be cross-linkable. For some
performance purposes it may be necessary to crosslink the materials
and form a matrix or network on the surface of the cationic dyeable
polyamide. The degree of increase in anionic dyeability has been
measured by spectrophotometry to be up to 100% or greater (200% of
the control), but may be higher. The governing factor is the
balance between the acid dyeability and stain resistance desired in
the final product.
[0010] The coating or finish may be applied by any convenient means
used in the art including pad bath, spray, various printing
techniques including roller printing, screen printing, space
printing as can be accomplished with Belmont, Superba and other
similar yarn printers in the trade, ink jet printing, injection
printing such as Chromojet printing.
[0011] A preferred group of polymers are those of the TruDot.RTM.
(MeadWestvaco, Special Products Group, Charleston, S.C.) including
TruDot.RTM. P-2673 swellable latex, a cationic styrene-acrylic
copolymer available as a water-based swellable cationic latex
(copolymer 33-37%, water 63-67%) designed for printing and inkjet
coating formulations with inkjet receptivity on nonporous and
porous surfaces. The use of a crosslinker such as XAMA 220 (a
polyfunctional aziridine compound from Bayer) up to 12-15% is
recommended. The polymer is hydrophobic and the use of a
crosslinker reduces hydrophilicity. Also available is TruDot.RTM.
P-2615 cationic solution polymers (MeadWestvaco) a cationic acrylic
copolymer (27-33%) in water (67-73%) (clear liquid) developed for
use as low molecular weight binders in inkjet print
formulations.
[0012] Other dye receptive coatings to consider include styrene
maleic anhydride imide resin (SMA) available from Sartomer USA.
Also, maleic anhydride modified adhesives for coating have shown
improved adhesion to nylon than the non-modified adhesive.
Quaternary based polymers such as poly-diallyl dimethyl ammonium
chloride (poly-DADMAC) (LPM Technologies) should be considered as
creating acid dye sites on cationic fibers.
EXAMPLE
[0013] Increased acid dyeing levels have been achieved by applying
an anionic dye receptive coating to cationic dyeable nylon yarn. A
solution of the cationic styrene acrylic copolymer TruDot.RTM.
P-2673 (1% to 7.5%) with a corresponding amount of crosslinking
agent XAMA.RTM. 220 (0.6 to 0.1%) was applied in a space dyeing
machine (without dye). The coated yarns were tufted into carpet.
Acid dyes, specifically premetallized acid dyes were applied from a
bath containing the dyes and necessary dye auxiliaries at 600% wet
pick up on the weight of the carpet. The carpet was steamed for 8
minutes in a lab steamer simulating a saturated steamer on a
continuous carpet dye range. Cold tap water was used to rinse any
residual dye and chemical from the carpet, followed by drying. The
resulting carpet exhibited a multi-tone appearance and deeper shade
than the control fabric.
* * * * *