Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
PROCESSES TO MAKE WATER AND OIL REPELLENT BCF YARN
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The Invention relates to anti-soil application processes for bulk
continuous
filament (BCF) carpet and related textile fabrics, and specifically, to
processes for
applying anti-soil compositions on BCF yarns during cable or air twisting
processes prior
to weaving, knitting or tufting. The process foregoes the need to treat
carpets and other
textiles made from the BCF yarn, thus eliminating costly and environmentally
unfavorable dyeing and low pH chemical treatment processes. Also disclosed
herein
are systems used to apply the anti-soil formulations to the BCF yarn, and soil
repellant
yarns, and carpets with improved anti-soil properties made from the BCF yarn
of the
disclosed process.
BACKGROUND OF THE TECHNOLOGY
[0002] Carpets and other fabrics are currently treated with topical
chemistries for
improved stain resistance and/or soil resistance. For nylon carpets, both
stain blocker
(e.g. acid dye blocker) and anti-soil with fluorochemicals are traditionally
used. For
polyester carpets, such as 2GT and 3GT carpets, and polypropylene carpets,
anti-soil
chemistry may be applied topically to the tufted carpet as part of the carpet
finishing
process. Polyester and polypropylene carpets typically do not require a stain
blocker
treatment because of inherent stain resistance to acid dyes and stains owing
to their
lack of amine end groups that function as acid dye sites.
[0003] Topical application at the carpet mill can be in the form of exhaust
application and spray application. Exhaust application (i.e. flex-nip process
at high (300
¨ 400 wt.%) wet pick-up), is known to provide an improvement in efficacy over
spray-on
applications at 10-20 wt.% wet pick-up of anti-soil. Exhaust applications
typically use
higher amounts of water and energy to dry and cure the carpet than do spray
applications. Spray-on fluorochemical products are designed to use less water
and
energy than exhaust applications, but they do not impart anti-soil properties
that are as
good as those provided by the exhaust applications owing to limited depth of
penetration into the fabric, especially deep pile fabrics and those
incorporating the
tightly twisted yarns that are now becoming more popular.
1
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
100041 While
various processes are in use In the carpet Industry for the dyeing
and finishing of carpets, some large scale and some small; most of the carpet
made
today is dyed and finished on a continuous dye range. This is done mainly in
one of two
ways: In one case, a two stage process is employed, where the carpet Is
steamed and
dyed first, steamed, rinsed, and excess water extracted; then stain blocker
(SB) is
applied, the carpet is again steamed and washed, and then anti-soil
fluorochemlcal (FC)
Is applied in the form of a foam or liquid spray and the carpet is finally
dried, (See e.g.
U.S, Patent Nos. 6,863,814; 5,948,480 and W02000/000691). In the
second,
somewhat improved case, called the co-application process, the carpet Is also
steamed
and dyed first, steamed again, rinsed and extracted; and then a blend of SB
and FC is
applied together at high wet pick up, after which the carpet and chemicals are
exposed
once again to steam to fix the treatment, followed by drying, (See e.g. U.S.
Patent Nos.
6,197,378 and 6,520,962). in both cases, low pH solutions, excess water, and
energy
are required for the SB and FC to penetrate the carpet and achieve uniform
coverage,
In sum, the typical prior art process is as follows: BCF, yarn ¨Twist heat
set
tufting --+ carpet -4 dye ¨+ stain block /
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
1:0005] There
is a desire to reduce the overall usage of topical anti-soil
formulations, especially formulations that contain fluorochemicals, for
environmental
and cost reasons. Further, there Is also a desire to reduce the amount of
water and low
pH chemicals used to apply the anti-stain and anti-soil formulations, Thus,
processes
for applying such beneficial compositions using less water, nominal pH
chemicals, and
less energy are in demand.
[00061 While the development of a process that eliminates the current
carpet
treatment systems for applying anti-stain and anti-soli compositions is
desirable; current
processes do exist for good reasons. First, because the appearance of carpet
has
historically depended on the ability to dye wool or nylon or even polyester
tufted carpets
to the desired shade, It would not be permissible to treat the carpet with
compositions
such as anti-stain or anti-soil chemistries beforehand that might Interfere
with the
2
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
process of uniform dyeing. Further, the dyeing process would tend to remove
the topical
treatment chemistries, rendering them ineffective.
NM] Second, as mentioned above, treatment of yarn or fabric for stain
and soil
resistance typically involves fixing with steam, and low pH may also be
required
especially for acid dyed fabrics, Therefore, it was deemed most practical to
process
carpets in the order described above, where carpet is formed, then steamed and
dyed,
steamed again, rinsed and extracted; and then SB and PC is applied, again
Involving
steaming and/or rinsing In the various processes of the prior art,
(00081 Carpets have also long been constructed of dyed or pigmented yarns,
which constructions are treated in numerous possible ways, Including the
options of
further dyeing, and the application of stain and/or soil resistant
compositions with the
concomitant use of steam and rinse water, as in the processes described above.
PO] The Invention disclosed herein provides a process to make textile
fabrics,
especially tufted articles, without the requirement for subsequent stain and
soil resistant
chemistry application, thus avoiding the cost and waste of steam fixing and
rinsing
attendant with such large-scale fabric applications, As disclosed herein, the
process
involves application of topical chemistries to dyed or pigmented yarns
immediately after
twisting or cabling one or more such yarns together. The chemistries are then
heat-set
onto the twisted yarn under dry conditions, and the twisted yarn subsequently
weaved
or tufted into a finished fabric or carpet. Novel systems that enable the
efficient
application of topical chemistries to yarn subsequent to twisting and prior to
winding and
heat-setting are also disclosed.
[00010] Specifically, the disclosed process uses an atopical chemistry
composition
applicator positioned within a mechanical twisting process downstream of the
twisted
yarn take-up reel and upstream of the yarn winder. In sum, the disclosed
process
moves the backend, large scale and wasteful anti-soil application step, and if
necessary, stain block application step, up front during yarn twisting. Thus,
the carpet
manufacturing process now becomes: BCF yarn -+ twist FC (and optional SB)
heat set (optionally dry heat set)
tufting -+ carpet, Surprisingly, the disclosed
process is as effective, or even more effective, than processes of the prior
art in terms
of fabric soil resistance.
3
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
[00011] As describe above, the process of the disclosed invention is
counter
intuitive since treating the carpet yarn prior to heat setting and tufting Is
known to affect
the quality of the finished carpet, particularly during dyeing. Further, the
inventive
process is also counter intuitive because soil resistant compositions tend to
be very
difficult to apply uniformly to twisted yarn bundles at the usual line speed
without
substantial waste. Moreover, the disclosed process is counter intuitive
because the
prior art yarn twisting apparatuses have not previously accepted topical
chemistry
applications to twisted yarn prior to winding. However, as shown below, Nylon
carpets
manufactured with the treated BCF yarn show superior anti-soil properties over
the
same carpets without such treatment.
[00012] In one aspect, a process for treating twisted BCF yarn with an anti-
soil
composition comprising an anti-soil component is disclosed. The process
comprises:
(a) providing twisted BCF yarn; (b) winding said BCF yarn on a take-up reel;
and (c)
contacting said BCF yarn with said anti-soil composition while said BCF yarn
is in
motion and prior to said BCF yarn contacting and winding up on said take-up
reel. The
anti-soil composition can be comprised of a high specific surface energy
chemical or
other material, for example a fluorochemical that imparts high specific
surface energy
properties such as high contact angles for water and oil, or even a non-
fluorochemical
particulate material having similar properties. The anti-soil composition can
further
comprise an anti-stain component.
[00013] In another aspect, an untufted, twisted BCF yarn comprising an anti-
soil
component is disclosed, wherein said anti-soil component is present on said
twisted
BCF yarn prior to tufting the BCF yarn. The anti-soil component is present at
an on
weight of fiber from about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm. The yarn can comprise
polyamide fiber and/or have polymer components selected from polyester and
polypropylene. The yarn can be tufted and manufactured into carpet or fabrics.
[00014] In a further aspect, a process for manufacturing carpet is
disclosed
comprising providing an untufted, twisted BCF yarn comprising an anti-soil
component,
tufting said BCF yarn, and weaving Into said carpet. Because of the anti-soil
component present on the BCF yarn prior to tufting and weaving, there is no
need to
treat the finished carpet with an anti-soil composition.
4
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[00015] In yet another aspect, a system for applying an anti-soil
composition to
twisted BCF fiber Is disclosed. The system comprises: (a) a first yarn take-up
device
that receives at least two individual yarn members and transmits a single yarn
member;
(b) an anti-soil composition applicator disposed downstream of said yarn take-
up device
that applies said anti-soil composition to said single yarn member; and (c) a
second
yarn take-up device that receives said single yarn member. The anti-soil
composition
can be comprised of a high specific surface energy chemical or other material,
for
example a fluorochemical that imparts high specific surface energy properties
such as
high contact angles for water and oil, or even a non-fluorochemical
particulate material
having similar properties. The anti-soil composition can further comprise an
anti-stain
component,
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[00016] Figure 1 shows the current cable twisting process.
[00017] Figure 2 shows one aspect of the disclosed process.
DEFINITIONS
[00018] While mostly familiar to those versed in the art, the following
definitions
are provided in the interest of clarity.
[00019] OWF (On weight of fiber): The amount of chemistry that was applied
as a
% of weight of fiber.
[00020] WPU (Wet Dick-up): The amount of water and solvent that was applied
on
carpet before drying off the carpet, expressed as a % of weight of fiber,
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[00021] A process for treating twisted BCF yarn is disclosed comprising
contacting
the BCF yarn with an anti-soil composition while said yarn is in motion and
prior to
contacting and winding the yarn onto a take-up reel or winder to create a yarn
package
or cake. The anti-soil composition comprises an anti-soil component and is
adapted to
be applied onto twisted BCF yarn at a wet pick-up of between about 5 wt,% and
about
50 wt.%., including between about 10 wt.% and about 30 wt%, about 20 wt.% to
about
30 wt.%, and about 10 wt.% to about 20 wt.%, The twisted BCF yarn can be
optionally
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
heat set after contacting the yarn with the anti-soil composition. Heat
setting
temperatures can range from about 125 C to about 200 C, including from about
160 C
to about 195 C. Heat setting dwell times can range from about 0.5 to about 4
minutes,
including from about 0.5 to about 3 minute and from about 0.5 to about 1
minute.
[00022] Anti-
soil components for use in the disclosed anti-soil compositions impart
high specific surface energy properties such as high contact angles for water
and oil
(e.g. water and oil "beads up" on surfaces treated by it). The anti-soil
component can
comprise a fluorochemical dispersion, which dispersion may be predominantly
either
cationic or anionic, including those selected from the group consisting of
fluorochemical
allophanates, fluorochemical polyacrylates, fluorochemical urethanes,
fluorochemical
carbodiimides, fluorochemical quanidines, and fluorochemicals incorporating C-
2 to C-8
chemistries. Alternatively, the fluorochemical can have less than or equal to
eight
fluorinated carbons, including less than or equal to six fluorinated carbons.
Example
fluorochemical anti-soil components include: DuPont TLF 10816 and 10894;
Daikin TG
2511, and DuPont Capstone RCP. Non-fluorinated anti-soil components can
include:
silicones, silsesquioxanes and fluorosilanated and fiuoroalkylated
particulates, anionic
non-fluorinated surfactants and anionic hydrotrope non-fluorinated
surfactants, including
sulfonates, sulfates, phosphates and carboxylates. (See U.S. Patent No.
6,824,854,
herein incorporated by reference).
[00023] The
anti-soil compositions can also have an optional stain blocker
component comprising an acidic moiety which associates with polymer amine end
groups and protects them from staining by acidic dye stains. The general
category of
chemicals suitable to the process of the instant Invention can comprise any
chemical
that blocks positively charged dye sites. Stain blockers are available in
various forms
such as syntans, sulfonated novolacs, or sulfonated aromatic aldehyde
condensation
products (SACs), and/or reaction products of formaldehyde, phenol,
poiymethacrylic
acid, maleic anyhydride, and sulfonic acid. They are usually made by reacting
formaldehyde, phenol, polymethacrylic acid, malelc anyhydride, and sulfonic
acid
depending on specific chemistry. Further, the stain blocker is typically water
soluble
and generally penetrates the fiber while the anti-soil, usually a
fluorochemical, is a non-
water soluble dispersion that coats the surface of fiber.
6
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
[00024] Examples of stain blockers include, but are not limited to: phenol
formaldehyde polymers or copolymers such as CEASESTAIN and STAINAWAY (from
American Emulsions Company, Inc., Dalton, Ga.), MESITOL (from Bayer
Corporation,
Rock Hill, N.C.), ERIONAL (from Ciba Corporation, Greensboro, N.C.), INTRATEX
(from Crompton & Knowles Colors, Inc., Charlotte, N.C.), STAINKLEER (from
Dyetech,
Inc., Dalton, Ga.), LANOSTAIN (from Lenmar Chemical Corporation, Dalton, Ga.),
and
SR-300, SR-400, and SR-500 (from E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company,
Wilmington, Del.); polymers of methaciylic acid such as the SCOTCHGARD FX
series
carpet protectors (from 3M Company, St. Paul Minn.); sulfonated fatty acids
from
Rockland React-Rite, Inc., Rockmart, Ga); and stain resist chemistries from
ArrowStar
LLC, Dalton and Tri-Tex, Canada.
[00025] The anti-soil composition is adapted to contact the twisted BCF
yarn while
It is in motion and prior to contacting the take-up reel or winder. Further,
the anti-soil
composition can be at a neutral pH (e.g. 6 to 8) because the yarn can be
optionally heat
set after application of the composition. The process foregoes the need for
harsh low
pH chemicals.
[00026] Any suitable device that applies wet ingredients to a dry substrate
can
perform the contacting. Such devices include, but are not limited to:
applicator pad,
ceramic tip, ceramic ring, nip rollers, wet-wick, dip-tank, sprayer, and
mister. Further,
the contacting can be done by one or more devices, where each device can be
the
same or different. For example, two, three, or more application devices can be
used to
apply the anti-soil composition at different points in the process. Further,
one or more
application devices can apply an anti-soil component and one or more separate
devices
an anti-stain component. Multiple application devices and locations can
provide better
application uniformity when using certain BCF yarns.
[00027] The wet pick-up of anti-soil composition is between about 5 wt.%
and
about 50 wt.%., including between about 10 wt.% and about 30 wt%, about 20
wt.% to
about 30 wt.%, and about 10 wt.% to about 20 wt.%. The resulting twisted BCF
yarn, if
a fluorine based anti-soil component Is used, can have an on weight of fiber
from about
100 ppm to about 1000 ppm fluorine, Including from about 100 to about 500 ppm
fluorine, from about 200 to about 400 ppm, and from about 100 ppm to about 300
ppm
7
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
fluorine. If the anti-soil composition further comprises a stain blocker, it
is present on
weight of fiber from about 500 ppm to about 4%, including from about 1000 ppm
to
about 3%, from about 0.5% to about 2%, and from about 0.5% to about 1%.
[00028] Common stain blockers use sulfonated moieties as part of the
chemistry,
which results In the presence of sulfur on the treated fiber. The sulfur
content can range
from about 50 ppm with 5% stain blocker to about 1 ppm with 0.1% stain blocker
on
weight of fiber. Thus, based on the above stain blocker concentrations, the
sulfur
content on weight of fiber will range from about 0.5 ppm to about 40 ppm,
including from
about 1 ppm to about 30 ppm, from about 5 ppm to about 20 ppm, and from about
5
ppm to about 10 ppm. Sulfur content can be determined by x-ray diffraction or
other
methods.
[00029] The anti-soil composition can further comprise a component selected
from
the group consisting of: odor control agents, anti-microbial agents, anti-
fungal agents,
fragrance agents, bleach resist agents, softeners, and UV stabilizers.
[00030] The twisted BCF yarn can be made from polyamide fibers, such as
those
made from nylon 6,6, nylon 6, nylon 4,6, nylon 6,10, nylon 10,10, nylon 12,
its
copolymers, and blends thereof. Further, the twisted BCF yarn can also have
additional
polymer components, such as polyester and/or polyolefin components. The
polyolefin
component can be polypropylene. The additional polymer components can be
incorporated with the polyamide (by melt-blend or co-polymerization) prior to
making a
polyamide fiber (e.g. a polyamide/polyester fiber), or can be stand-alone
fibers that are
twisted with the polyamide fibers to make the twisted BCF yarn.
[00031] As stated above, the BCF yarn can be manufactured with olefin,
polyamide, and / or polyester polymer components. An unexpected benefit of the
disclosed process has been discovered in that, whereas a small amount of anti-
soil
composition is applied compared to known exhaust processes, a high anti-soil
component content, such as fluorine, is achieved on the surface of the yarn.
Further,
the anti-soil composition applied in the process of the disclosed invention
can be either
fluorochemical or non-fluorochemical based, or a mixture of fluorochemical or
fluoropolymer material with non-fluorinated soil resistant materials.
8
=
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
[00032] The disclosed process may be applied to yarns that do not
require
subsequent dyeing, having either a pigment or pigment included in their
composition
prior to twisting. The pigmented yarns can be made by solution dyed as well as
cationic
and anionic dyed fibers. Yarns suitable for use in the process may further
comprise
inherent stain resistance, whether by base composition as in the case of
polypropylene
or polyester, or by the inclusion of strong acid functionality in the polymer
composition of
the yarn, as In the case of nylon. Use of dyed or pigmented yarns (i.e.
colored yarns)
with the disclosed process eliminates the need for subsequent dyeing and
enables the
creation of colored carpets that are soil resistant, without the need for
subsequent
dyeing and soil resistant chemical application.
[00033] Where both inherently stain resistant and colored yarns
are employed in
the disclosed process, then all of the cost of dyeing, and of SB/FC
application to the
tufted carpet are eliminated. As observed above, this not only reduces the
cost of
making carpets having superior performance attributes, but also minimizes the
environmental impact of carpet manufacture by reducing water, steam and energy
consumption.
[00034] The twisted BCF yarn made with the various aspects of the
disclosed
process, by itself or blended with non-treated fibers and yarns, can be tufted
and
manufactured into carpets or fabrics. Carpets made with the twisted BCF yarn
exhibit
an oil repellency rating of 5 or higher and a water repellency rating of 5 or
higher.
[00035] Alternatively, the disclosed process can also be
advantageously applied in
certain processes where a styling advantage might be derived from differential
dyeing
and finishing after carpet formation. For example, a soil resistant or stain
resistant
twisted yarn of the disclosed invention could optionally be tufted into a
carpet among
untreated yarns prior to dyeing, thus creating an aesthetic alternative.
[00036] Further disclosed is a system for applying the anti-soil
composition to the
twisted BCF yarn. The system includes: (a) a first yarn take-up device that
receives at
least two Individual yarn members and transmits a single yarn member; (b) an
anti-soil
composition applicator disposed downstream of the first yarn take-up device
that
applies the anti-soil composition to the single yarn member; and (c) a second
yarn take-
up device that receives the single yarn member. The first yarn take-up device
can be a
9
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
take-up roll or reel that can twist the at least two individual yarn members
into a single
yarn member. The individual yarn members can be single filaments or fibers, or
yarns
made from a plurality of filaments or fibers. The applicator can be any
suitable device
that applies wet ingredients to a dry substrate, including, but not limited
to: applicator
pad, nip rollers, wet-wick, dip-tank, sprayer, and mister. The wet pick-up of
composition
Is between about 5 wt.% and about 50 wt.%., including between about 10 wt.%
and
about 30 wt%, about 20 wt.% to about 30 wt.%, and about 10 wt.% to about 20
wt.%,
The resulting twisted BCF yarn, if a fluorine based anti-soil component is
used, can
have an on weight of fiber from about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm fluorine,
including
from about 100 to about 500 ppm fluorine, from about 200 to about 400 ppm, and
from
about 100 ppm to about 300 ppm fluorine. If the anti-soil composition further
comprises
a stain blocker, it is present on weight of fiber from about 500 ppm to about
4%,
including from about 1000 ppm to about 3%, from about 0.5% to about 2%, and
from
about 0.5% to about 1%. The second yarn take-up device can be a winder.
[00037] Figure 1 shows the current cable twisting process. Here, creel yarn
10
and bucket yarn 15, which is fed at a spindle speed of 7000 rpm, pass through
an anti-
balloon device 20 and onto a take-up roll 25. From here, the twisted yarn 30
is wound
up on a winder 35. Figure 2 shows one aspect of the disclosed process. Here,
creel
yarn 110 and bucket yarn 115, which is fed at a spindle speed of 7000 rpm,
pass
through anti-balloon device 120 and onto a take-up roll 125. An anti-soil
composition
applicator 140 is disposed downstream of take-up roll 125, which applies an
anti-soil
component to the twisted yarn 130. From here, the twisted and treated yarn is
wound
up on a winder 135.
[00038] The disclosed process is counterintuitive and surprisingly results
in yarn
that contains acceptable anti-soil properties when manufactured into a carpet
or fabric.
One would expect that rearranging the process as described above would fowl up
down-stream carpet manufacturing processes and lead to poor quality carpet.
Thus,
the results reported below are surprising and unexpected.
EXAMPLES
[00039] The following are examples of nylon 6,6 carpets made from two 922
denier beige color solution dyed BCF fibers that have been treated various
aspects of
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
the process disclosed above and similar fibers with no treatment, Selection of
alternative anti-soil components and stain blocker components, fibers and
textiles
having different surface chemistries will necessitate minor adjustments to the
variables
herein described,
[00040] Test Methods =
Acid Dye Stain Test.
Acid dye stain resistance Is evaluated using a procedure modified from the
American Association of' Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Method
175.2003,
"Stain Resistance: Pile Floor Coverings." 9 wt % of aqueous staining solution
is
prepared, according to the manufacturer's directions, by mixing cherry-
flavored KOOL-
AID powder (Kraft/General Foods, White Plains, N.Y,, a powdered drink mix
containing, Inter alla, FD&C Red No. 40), A carpet sample (4x6-inch) is placed
on a flat
non-absorbent surface,. A hollow plastic 2-inch (5.1cm) diameter cup is placed
tightly
over the carpet sample. Twenty ml of the KOOL-AID staining solution is poured
into
the cup and the solution is allowed to absorb completely into the carpet
sample, The
cup is removed and the stained carpet sample Is allowed to sit undisturbed for
24 hours.
Following Incubation, the stained sample Is rinsed thoroughly under cold tap
water,
excess water is removed by centrifugation, and the sample is dried in air. The
carpet
sample was visually inspected and rated for staining according to the FD&C Red
No, 40
Stain Scale described in AATCC Method 175-2003, Stain resistance is measured
using
a 1-10 scale. An undetectable test staining is accorded a value of 10.
Oil and Water Rebellencv Tests
The following liquids were used for oil repellency tests,
Rating Number Liquid Composition
1 Kaydol (Mineral 011)
65% / 35% Kaydol / n-Hexadecane
3 n-Hexadecane
4 n-Tetradecane
n-Dodecane
6 n-Decane
11
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The following liquids were used for water repellency tests
Rating Number Liquid Composition
% lsopropanol % Water
1 2 98
2 5 95
3 10 90
4 20 80
30 70
6 40 60
Repellency test procedure
Five drops of rating number 1 liquid are placed from a height of 3 mm onto the
carpet surface. If after 10 seconds, four out of the five drops were still
visible as
spherical to hemispherical, the carpet is given a passing rating. Repeat the
test with a
higher rating number liquid. The repellency rating of the sample is the
highest rating
number liquid used to pass the repellency test. Carpets with a rating of 4 or
higher have
good anti-soiling properties. Without anti-soil treatment, most nylon carpets
have a
rating of 1 for both oil and water repellency.
[00041] Example 1 (Comparative)
Two 922 denier beige color solution dyed Nylon 66 BCF made from cationic
dyeable polymer were cable twisted on a Volkman at 7000 rpm to form a 6.0 tpi
two ply
yarn using the process described in figure 1. The winding speed was about 50
ypm.
The cable twisted yarn was subsequently heat-set on a Suessen with 200 C dry
air.
The holdup time in the channel was about 60 seconds. The heat treated yarn was
converted into a 35 oz per square yard, 1/12 gauge, 3/5" pile height cut pile
carpet.
[00042] Example 2 (Inventive)
Two 922 denier beige color solution dyed Nylon 66 BCF made from cationic
dyeable polymer were cable twisted on a Volkman at 7000 rpm to form a 6.0 tpi
two ply
yarn using the process described in figure 2. The winding speed was about 50
ypm. A
12
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chemical applicator was inserted between the take up roll and winder as
described in
figure 3 option A. A 1/2 inch wide cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell MA) was
used to
apply 50% A-201 anti-soil chemical onto the cable twisted yarn at a wet-pickup
of about
20 wt%. The cable twisted yarn went through the wet wick at about 50 ypm. The
cable twisted yarn was subsequently heat-set on a Suessen with 200 C dry air.
The
holdup time in the channel was about 60 seconds. The heatset yarn was analyzed
to
have 925 ppm Fluorine. The heat treated yarn was converted into a 35 oz per
square
yard, 1/12 gauge, 3/8" pile height cut pile carpet.
[00043] Example 3 (Inventive)
Two 922 denier beige color solution dyed Nylon 66 BCF made from cationic
dyeable polymer were cable twisted on a Volkman at 7000 rpm to form a 6.0 tpi
two ply
yarn using the process described in figure 2. The winding speed was about 50
ypm. A
chemical applicator was inserted between the take up roll and winder as
described in
figure 2. A 1/2 inch wide cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell MA) was used to
apply
25% A-201 anti-soil chemical onto the cable twisted yarn. The cable twisted
yarn went
through the wet wick at about 50 ypm. The cable twisted yarn was subsequently
heat-
set on a Suessen with 200 C dry air. The holdup time in the channel was about
60
seconds, The heatset yarn was analyzed to have 445 ppm Fluorine. The heat
treated
yarn was converted into a 35 oz per square yard, 1/12 gauge, 3/8" pile height
cut pile
carpet.
[00044] Example 4 (Inventive)
Two 922 denier beige color solution dyed Nylon 66 BCF made from cationic
dyeable polymer were cable twisted on a Volkman at 7000 rpm to form a 6.0 tpi
two ply
yarn using the process described In figure 2. The winding speed was about 50
ypm. A
chemical applicator was inserted between the take up roll and winder as
described in
figure 2. A 1/2 inch wide cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell MA) was used to
apply
12.5% A-201 anti-soil chemical onto the cable twisted yarn, The cable twisted
yarn
went through the wet wick at about 50 ypm. The cable twisted yarn was
subsequently
heat-set on a Suessen with 200 C dry air. The holdup time in the channel was
about 60
seconds. The heatset yarn was analyzed to have 270 ppm Fluorine. The heat
treated
13
CA 02829977 2013-09-11
yarn was converted into a 35 oz per square yard, 1/12 gauge, 3/8" pile height
out pile
carpet..
[00045] Table 1 below reports the repellency and stain tests of the four
examples.
Here, carpets made from the treated BCF yarn show excellent and good oil and
water
repellency ratings. This Indicates that the disclosed inventive process Is an
acceptable
replacement to existing exhaust type applications for applying. anti-soil
compositions to
carpets and fabrics,
Table 1
';10.101,41101.91101013.tiOtiMgel 111155MIEgic
1 1 1 10 no repellency
2 6 6 10 excellent repellency
6 . 6 10 excellent repellency
õ ________________________________________________________________
4 5 6 10 good repellency
. õ
(00046] The Invention has been described above with reference to the
various
aspects of the disclosed treatment process, treated fibers, carpets, fabrics,
and systems
used to apply anti-soil compositions to I3CF yarn. Obvious modifications and
alterations
will occur to others upon reading and understanding the proceeding detailed
description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all
such
modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the
claims,
14
