Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
PROCESSES TO DYE AND TREAT BCF YARN
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The
invention relates to treatment processes for bulk continuous filament
(BCF) carpet and related textile fabrics, and specifically, to processes for
applying dyes
and topical treatment compositions on BCF yarns during twisting processes
(cable or
air) or heatseting process prior to weaving, knitting or tufting. The process
foregoes the
need to dye and otherwise treat carpets and other textiles made from the BCF
yarn
using current methods. Thus, low inventory overhead is achieved and costly and
environmentally unfavorable dyeing and low pH chemical treatment processes are
eliminated. Also disclosed herein are systems used to apply the dye and
performance
enhancement formulations to the BCF yarn, and stain/soil repellent yarns, and
carpets
with improved anti-stain and anti-soil properties made from the BCF yarn of
the
disclosed process.
BACKGROUND OF THE TECHNOLOGY
[0002]
Carpets and other fabrics made from synthetic yarns are currently
colored using two well-established processes. The first process involves
converting
colorless white yarns into carpet, and dyeing the carpet in a dye bath. This
process is
referred to as the "acid dye process." The acid dye process can be either a
batch or a
continuous dyeing operation. Each dyeing operation requires a large volume of
water,
steam to set the dyes, and heat to dry the carpet. In addition, collection and
disposal of
excess dye and acidified performance enhancing solutions add manufacturing
cost and
place additional burden on waste management and water treatment facilities.
The
1
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
=
second process adds color pigments into the polymer during the melt spinning
process.
This process is referred to as the "solution dye process." The solution dye
process is a
low cost operation, but in comparison to the acid dye process it imposes
undesirable
inventory allocation measures on the fiber producer and the carpet mill. In
order to
meet consumer demand, then, the fiber producer and carpet mill may need to
keep a
costly inventory of colored yarns produced by the solution dye process.
Variable
production demands and large inventory costs can affect inventory flexibility
with the
result being the color availability of solution dyed carpets is undesirably
limited.
[0003] Topical chemistries are used to treat carpets and other fabrics
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.
[0004] 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
greater 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 do not impart satisfactory anti-soil
properties.
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[0005] 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
fluorochemical (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. 5,853,814; 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 5,520,962). 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 ¨0-wist heat
set
tufting -4 carpet dye -4 stain block / anti-soil.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] There
is a desire to reduce the overall usage of dyeing solutions and stain
blocker formulations 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 dyeing
and anti-
stain formulations. Thus, processes which provide for low inventory needs
while
applying such beneficial compositions using less water, nominal pH chemicals,
and less
energy are in demand.
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= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
[0007]
While the development of a process that eliminates the current carpet
treatment systems for applying anti-stain and anti-soil 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
process of uniform dyeing. Further, the dyeing process would tend to remove
the topical
treatment chemistries, rendering them ineffective.
[0008]
Second, as mentioned above, treatment of yarn or fabric with performance
enhancement formulations 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 FC is applied, again involving steaming and/or rinsing in the
various
processes of the prior art.
[0009]
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.
[00010] The
invention disclosed herein provides a process to make textile fabrics,
especially tufted articles, without the requirements for dyeing and subsequent
stain and
soil resistant chemistry application, thus avoiding the costs associated with
maintaining
large inventories as well as waste generated by steam fixation and rinsing
attendant
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CA 02849458 2014-03-20
with such large-scale fabric applications. As disclosed herein, the process
involves
application of dyes and topical chemistries to undyed 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
dye solutions and topical chemistries to yarn subsequent to twisting and prior
to winding
and heat-setting are also disclosed.
[00011]
Specifically, the disclosed process uses a dye solution or topical 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 back end, large scale and wasteful stain blocker application
step up
front during or after yarn twisting. Thus, the carpet manufacturing process
now
becomes: BCF yarn --+ twist -- dye --- optional SB/FC 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.
Additionally, neutral pH dye solutions (4-7.5 pH) can be used instead of the
prior art low
pH dye solutions (1-3 pH). This reduces the environmental impact of prior art
processes.
[00012] As
described above, the process of the disclosed invention is
counterintuitive 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
' CA 02849458 2014-03-20
substantial waste [30 to 80 yards-per-minute (ypm)]. 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 and polyester carpets manufactured with the treated BCF
yarn
show one or more of the following desirable characteristics:
= At least equivalent dyeing characteristics vs. the current state of the
art
processes.
= At least equivalent stain and soil repellant performance vs. the current
state of the art processes.
= Desirable aesthetic attributes otherwise not generated by the current
state
of the art processes.
[00013] In one aspect, a process for treating twisted BCF yarn with one
or more
dye compositions 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
dye composition while said BCF yarn is in motion and prior to said BCF yarn
contacting
and winding up on said take-up reel. The dye composition can be comprised of
an acid
dye composition or a disperse dye composition.
[00014] In another aspect, a process for treating twisted BCF yarn with
one or
more dye compositions is disclosed. The process comprises: (a) providing
twisted BCF
yarn; (b) contacting said BCF yarn with said dye composition while said BCF
yarn is in
motion; and (c) heat setting said BCF yarn after contacting said BCF yarn with
said dye
6
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
composition. The dye composition can be comprised of an acid dye composition
or a
disperse dye composition.
[00015] In a
further aspect, a process for treating twisted BCF yarn with one or
more dye compositions and performance enhancing compositions is disclosed. The
process comprises: (a) providing twisted BCF yarn; (b) winding said BCF yarn
on a
take-up reel; (c) contacting said BCF yarn with said dye composition; (d)
optionally
contacting said BCF yarn with a first performance enhancing composition
comprising a
stain blocking composition; and (e) contacting said BCF yarn with a second
performance enhancing composition comprising an anti-soil composition and
prior to
said BCF yarn contacting and winding up on said take-up reel, wherein said BCF
yarn
is in motion while contacted with said dye, said optional first performance
enhancing
composition, and said second performance enhancing composition. The dye
composition can be comprised of an acid dye composition or a disperse dye
composition. The stain blocking composition can be comprised of species having
acidic
moieties that associate with polymer amine end groups and protect 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.
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.
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= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
[00016] In even another aspect, a process for treating twisted BCF yarn
with one
or more dye compositions and performance enhancing compositions is disclosed.
The
process comprises: (a) providing twisted BCF yarn; (b) contacting said BCF
yarn with
said dye composition; (c) optionally contacting said BCF yarn with a first
performance
enhancing composition comprising a stain blocking composition; (d) contacting
said
BCF yarn with a second performance enhancing composition comprising an anti-
soil
composition, wherein said BCF yarn is in motion while contacted with said dye,
said
optional first performance enhancing composition, and said second performance
enhancing composition and; (e) heat setting said BCF yarn after contacting
said BCF
yarn with said dye composition, said optional first performance enhancing
composition,
and said second performance enhancing composition. The dye compositions and
performance enhancing compositions are disclosed above.
[00017] In a further aspect, an untufted, twisted BCF yarn comprising a
dye
component is disclosed, wherein said dye component is present on said twisted
BCF
yarn prior to tufting the BCF yarn. The dye component is selected from acid
and
disperse dye ingredients. The yarn can comprise polyamide fiber and/or have
polymer
components selected from polyester. The yarn can be tufted and manufactured
into
carpet or fabrics.
[00018] In yet another aspect, an untufted, twisted BCF yarn comprising a
dye
component, an anti-soil component, and an optional anti-stain component is
disclosed,
wherein said dyeing component, anti-soil component and optional anti-stain
component
are present on said twisted BCF yarn prior to tufting the BCF yarn. The dye
component
is selected from acid and disperse dye ingredients. The anti-soil component
and
8
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
optional anti-stain component can be selected from the compositions disclosed
above.
The stain blocking component is optionally present at an amount on weight of
fiber of
about 0.5 to about 40 ppm elemental sulfur content. The anti-soil component is
present
at an amount on weight of fiber from about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm elemental
fluorine content. The yarn can comprise polyamide fiber and/or have polymer
components selected from polyester. The yarn can be tufted and manufactured
into
carpet or fabrics.
[00019] In
yet a further aspect, a process for manufacturing carpet is disclosed
comprising providing an untufted, twisted BCF yarn comprising a dye component,
an
optional stain blocker component, and an anti-soil component, tufting said BCF
yarn,
and weaving into said carpet. Because of the dye and performance enhancing
components present on the BCF yarn prior to tufting and weaving, there is no
need to
process the finished carpet by dyeing or treating with an acidified stain
blocker
composition and an anti-soil composition under the current state of the art
processes.
[00020] In
yet even another aspect, a system for applying a dye composition to
twisted BCF fiber is disclosed. The system comprises: (a) a first yarn take-up
device
that transmits a single yarn member made from at least two individual yarn
members;
(b) a dye composition applicator disposed downstream of said yarn take-up
device that
applies said dye composition to said single yarn member; and (c) a second yarn
take-up
device that receives a dyed single yarn member. The dyeing composition can be
comprised of acid dye or disperse dye ingredients.
[00021] In
yet even a further aspect, a system for applying a dye composition and
at least one performance enhancing composition to twisted BCF fiber is
disclosed. The
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= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
system comprises: (a) a first yarn take-up device that transmits a single yarn
member
made from at least two individual yarn members; (b) a dye composition
applicator
disposed downstream of said yarn take-up device that applies said dye
composition to
said single yarn member; (c) an optional anti-stain component applicator
disposed
downstream of said dye composition applicator that applies anti-stain
composition to
said single yarn member; (d) an anti-soil applicator disposed downstream of
said dye
composition applicator that applies anti-soil composition to said single yarn
member;
and (d) a second yarn take-up device that receives a dyed single yarn member.
The
dyeing composition can be comprised of acid dye or disperse dye ingredients.
The anti-
stain composition can be comprised of species having acidic moieties which
associate
with polymer amine end groups and protect them from staining by acidic dye
stains.
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
[00022] Figure 1 shows the current cable twisting process.
[00023] Figure 2 shows one aspect of the disclosed process.
[00024] Figure 3 shows another aspect of the disclosed process.
[00025] Figure 4 shows the current heat setting process.
[00026] Figure 5 shows a further aspect of the disclosed process.
= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
DEFINITIONS
[00027] While mostly familiar to those versed in the art, the following
definitions
are provided in the interest of clarity.
[00028] OWF (On weight of fiber): The amount of chemistry that was applied
as a
% of weight of fiber.
[00029] WPU (Wet pick-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
[00030] A process for treating twisted BCF yarn is disclosed comprising
contacting
the BCF yarn with a dye 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 process can also include contacting the BCF yarn with one or more
performance
enhancing compositions comprising stain blockers and anti-soil compositions.
The dye
composition comprises a dye component and is adapted to be continuously
applied
onto twisted BCF yarn at 10 to 100 ypm, preferably, 30 to 80 ypm. The stain
blocker
composition comprises an anti-stain component and is adapted to be
continuously
applied onto twisted BCF yarn at a wet pick-up of 10 to 50%, preferably 15 to
30%. The
anti-soil composition comprises an anti-soil component and is adapted to be
continuously 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
11
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
wt.% to about 30 wt.%, and about 10 wt.% to about 20 wt.%. The twisted BCF
yarn can
be optionally heat set after contacting the yarn with the dye composition and
the one or
more performance enhancing compositions. 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.
[00031] Dye
components for use in the disclosed dye compositions are acid dyes
or disperse dyes. Acid dye components are well known to those skilled in the
art and
are water-soluble ionic species containing one or more organic chromophore
moieties.
Acid dyes are typically provided in powder form and different acid dyes can be
used in
combinations to arrive at a precisely defined color choice depending on
process
conditions such as the use rate of each selected dye component, the use rate
of the
one or more acid auxiliaries employed, and the residence time of the substrate
in the
dyeing zone. Examples of suitable acid dye compositions are Orange 3G, Red 2B
and
Blue 4R. Disperse dye components are likewise well known to those skilled in
the art
and are water-insoluble nonionic species containing one or more organic
chromophore
moieties. Disperse dyes are either provided in paste form in combination with
a
dispersing agent or in powder form. Different disperse dyes can be used in
combinations to arrive at a precisely defined color choice depending on
process
conditions such as the use rate of each selected disperse dye component, the
specific
dispersing agent or agents employed, and the residence time of the substrate
in the
dyeing zone. Examples of suitable disperse dye compositions are Disperse Red
60,
Disperse Yellow 86 and Disperse Violet 33.
12
= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
[00032] Anti-stain components for use in the disclosed stain blocker
compositions
have a component bearing 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, sulfonated aromatic aldehyde
condensation
products (SACS) and/or reaction products of formaldehyde, phenolics,
substituted
phenolics, thiophenolics, sulfones, substituted sulfones, polymers or
copolymers of
olefins, branched olefins, cyclic olefins, sulfonated olefins, acrylates,
methacrylates, maleic anyhydride, and organosulfonic acids. They are usually
made
by reacting formaldehyde, phenol, polymethacrylic acid, maleic 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.
[00033] 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 methacrylic acid such as the SCOTCHGARD FX
series
carpet protectors (from 3M Company, St. Paul Minn.); sulfonated fatty acids
from
13
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
Rockland React-Rite, Inc., Rockmart, Ga); and stain resist chemistries from
ArrowStar
LLC, Dalton and Tri-Tex, Canada.
[00034] 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 guanidines, non-telomeric fluorochemicals, and
fluorochemicals incorporating C2 to C8 chemistries. Alternatively, the
fluorochemical
can have one or more monomeric repeat units hearing 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 silane-modified particulates, organosilane-
modified
particulates and alkylated 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).
[00035] The dye 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 dye
composition can be at a neutral pH (e.g. 4 to 9, including 5.5 to 7.5) because
the yarn
can be optionally heat set after application of the composition. The process
foregoes the
14
= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
need for harsh low pH chemicals; deionized water is suitable for use in the
disclosed
process.
[00036] The stain blocker 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 stain
blocker 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.
[00037] 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.
[00038] The contacting can be performed by ,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.
[00039] For example, cotton wicks can be stacked together to form the
desired
thickness (e.g. 1/2" ¨ 3") and submersed in the dye bath for transporting dye
solution to
the moving yarn at a constant flow-rate. The wick thickness selection was
based on the
optimum wick and yarn contacting time needed to achieve the desired color
depth and
color consistency. A further option is to use multiple sets of wicking
applicator stations.
The first wicking applicator station applies the primary color onto the yarn
and the
second wicking applicator station applies a second color or performance
enhancing
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
chemical onto the yarn. Each wicking applicator station can be made up of one
or more
wicks.
[00040] Another option is to transport dye solution to the yarn using two
rotating
rolls covered with wicks. Here, the yarn passes between the two rotating
rolls. Further,
multiple rolls can be used in series. For example, one roll can apply a first
color onto
one side of the moving yarn and another roll to apply a second color onto the
other side
of the yarn to create a unique two color yarn. Further, two sets of nip rolls
can be used.
The first set can apply the primary color and the second set can apply a
second color or
performance enhancing chemical onto the yarn. Any combination of the above
options
can be used to make yarn with multiple colors, color depth and with various
performance chemicals.
[00041] The wet pick-up of the 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 elemental fluorine, including from about 100 to
about 500
ppm elemental fluorine, from about 200 to about 400 ppm, and from about 100
ppm to
about 300 ppm elemental fluorine.
[00042] The wet pick-up of the stain blocker composition 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%. 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%
16
= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
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.
[00043] The performance enhancing compositions can further comprise one or
more components selected from the group consisting of: odor control agents,
anti-
microbial agents, anti-fungal agents, fragrance agents, bleach resist agents,
softeners,
and UV stabilizers.
[00044] 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. 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.
[00045] As stated above, the BCF yarn can be manufactured with 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-
17
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
fluorochemical based, or a mixture of fluorochemical or fluoropolymer material
with non-
fluorinated soil resistant materials.
[00046] The disclosed process may be used with yarns that do not require
subsequent dyeing or performance enhancing chemical treatments, having been
dyed
and optionally treated with one or more performance enhancing compositions
prior to
twisting. The yarns can be made by acid dyed as well as disperse dyed fibers.
Yarns
suitable for use in the process may further comprise inherent stain
resistance, whether
by base composition as in the case of polyester, or by the inclusion of strong
acid
functionality in the polymer composition of the yarn, as in the case of nylon.
Use of a
dye applicator with the disclosed process eliminates the need for subsequent
dyeing
and enables the creation of colored carpets that improve inventory
flexibility, improve
color options, are stain resistant, and are soil resistant without the need
for dyeing and
performance enhancing chemical applications as practiced under the current
state of
the art.
[00047] 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.
[00048] 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.
18
= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
[00049] Alternatively, the disclosed process can be modified to include
dye
application, optional anti-stain application and/or anti-soil application
after the twisted
BCF yarn is wound and prior to heat setting. For example, the twisted BCF yarn
is
unwound from a core or package, contacts the dye applicator, contacts the
optional
anti-stain applicator, and contacts the anti-soil applicator, then goes
through a heat
setting process to lock in the yarn twist, dye, anti-soil, and optional anti-
stain.
[00050] Further disclosed is a system for applying a dye composition and
one or
more performance enhancing compositions to the twisted BCF yarn. The system
includes: (a) a first yarn take-up device that transmits a single yarn member
made from
at least two individual yarn members; (b) a dye composition applicator
disposed
downstream of said yarn take-up device that applies said dye composition to
said single
yarn member; (c) an optional anti-stain blocker applicator disposed downstream
of said
dye composition applicator that applies anti-stain composition to said single
yarn
member; (d) an anti-soil applicator disposed downstream of said dye
composition
applicator that applies anti-soil composition to said single yarn member; and
(e) a
second yarn take-up device that receives a dyed single yarn member. The first
yarn
take-up device can be a take-up roll or reel that can twist the at least two
individual yarn
members into a single yarn member. Alternatively, the first yarn take-up
device can
receive BCF yarn that has been air twisted. The individual yarn members can be
single
filaments or fibers, or yarns made from a plurality of filaments or fibers.
Each 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
19
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
between about 10 wt.% and about 30 wt%, about 20 wt.% to about 30 wt.%, and
about
wt.% to about 20 wt.%. The resulting twisted BCF yarn, if a stain blocker is
used, 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 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 elemental
fluorine,
including from about 100 to about 500 ppm elemental fluorine, from about 200
to about
400 ppm, and from about 100 ppm to about 300 ppm elemental fluorine. The
second
yarn take-up device can be a winder.
[00051]
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 is
wound up
on a winder 30. 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. A dye applicator 140 is
disposed
downstream of take-up roll 125, which applies a dye component to the twisted
yarn.
From here, the twisted and dyed yarn is wound up on a winder 130. Figure 3
shows
another aspect of the disclosed process containing both a dye applicator and
anti-stain /
anti-soil applicator. Here, creel yarn 310 and bucket yarn 315, which is fed
at a spindle
speed of 7000 rpm, pass through anti-balloon device 320 and onto a take-up
roll 325. A
dye applicator 340 is disposed downstream of take-up roll 325, which applies a
dye
component to the twisted yarn. An anti-soil / anti-stain applicator 350 is
disposed
downstream of the dye applicator 340, which applies an anti-soil / anti-stain
component
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
to the dyed, twisted yarn. From here, the twisted and treated yarn is wound up
on a
winder 330.
[00052] Figure 4 shows the current heat setting process. Here, cable
twisted BCF
yarn 410 enters a false twisting unit 420, followed by a coiler or stuffer box
430,
prebulker 440, and finally a heatset chamber 450 to produce a heatset yarn
455. Figure
shows another aspect of the disclosed process where cable twisted BCF yarn is
dyed
prior to heat setting. Here, cable twisted BCF yarn 510 enters the dye
applicator 515,
followed by a false twisting unit 520, a colier or stuffer box 530, prebulker
540, and
finally a heatset chamber 550 to produce a dyed, heatset yarn 555.
.
[00053] The disclosed process is counterintuitive and surprisingly results
in yarn
that contains acceptable dyed and performance enhancement 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
[00054] The following are examples of carpets made from BCF fibers that
have
been treated according to various aspects of the process disclosed above, and
similar
fibers with no treatment. Selection of alternative dyeing and performance
enhancing
components, fibers and textiles having different surface chemistries will
necessitate
minor adjustments to the variables herein described.
21
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
Test Methods
Acid Dye Stain Test.
[00055] 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 A of aqueous staining solution
is
prepared, according to the manufacturer's directions, by mixing cherry-
flavored KOOL-
Al
powder (Kraft/General Foods, White Plains, N.Y., a powdered drink mix
containing, inter alia, 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-AIDO 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.
Example 1 (Comparativel
[00056] Two
920 denier, 8 dpf, colorless nylon 6,6 BCF yarns were processed on
a Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 1 to form a 5.75 tpi (twist
per inch) 2-
ply cable twisted yarn. The twisting speed was about 7000 rpm (turns per
minute) and
winding speed was about 50 meter per minute. The cable twisted yarn had no
color.
The cable twisted yarn was heatset on Superba, and converted into cut pile
carpet on a
22
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
1/8 ga tufting machine to 22/32 inch pile height, 35 oz/sq yard carpet and
dyed on a
continuous dye line to get medium pie crust color. This example was made using
the
state of art carpet making process with continuous dyer to add color to
carpet.
Example 2 (Inventive)
[00057] Two 920 denier, 8 dpf, colorless nylon 6,6 BCF yarns were processed
on
a Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 2 to form a 5.75 tpi (twist
per inch) 2-
ply cable twisted yarn. A wicking dye applicator was inserted between take up
roll and
winder. A 1/2 inch wide, 1 inch thick cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell MA)
was used
to apply a mixture of acid dyes (Blue 4R @ 5.0 g/I & Orange 3G 2.0 g/I in
deionized
water, pH 9.47) onto the cable twisted yarn. The twisting speed was about 7000
rpm
(turns per minute) and winding speed was about 50 meter per minute. The cable
twisted yarn was heatset on Superba at 265 F, and tufted into cut pile carpet
on a 1/8
ga tufting machine to 22/32 inch pile height, 35 oz/sq yard carpet. The tufted
carpet had
medium shade green color (L 51.26, a -9.71, b +1.45 by Minolta).
Example 3 (Inventive)
[00058] Two 920 denier, 8 dpf, colorless nylon 6,6 BCF yarns were processed
on
a Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 2 to form a 5.75 tpi (twist
per inch) 2-
ply cable twisted yarn. A wicking dye applicator was inserted between take up
roll and
winder. A 1/2 inch wide, 1 inch thick cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell MA)
was used
to apply a mixture of acid dyes (Orange 3G @ 5.712 g/I, Red 2B @ 2.52 g/I,
Blue 4R @
2.268 g/I in deionized water, pH 6) onto the cable twisted yarn. The twisting
speed was
about 7000 rpm (turns per minute) and winding speed was about 50 meter per
minute.
The cable twisted yarn was heatset on Superba at 265 F, and tufted into cut
pile carpet
23
= CA 02849458 2014-03-20
on a 1/8 ga tufting machine to 22/32 inch pile height, 35 oz/sq yard carpet.
The tufted
carpet had light shade brown color (L 39.17, a 10.48, b 18.14 by Minolta).
There were
numerous dark, medium and light spots randomly distributed over the carpet
that
created an interesting salt and pepper toner mixture effect.
Example 4 (Inventive)
[00059] Two 920 denier, 8 dpf, colorless nylon 6,6 BCF yarns were
processed on
a Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 2 to form a 5.75 tpi (twist
per inch) 2-
ply cable twisted yarn. A wicking dye applicator was inserted between take up
roll and
winder. A % inch wide, 1 inch thick cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell MA) was
used
to apply a mixture of acid dyes (Orange 3G @ 11.424 g/I, Red 2B @ 5.040 g/I,
Blue 4R
@ 4.536 g/I in deionized water, pH 6.0) onto the cable twisted yarn. The
twisting speed
was about 7000 rpm (turns per minute) and winding speed was about 50 meter per
minute. The cable twisted yarn was heatset on Superba at 265 F, and tufted
into cut
pile carpet on a 1/8 ga tufting machine to 22/32 inch pile height, 35 oz/sq
yard carpet.
The tufted carpet had dark brown color (L 23.63, a 12.61, b 15.15). This
carpet also
had dark and light spots similar to example 3 except the contrast was very
subtle,
almost invisible.
Example 5 (Inventive)
[00060] Two 901 denier, 3 dpf, colorless nylon 6,6 BCF yarns were
processed on
Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 1 to form a 4.5 tpi (twist per
inch) 2-ply
cable twisted yarn. The twisting speed was about 7000 rpm (turns per minute)
and
winding speed was about 60 meter per minute. The cable twisted yarn had no
color.
24
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
The cable twisted yarn was heatset on Superba equipped with two wicking dye
applicators inserted in tandem between the creel and the false twisting unit.
Each dye
applicator had one inch wide, 4 inch thick cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell
MA) that
wicked a mixture of acid dyes (Orange 3G @ 14.85 g/I, Red 2B @ 6.55 g/I, Blue
4R @
5.90 g/I, 15 g/I wetting agent in deionized water) onto the cable twisted yarn
at 350 ypm.
After color application, the cable twisted yarn was processed through a
coiler, a
prebulker with steam and heatset in a pressurized chamber with saturated steam
at
129.4 C. The dwell time in the pressurized chamber was about 36 seconds. The
yarn
was cooled with air and wound on tube. The colored yarn was subsequently
converted
into 5/8 inch pile height, 12 stitches per inch cut pile carpet on a 1/10
gauge tufting
machine. The finished carpet had a medium brown color (L 37.9, a 10.7, b
16.9).
Example 6 (Inventive)
[00061] Two
901 denier, 3 dpf, colorless nylon 6,6 BCF yarns were processed on
Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 1 to form a 4.5 tpi (twist per
inch) 2-ply
cable twisted yarn. The twisting speed was about 7000 rpm (turns per minute)
and
winding speed was about 60 meter per minute. The cable twisted yarn had no
color.
The cable twisted yarn was heatset on Superba equipped with two wicking dye
applicators inserted in tandem between the creel and the false twisting unit.
Each dye
applicator had one inch wide, 4 inch thick cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell
MA) that
wicked a mixture of green acid dyes (orange 3 G 4 g/I, Blue 4 R 10 WI, 15 g/I
wetting
agent in deionized water) onto the cable twisted yarn at 350 ypm. After color
application, the cable twisted yarn was processed through a coiler, a
prebulker with
steam and heatset in a pressurized chamber with saturated steam at 129.4 C.
The
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
dwell time in the pressurized chamber was about 36 seconds. The yarn was
cooled
with air and wound on tube. The colored yarn was subsequently converted into
5/8 inch
pile height, 12 stitches per inch cut pile carpet on a 1/10 gauge tufting
machine. The
finished carpet had a light green color (L 61.5, a -8.9, b 2.7)
Example 7 (Inventive)
[00062] Two
901 denier, 3 dpf, colorless nylon 6,6 BCF yarns were processed on
Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 1 to form a 4.5 tpi (twist per
inch) 2-ply
cable twisted yarn. The twisting speed was about 7000 rpm (turns per minute)
and
winding speed was about 60 meter per minute. The cable twisted yarn had no
color.
The cable twisted yarn was heatset on Superba equipped with two wicking
applicators inserted in tandem between the creel and the false twisting unit.
The first
wicking applicator was use to apply brown color dyes (Orange 3G @ 14.85 g/I,
Red 2B
@ 6.55 WI, Blue 4R @ 5.90 g/I, 15 g/I wetting agent in deionized water, pH 6)
and the
second applicator was used to apply stain block chemistry (SR-500, 250 g/I, pH
6) onto
the cable twisted yarn. The processing speed was about 350 ypm. After color
and
stain chemical application, the cable twisted yarn was processed through a
coiler, a
prebulker with steam and heatset in a pressurized chamber with saturated steam
at
129.4 C. The dwell time in the pressurized chamber was about 36 seconds. The
yarn
was cooled with air and wound on tube. The colored yarn was subsequently
converted
into 5/8 inch pile height, 12 stitches per inch cut pile carpet on a 1/10
gauge tufting
machine. The finished carpet had a medium brown color and excellent stain
resistance
(rating 10 on 24 hour Kool-aid test).
26
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
Example 8 (Inventive)
[00063] Two 901 denier, 3dpf, colorless nylon 6,6 BCF yarns were processed
on
a Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 1 to form a 4.5 tpi (twist
per inch) 2-
ply cable twisted yarn. The twisting speed was about 7000 rpm (turns per
minute) and
winding speed was about 60 meter per minute. The cable twisted yarn had no
color.
The cable twisted yarn was heatset on Superba equipped with two wicking
applicators inserted in tandem between the creel and the false twisting unit.
The first
wicking applicator was used to apply green color acid dyes ( orange 3 G 4 WI,
Blue 4 R
WI, 15 g/I wetting agent in deionized water) and the second applicator was
used to
apply brown color acid dyes (Orange 3G @ 14.85 g/I, Red 2B @ 6,55 WI, Blue 4R
@
5.90 WI, 15 g/I wetting agent in deionized water, pH 6) onto the cable twisted
yarn. The
processing speed was about 350 yprn. After color and stain/soil chemical
application,
the cable twisted yarn was processed through a coiler, a prebulker with steam
and
heatset in a pressurized chamber with saturated steam at 129.4 C. The dwell
time in
the pressurized chamber was about 36 seconds. The yarn was cooled with air and
wound on tube. The colored yarn was subsequently converted into 5/8 inch pile
height,
12 stitches per inch cut pile carpet on a 1/10 gauge tufting machine. The
finished
carpet had an interesting salt and pepper brown and green color (L 47.5, a -
3.5, b 9.4).
Example 9 (Inventive)
[00064] Two 1400 denier, 10 dpf, colorless polyester BCF yarns were
processed
on a Volkman twisting machine as described in figure 2 to form a 5.25 tpi
(twist per inch)
2-ply cable twisted yarn. A wicking dye applicator was inserted between take
up roll
and winder . A % inch wide, 1.25 inch thick cotton wick (Wet Wick by Perperell
MA)
27
CA 02849458 2014-03-20
was used to apply a mixture of disperse dyes (Dianix yellow E-3GE 21.5 g/I,
Red E-FB
15.3 g/I, blue ER-AM 5.6 g/I all by Dystar in deionized water, pH 5.0) onto
the cable
twisted yarn. The twisting speed was about 7000 rpm (turns per minute) and
winding
speed was about 60 meter per minute. The cable twisted yarn was heatset on
Suessen
at 185 C at 375 ypm, -60 second dwell time, and tufted Into cut pile carpet
on a 5/32
ga tufting machine to 22/32 inch pile height, 45 oz/sq yard carpet. The tufted
carpet had
medium brown color (L 47.43, a 15.58, b 15.98).
28
