Patent Application
20220364299
The present application relates to the field of fiber modification, particularly a method for fiber modification with which oxidation resistance of fibers is promoted.
The hypochlorous acid as a known ingredient for the anti-microbial function is used to kill microbes such as viruses, bacteria and fungi in a variety of environments. When a human body is invaded by pathogenic germs from outside, the ingredient of hypochlorous acid generated by leucocytes of the body's immune system will react and resist these bacteria or virus, that is, proteases on cell membranes of bacteria or virus are particularly destroyed through development of resistance for annihilation of bacteria or virus. With the same function in the human body or the so-called biocompatibility, the hypochlorous acid resisting bacteria effectively is nontoxic and harmless to the human body.
However, the hypochlorous acid which is an effective and nonhazardous sterilizing agent is a strong oxidant with the drawback of poor stability in storage and seldom added in commercially available tissues in which alcohol as a principal sterilizing ingredient is mixed generally. In the other hand, the common plastic fibers such as polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP) and rayon fall short of good oxidation resistance and lose bactericidal power after a certain period of time as the hypochlorous acid.
In the present disclosure, oxidation resistance of plastic nonwoven fabrics or fibers is promoted through fiber modification hereinafter.
A method for fiber modification in the present disclosure comprises steps: fibers react with an oxidant for development of antioxidant fibers; separate the antioxidant fibers from the oxidant; dry the antioxidant fibers for development of modified fibers.
In a method for fiber modification, the fibers are selected from one of PET, PP and Rayon or a combination of at least two thereof.
In a method for fiber modification, the concentration of the oxidant ranges from 150 to 20,000 ppm.
In a method for fiber modification, the concentration of the oxidant ranges from 150 to 250 ppm preferably.
In a method for fiber modification, the oxidant is a hypochlorous acid oxidant.
In a method for fiber modification, the hypochlorous acid oxidant is selected from one of sodium hypochlorite, hypochlorous acid, calcium hypochlorite, magnesium hypochlorite and potassium hypochlorite or a combination of at least two thereof.
In a method for fiber modification, the temperature of the reaction between the fibers and the oxidant ranges from 25 to 100° C.
In a method for fiber modification, the temperature of the reaction between the fibers and the oxidant ranges from 50 to 80° C. preferably.
In a method for fiber modification, the duration of the reaction between the fibers and the oxidant ranges from 2 to 168 hours.
In a method for fiber modification, the duration of the reaction between the fibers and the oxidant ranges from 24 to 168 hours preferably.
For promotion of oxidation resistance of plastic non-woven fabrics or fibers, plastic fibers in the present disclosure are modified such that hypochlorous acids are stored in the plastic fibers optimally and added in tissues for sterilization and cleaning effects after long-term storage.
A method for fiber modification is further explained hereinafter through embodiments for clear understanding of purposes, technical measures and advantages. It should be reiterated that embodiments in the present disclosure are used to explain rather than restrict a method for fiber modification.
The techniques of present invention would be more understandable from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying figures are provided for better illustration, and thus description and figures are not limitative for present invention, and wherein:
A method for fiber modification is explained hereinafter through test data in the example comparison and embodiments for clear understanding of technical features, content, advantages and efficiency by patent examiners.
For clear descriptions of differences in the example comparison and embodiments, the sterilization effect in the present disclosure is indicated by measurement of free available chlorine (FAC), which is used to access fibers modified according to a method for fiber modification, wherein the content of FAC comprises hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite.
For that matter, a person with general knowledge in the art is conscious of the fact that the higher content of FAC marked with parts per million (ppm) contributes to the better sterilization effect of a substance.
In the test for the storage stability of a determinand stored for a long period of time, the content of FAC, which is represented by ppm, after long-term storage is compared with the initial content of FAC and the ratio of both FACs is indicated as percentage (%) wherein a higher percentage means more FAC preserved for better efficiency.
In the present disclosure, storage stabilities of different hypochlorous acids added in fibers for a long period of time are tested in a high-temperature environment through which an environment for long-term storage at room temperature is simulated.
In the test to check the storage stability of hypochlorous acids, a determinand is placed in a glass bottle containing hypochlorous acid solvents (FAC=200 ppm) and equipped with a PP (polypropylene) cap and stored in an oven at 54° C. for 7 to 14 days based on test parameters to simulate storage status for 6 to 12 months at room temperature and check the storage stability of hypochlorous acids.
The content of FAC in a piece of commercially available tissue containing hypochlorous acids as the principal component is measured and presented in Table 1 which indicates residual hypochlorous acids in all products and ultra-low FAC inside these commercially available tissues containing hypochlorous acids. As shown in data of FAC, each of commercially available tissues containing hypochlorous acids which have been transported, stored and finally purchased by consumers is characteristic of the ultra-low content of hypochlorous acids and the drawback of poor stability of hypochlorous acids in stored tissues.
The storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids in plastic non-woven fabrics based on common macromolecular polymers, e.g., PET, PP and Rayon, are shown in Table 2 which indicates poor storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids inside plastic non-woven fabrics.
The steps to modify plastic non-woven fabrics through hypochlorous acids are shown as follows:
The method to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids is shown as follows:
As shown in Table 3, the storage stability of hypochlorous acids in modified plastic non-woven fabrics is 1.5 times better than that of hypochlorous acids in unmodified non-woven fabrics. Thus, it can be seen that the storage stability of hypochlorous acids in fabrics treated with a method for fiber modification is promoted and significantly effective.
The steps to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids in unmodified and modified non-woven fabrics (PET) are shown as follows:
As shown in Table 4, the storage stability of hypochlorous acids in modified non-woven fabrics is twice better than that of hypochlorous acids in unmodified non-woven fabrics.
The steps to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids in unmodified PET fabrics are shown as follows:
As shown in Table 5, the storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids in unmodified PET fabrics are unsatisfactory after the 7-day reaction at 54° C.: the concentrations of residual FAC are 26 ppm and 68 ppm, respectively; the residues of hypochlorous acids are 13.0% and 34.0%, respectively.
The steps to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids are shown as follows:
As shown in Table 6, the residues of hypochlorous acids are 52.9% and 50.95%, respectively. The content of FAC in modified PET fabrics is better than before and the storage stability of hypochlorous acids in modified PET fabrics is promoted.
The steps to optimize the duration of modification treatment of non-woven fabrics (PET) are shown as follows:
The method to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids is shown as follows:
As shown in Table 7, there is no significant difference in data among fabrics modified from 1 day to 14 days, that is, the compatibility of plastic non-woven fabrics with hypochlorous acids is promoted after 1-day modification treatment at 54° C. Therefore, the duration of modification treatment at 54° C. is one day for optimal time cost.
The steps to optimize the duration of modification treatment of fabrics (PET) are shown as follows:
The method to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids is shown as follows:
As shown in Table 8 and
The steps to optimize the duration of modification treatment for non-woven fabrics (PET) at room temperature are shown as follows:
The method to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids is shown as follows:
As shown in Table 9 in which all data is summarized, the compatibility of hypochlorous acids with non-woven fabrics modified at room temperature is promoted but not as good as that of hypochlorous acids with non-woven fabrics modified at higher temperature. Thus, the optimal solution is modification treatment of non-woven fabrics modified at 54° C.
The steps to optimize the duration of modification treatment for non-woven fabrics (PET) modified at 70° C. are shown as follows:
The method to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids is shown as follows:
As shown in Table 10 and
The steps for preparation of the experiment of modified non-woven fabrics and unmodified non-woven fabrics stored at room temperature are shown as follows:
The method to test storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids is shown as follows:
As shown in Table 11 and
The test results for a method of fiber modification in the present disclosure are described hereinbefore. As previously mentioned, modified fibers contribute to better storage stabilities of hypochlorous acids which still display better bactericidal power and cleaning efficiency after long-term storage. The issue of hypochlorous acids difficultly stored in fabrics in the prior art is overcome by the present invention for more applications of hypochlorous acids in fibers such as manufacture, transportation and marketing.
The above descriptions are preferable embodiments of a method for fiber modification only that should not restrict the scope of the present application in practice; any modification or equivalent replacement without departing from the spirit and scope of the present application should be incorporated in claims hereinafter.
