PROCESS FOR PREPARING REDUCED ODOR AND IMPROVED BRIGHTNESS INDIVIDUALIZED, POLYCARBOXYLIC ACID CROSSLINKED FIBERS

• Main Authors: COOK, JEFFERY TODD, GRAEF, PETER ALLEN, DUNCAN, WILLIAM LLYOD, BOLSTAD, CLIFFORD ROY, DANIELS, WALTER DOUGLAS, RODRIGUEZ, PEDRO ANTONIO
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 30.06.2004
• Subjects: APPARATUS THEREFOR; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, ORSURGICAL ARTICLES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF,TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, E.G. STENTS; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION, OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; FIRST-AID KITS; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; FOMENTATION; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IMPREGNATING OR COATING OF PAPER; LAUNDERING; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS, OR SURGICALARTICLES; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS INGENERAL; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; PAPER NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PAPER-MAKING; PREPARATION THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES D21C OR D21D; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE; PRODUCTION OF CELLULOSE BY REMOVING NON-CELLULOSE SUBSTANCESFROM CELLULOSE-CONTAINING MATERIALS; PROSTHESES; PULP COMPOSITIONS; REGENERATION OF PULPING LIQUORS; TEXTILES; TREATMENT OF FINISHED PAPER NOT COVERED BY CLASS B31 OR SUBCLASS D21G; TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; TREATMENT, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE IN CLASS D06, OF FIBRES, THREADS, YARNS,FABRICS, FEATHERS, OR FIBROUS GOODS MADE FROM SUCH MATERIALS

DISCLOSED IS A PROCESS FOR MAKING REDUCED ODOR INDIVIDUALIZED, CROSSLINKED FIBERS WHICH INCLUDES THE STEPS OF PROVIDING CELLULOSIC FIBERS, CONTACTING THE FIBERS WITH A SOLUTION CONTAINING A C2-C9 POLYCARBOXYLIC ACID CROSSLINKING AGENT, MECHANICALLY SEPARATING THE FIBERS INTO SUBSTANTIALLY INDIVIDUAL FORM, DRYING THE FIBERS AND REACTING THE CROSSLINKING AGENT WITH THE INDIVIDUALIZED FIBERS TO FORM INTRAFIBER CROSSLINK BONDS. THE INDIVIDUALIZEDCELLULOSIC FIBERS ARE THEN CONTACTED WITH A STRONG ALKALINE SOLUTION AND STRONG OXIDIZING AGENT TO REDUCE THE ODOR AND INCREASE THE BRIGHTNESS. PREFERABLY, THE CROSSLINKING AGENT IS CITRIC ACID, AND PREFERABLY, BETWEEN ABOUT 1.0 WEIGHT AND ABOUT 12.0 WEIGHT OF THE CROSSLINKING AGENT REACTS TO FORM THE INTRAFIBER CROSSLINK BONDS. PREFERABLY, THE ALKALINE SOLUTION IS AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF SODIUM HYDROXIDE, AND PREFERABLY, ABOUT 0.09 WEIGHT OF THE SODIUM HYDROXIDE, ON A DRY FIBER WEIGHT BASIS, IS APPLIED TO THE CROSSLINKED FIBERS. PREFERABLY, THE OXIDIZING AGENT IS HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, AND PREFERABLY, ABOUT 0.04 WEIGHT OF THE HYDROGEN PEROXIDE, ON A DRY FIBER WEIGHT BASIS, IS APPLIED TO THE CROSSLINKED FIBER. THE REDUCED ODOR INDIVIDUALIZED, CROSSLINKED FIBERS ARE USEFUL IN A VARIETY OF ABSORBENT STRUCTURE APPLICATIONS.