CA2599027A1 - Composite thread and obtained textile - Google Patents

Abstract

A composite wire (18) comprises a core (16) and a sheath (17). The soul (16) is made from at least one wire in one or more metallic materials to biocidal properties. The sheath (17) is made from one or more textile fibers directly covering all or part of the web (16).

Description

COMPOSITE YARN AND TEXTILE OBTAINED

The invention relates to a composite yarn. The invention also relates to a textile obtained with composite yarn, used alone or in combination with other materials textiles. The invention also relates to an article of clothing or packaging realized at base of this composite yarn.

In general, a textile has a protective coating function for pack, cover and protect live or inert material against main factors harmful to their safety. Textiles provide protection against the biological aggressions, such as bacteria, fungi, yeasts, viruses, allergens, algae, against chemical aggressions, such as gas, fumes, dust, against physical aggression, such as radiation, hot air or cold, moisture and against mechanical aggression, such as friction, shocks, bites and cuts. A thread is a basic constituent of a textile and has characteristics of flexibility, finesse, great length compared to its diameter.
For a long time, the therapeutic properties of certain metals have been widely recognized. Copper, zinc and silver in metallic form are strongly biocides or germicides, by action against germs such as bacteria, yeasts and fungi, and algicides by action against algae, according to a mechanism particular called oligodynamic effect. These metals are almost insoluble in the water. The some produced ions enter the cells of the microorganisms or algae and act by complexation of the formed metal ions (Cu2) for copper, Zn2 + for zinc, Ag + for silver) on thiol groups (-SH), carboxylic groups (-COOH) phosphates (-PO4H2), hydroxyl (-OH), amines (-NH2), imidazoles or indoles of the proteins and on the nucleic acid bases of the RNAs of the nucleus of cells. The growth of these microorganisms or algae is inhibited by biocide. The bacterial cells are in a state of bacteriostasis because they are rendered sterile and can no longer divide. As a consequence, the bacterial population himself multiply more.

two State of the art According to the literature, the antibacterial activity of copper is limited to Staphylococcus and Streptococcus (Gram +). Copper-based compounds and particular copper sulphate are especially endowed with properties antifungals. The copper is active on fungi like Trichophyton interdigital or Trichophyton gypseum. Copper is inactive against other filamentous fungi like Aspergillus niger. The antibacterial activity is more important on the bacteria to Gram + bacteria.
To combat micro-biological risks, one technique consists of enrich textiles into active agents. These agents are added to the fibers, and / or the textile.
To date, there are various antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungals, widely used in this field.
First, minerals or zeolites, for example tectosilicates, alumino-silicates, calcium or alkali, are combined with metals, such as mainly copper, silver and zinc. They are incorporated into obtained fibers by melting. For example, phosphate-based ceramics of zirconium and silver, placed on the market under the name AlphaSan (l RC 5000.
These agents are also added to the surface of several fibers. These are by a polyam filament of 6-6, known under the name X-staticTM, marketed by the company Noble Fiber Technology. These treatments minerals are suitable for textiles with high melting temperatures above 250 C, such than polyamides, polyesters.
Then, chemical molecules, such as triclosan (Irgasan from society Ciba Specialty Chemicals), are agents with a broad spectrum antibacterial and antimicrobial. Triclosan can only be incorporated into materials with a melting temperature below 215 C.
Finally, chitosan is a natural polymer derived from the chitin used in the health, agriculture and dyeing applications for fabrics.
It also cleans and whitens pools, eliminating algae and others impurities.
However, these methods have the problem of the level of antimicrobial agents at incorporate in order to obtain convincing results without modifying characteristics of the fiber. Indeed, zeolites are minerals that make the wire brittle. Of more the thermal stresses can also modify or even destroy characteristics

3 antimicrobial agents, such as triclosan. Then these agents antimicrobials may also be incorporated after extrusion, when de_the picture of the threads or in methods of coating and or dyeing the yarns. But, the permanence metal and metal ions in time is only very random. The sizing will to suffer friction and its resistance in aqueous medium remains limited. These treatments zeolites, coating or gaseous metallic deposits, impregnation of triclosan or chitosan, are labile, and extractable from solvents, laundry, sweat or other agents chemical dyeing or bleaching at temperature. This makes the effectiveness of antimicrobial agents will decrease and disappear as and when uses of the textile.
To be active on the existing germs at the surface of the fibers, part of the principle active ingredient incorporated into the polymer must be at the surface. depletion in active principle due to dyeing treatment, abrasion, extraction by sweat or by cleaning products must be offset by a slow migration through the filament or the fiber to the surface. The mass concentration of the active ingredient, its distribution, its mobility in the polymer and the diameter of the filament or fiber are therefore of the important parameters.
While keeping a high efficiency, the textiles obtained by finishing have better resistance to maintenance than textiles with only one simple deposit without binder. However, the presence of binder will modify the properties of surface of fibers, the binding of the fibers together and therefore the properties of the drapery (flexibility, feel and appearance) and will partially mask the effectiveness of molecules of biocide. The durability of these treatments depends on many factors including main is the strength of the attachment of the active ingredient to the surface of the fibers by report to dyeing conditions, abrasion and washes.

Presentation of the invention The main problem that the invention proposes to solve is to realize a wire preventing the development of bacteria, fungi, algae or other living elements. A second problem is that of keeping the touch textile for a wire with bacteriostatic properties. A third problem is to make sustainable bacteriostatic properties of a thread, without alterations over time and regardless of the conditions of use of the textile. A fourth problem is to avoid the formation of bad smells, as well as allergies, in developing

4 a new type of yarn for a textile. A fifth problem is make a thread can be ennobled without special precautions, dyeing, printing, and other. A
Sixth problem is that of preventing the formation of static electricity in a textile by the addition of a specific thread. One last problem is finally to realize an article textile or an article of clothing, having at least one thread with properties biocides.
In accordance with the present invention, a composite yarn comprising a core and a sheath, characterized in that the core is made from at least one wire continuous one or more metal materials with biocidal properties and in that the sheath is made from one or more textile fibers covering directly all or part of the year.

In other words, the soul brings the biocidal properties and the sheath brings the characteristics of yarns traditionally used in the textile field.
By biocide, it includes properties referring to the European Directive biocide 98-8. Wire in one or more metallic materials also means sections of continuous yarn, can be calibrated or isotropic and mixed in spinning with a ribbon fiber. By one or more textile fibers is also meant threads or one continuous filament.
The yarn will thus have bacteriostatic, fungistatic and / or or algaecide, slow diffusion and controlled. It is therefore a thread, which by its composition, prevents the development of potentially pathogenic elements for human beings living.
The thread and the achievements that implement it, is no longer a source of contamination for the substances with which it comes into contact. Ions metal released by the soul of the wire penetrate and complex with the acids ribonucleic proteins of microorganisms, thus blocking any inultiplication. The presence and low solubility of this metal rod in a liquid medium, gives it a extreme longevity, linked to the permanence of its presence in the wire. The sheath is going bring the properties usually known for textile yarns of the state of the technical.
Because of its characteristics, this type of wire is used in the field of hygiene human and animal health, food safety, the medical and agricultural of the filtration of aqueous and gaseous media. The thread is adapted in order to be able to be set works according to all the techniques used in the textile field, winding, sewing, weaving, knitting, braiding, embroidery, toppling, and others.

In a particular embodiment, the son or sons of the soul can be plated (covered by electrolysis) with one or more metallic biocidal properties. This embodiment makes it possible to obtain a composite yarn, only the metal surface has the desired biocidal properties. In an other variant,

5 this same embodiment relates to a composite yarn made of a first material metallic with the desired biocidal properties that is plated using a second material metal with other desired biocidal properties. The presence of two materials, copper and silver, prevents oxidation of both metals. On the wire, there is no has no black (for silver) or bluish (for copper) traces.
Very preferentially, in order to promote the holding of the yarns or fibers textiles on the soul of the wire, the soul can present an apparent surface with a structure forming attachment points for the textile fiber or fibers of the sheath. All the structuring wire are possible. So, the soul has a structure geometric, for example a line, a blade, a star, a tortoiseshell, filamentary or all other forms, which facilitate the grip, the flu of the textile. According to the type of fibers used for the sheath, the metal core may be streaked, blasted, to undergo everything type of treatment, to facilitate the grip of the sheath. Likewise structure no flat, porous can be achieved, to imprison micro-bubbles of air, having aim to increase the trading surfaces and to improve the characteristics thermoregulators of the wire.
If one wants to influence the microbial and antistatic characteristics of blade, we can play on its geometric structure. Indeed, depending on the type of desired migration, it will be possible by the geometric structure used to the soul, to influence either on the level of solubility or on the oligodynamic effect. This effect lies in the ratio mass / surface of the core and mass / surface of the wire. If you want a effect more important on a given wire, with an identical mass for the soul, it is preferable then a blade instead of a line. We will thus obtain at equivalent mass a surface exchange more important chemical. This phenomenon can be further increased by production of a non-planar, granular, striated, tortoiseshell surface. These different factors allow to regulate migration levels to be in compliance with the rules of individual and global migration required for approval for the contact food.

Depending on the desired biocidal activity, the metal material (s) properties biocides can be favorably chosen, alone or in alloy, in the group

6 including zinc, silver, tin, copper, gold and nickel. With this choice of metal materials, the targeting of bacteria and other pathogenic elements to destroy leads to broad spectrum efficiency or the opposite with precision Action special. For a food application whose objective will be the control of pathogenic colonies, such as Listeria, Salmonella, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, etc., the mixtures will consist mainly of zinc and money, the the presence of copper being less important. On the other hand, if the wire has a destination of Odor prevention in a shoe sole, the fungistatic function will be highlighting and, in this case, the proportion of copper will be greater.
The presence of the metal core, an electrically conductive material, in the wire of the present invention will therefore suffice to dissipate the charges of electricity static. The presence of a metal core, in the heart of a composite wire, provides last one cut resistance function.
Depending on the desired end textile, the textile fiber (s) of the sheath can be selected, alone or as a mixture, from the group consisting of fibers original natural, artificial and synthetic. In the first case, the fibers of natural origin can be advantageously chosen, alone or as a mixture, in the group including animal and / or vegetable fibers, for example cotton, wool, silk, the flax, cellulose and so on. For example, depending on the textile fiber used in sheath, a boime resistance to heat is obtained. If the sheath is in wool, a good resistance to heat is obtained.
In a second case and advantageously, syntletic fibers can be chosen, alone or in a mixture, from the group comprising acrylics, the polyamides, polypropylenes and others. The wire according to this invention will be able to support the dyes, impression, thermofixation, in the same conditions of treatment than conventional textiles. So, if the wire in a mode of production particular is composed of a cotton top layer, the latter may to be bleached, dyed or printed under the same conditions of chemistry as a pure yarn cotton.
The sheath can be favorably achieved by a method of assembly, wrapping, guimping, twisting, spinning, friction spinning DrefrM (from FEHRER AG) and others. The mechanical implementation of the sheath textile fibers, short or long, by a yarn of fibers, by a ribbon of carded, by combed tape, mono or multifilament, continuous or discontinuous, allows keep the textile touch of the thread. In another embodiment, all or

7 Part of the core may be covered by a porous coating, so that facilitate the attachment of the textile fiber or fibers of the sheath.

In a second aspect of the present invention, a textile is characterized in this it comprises at least one composite yarn as described above. The textile may be made by a process of weaving, knitting, braiding, embroidery, topping, of non-woven (by needling), and others. The delicacy of the section of the strands component soul allows the composite wire to maintain its flexibility. The finesse of section limits the so-called shape memory phenomenon related to the wire of section superior (spring effect). The wire of the present invention will support the constraints of shaping, specific to the implementation of textiles, such as brewing, needle passage, tension of sewing machines, etc. Nice to wear, the textile does not will not cause any inconvenience to the wearer or in the case of packing for the transported or conditioned material.
According to a third aspect of the invention, an article of clothing is characterized in that it is assembled using at least one composite yarn as described above.
Brief description of the figures The invention will be well understood and its various advantages and different characteristics will stand out better in the following description, from the example no limiting embodiment, with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which which :
- Figure 1 shows a round core (line) of a composite wire according to a first embodiment;
FIG. 2 represents, in a side view, a first method of treatment of blade of Figure 1 for obtaining a flat core (blade) and a composite wire according to a second embodiment;
- Figure 3 shows, in side view, a second method of treatment of the core of Figure 1 for obtaining a core and a composite wire according to a third embodiment;
FIG. 4 represents, in a view from above, a third treatment method of the core of Figure 2 for obtaining a core and a composite wire according to a fourth embodiment;

8 FIG. 5 represents, in a view from above, a fourth treatment method of the core of Figure 2 for obtaining a core and a composite wire according to a fourth embodiment;
- Figure 6 shows a side view of a composite wire according to a first exemplary embodiment; and - Figure 7 shows a cross sectional view of a composite yarn according to one second embodiment.

Detailed description of the invention As shown in Figures 1 and 2, and in a preferred embodiment, the core (1) of a composite yarn is constituted by a line or monofilament, that is, by a continuous round copper wire (2) covered with a thin layer of silver or tin (3). The copper wire (2) has a diameter of about 67 in. The silver layer (3) present a thickness of about 5 thousandths of copper.
As shown in FIG. 2, the core (1) is laminated by passage between two rollers (4 and 6) of a smooth cold rolling mill. A new laminated soul keep on going (7) silver-plated or tin-plated copper, approximately 5 m thick and wide about equal to 0.20 mm, is obtained.
Figure 3 shows a method of treating the surface of the core (1) of the Figure 1 by two knurling cylinders (8 and 9). The copper wire core silvery (11) is marked to improve the grip of yarns and / or textile fibers, and optimize the mass-to-surface ratio of metals.
FIG. 4 shows a method of treating the surface of the core (7) of the Figure 2 by two simple knurling cylinders (12). The blade (13) forming blade, has transverse striations parallel to each other.
Figure 5 shows a method of treating the surface of the core (7) of the Figure 2 by two rolls of crossed knurling (14). The blade (16) forming blade, presents staggered streaks by cross-knurling.
In a first exemplary embodiment (see FIG. 6), the blade-shaped core (16), for example that obtained and shown according to the method of FIG. 5, is covered a continuous textile fiber (17) by rolling or wrapping. Composite yarn obtained (18) is thus guiped. For example, the soul (16) is guiped with a cotton number metric 28. Covering consists of covering a core wire with one or more sleeves formed of different threads. The monofilament blade (16) is energized to be guiped in

9 mono or double sheath. In the particular embodiment, cotton, in first winding, brings its solidity and softness. It can in case of double there is a wrapping an outer winding. The covering fiber (17) is chosen according to his characteristics, so that it brings its own qualities (thermoregulation, fiber textured, etc.).
In a second embodiment (see Figure 7), the blade-shaped soul (16), for example that obtained and shown according to the method of FIG. 5, is covered of staple fibers (19). The composite yarn (21) is thus obtained according to the technical friction spinning DrefrM.
Tests carried out with the composite yarns according to the invention The antibacterial and antifungal properties of different threads (see Table 1 below), composed of monofilaments (silver and copper) gimped by the cotton fiber, have been evaluated. The threads are turned into knits to be tested according to standardized microbiological tests, according to:
- Swiss standard SNV 195 920, qualitative test which determines the activity antibacterial agar diffusion; this standard highlights the activity antibacterial effect of a textile support having undergone a finishing treatment or containing a fiber treated in the mass and giving rise to a diffusion of the principle active in the nutrient medium;
- Swiss standard SNV 195 921, qualitative test which determines the activity antifungal by agar diffusion; this standard highlights the activity antifungal of a textile support having undergone a finishing treatment or containing a fiber treated in the mass and giving rise to a diffusion of the active principle in the nutrient medium;
- the French standard XP G 39-010, a quantitative test that measures properties bacteriostatic by contact on agar; this standard makes it possible the activity Bacteriostatic on the surface of fabrics and polymeric surfaces acting by contact or diffusion of the antibacterial active, whether the fabrics are hydrophilic or hydrophobic; and - the French standard in preparation, a quantitative test that measures the properties fungistatics by agar contact.
The control knit, to validate the microbiological tests and calculate effectiveness bacteriostatic and fungistatic, is made from a 100% cotton yarn.

Knitting Nature of yarn Silver Copper Cotton n 1 round wire 40% 0% 60%
n 2 round wire 0 10 40% 60%
n 3 round wire 20% 20% 60%.
n 4 flat wire or blade 40% 0% 60%
n 5 round wire 0% 40% copper 60%
tinned n 7 copper wire partly covered low%
rectangular silver Witness 0% 0% 100%
cotton Table 1 The knits are sterilized with steam before any microbiological test.
Before the performing microbiological tests, some of the knitted test pieces is washed

10 times at 40 C, according to ISO 6330, in the presence of ECE detergent at 3 g / l, and rinsed Cold. Table 2 shows the results of the microbiological tests obtained help qualitative standards SNV 195 920 and SNV 195 921. Table 3 shows the 10 results of microbiological tests obtained using the standard quantitative XP G 39-010, for the different knitwear samples, the different stem, before and after the 101washes at 40 C.
The strains used for the tests are: Staplzylococcus aureus (Gram +), strain present on the skin and responsible for infection, Candida albicans (yeast), strain responsible for infection of the mucous membranes and Aspergillus niger (fungus), strain banal present in the environment.

11 Standard SNV 195 920 SNV 195 921 SNV 195 921 Microorganism Staphyloccocus Candida albicans Aspergillus niger aureus Knit # 1 Knit # 2 Knit n 3 Low activity Low activity Activity No zone No zone No zone inhibition inhibition inhibition Cotton indicator No activity No activity No activity No zone No zone No zone inhibition inhibition inhibition Table 2 According to the results shown in the table above, corresponding to the tests qualitative and, in the sense of the standards used, the absence of an inhibition zone means weak activity. In reality, the absence of an inhibition zone means a weak release of ions in the agar. As a first approximation, a weak release ion metal in the agar prefigures weak diffusion of metal ions around the surface that will be in contact during use (the skin in the case of a sub-clothing, a food in the case of packaging, etc.). This weak diffusion foreshadows a good biocompatibility.
The bacterial concentrations are expressed in CFU (Forming Units Colonies), in log of CFU, in log difference of CFU (values appearing in the Table 3 below), for a contact time of 24 hours. The concentrations in Mushroom cells or yeasts are expressed in CFU (Forming Units Colonies) in CFU log, UFC log difference (values appearing in Table 3 below below), for two contact times of 24 hours and 7 days.

12 Micf = oorganisnae Staphylococcus aureus Aspergillus nigef Candida albicans Sample 101washes 101washes 101washes Knit n 1 3,26 Knit n 2 2,89 Knit n 3.36 Knit # 4 0.08 1.34 2.27 - 2.09 2.10 1.58 2.27 Knit n 5 0.05 - 0.32 1.13 -1.53 Knit n 7 1.18 1.90 Cotton witness 3.90 3.62 2.68 - 2.26 2.68 2.47 2.47 Table 3 Under the experimental conditions, Knit # 3, composed of 20% copper and 20% silver in mass, presents a fungistatic activity on Aspergillus Niger (tests qualitative).
Tricot No. 4 (40% silver) and Tricot No. 5 (40% copper-tin) have a Bacteriostatic activity on Staphylococcus aureus before washing and after 101weeps to C. This activity is due to the presence of metal in the knitting:
- presence of silver on the flat wire (blade), - presence of copper and tin on the surface of the round wire.
Knit # 7 (made of silver and copper) has an activity fongistatic on Aspergillus niger before washing. This activity is due to the presence of a mix of copper and silver in the rectangular section wire which constitutes the knitting.
The yarns that make up Knitwear # 4, # 5 and # 7 have an activity bacteriostatic and / or fungistatic vis-à-vis the same strains, respectively.
A flat yarn (or blade: knit 4) is more active than a round yarn (knit 1) about Staphyloccocus aureus because of its structure. Round tinned copper wire (knit 5) is more active than other round threads (knit 2) with respect to Staphyloccocus aureus of the fact the presence of tin on the surface due to tinning.

The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and illustrated. Many modifications can be made without as far out of the

13 framework defined by the scope of the set of claims.
The uses of the yarn and the textile according to the invention are extremely varied. We for example, wire winding in filter cartridges swimming pool, air-conditioning filter, yarn for the assembly of textiles, leathers for shoes, fabrics for furniture, mattresses, towels, clothes, food packaging, geotextiles for agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, and even more.

Claims (10)

Composite yarn, comprising a core (16) and a sheath (17, 19), characterized in this that the core (16) is made from at least one wire in one or more materials metal with biocidal properties and in that the sheath (17, 19) is from one or more textile fibers directly covering all or part of the blade (16). 2. Thread according to claim 1, characterized in that the son or sons of the soul (17) are formed with one or more metal materials with biocidal properties. 3. Thread according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the core (16) can present an apparent surface with a structure forming points of attachment for the or the textile fibers of the sheath (17, 19). 4. Thread according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the or the metallic materials with biocidal properties are chosen, alone or in alloy, in the group consisting of zinc, silver, tin, copper, gold and nickel. The yarn according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in what the or the textile fibers of the sheath (17, 19) are chosen, alone or in mix, in the group comprising fibers of natural origin, preferentially the cotton, the wool, silk, flax, cellulose, artificial fibers and fibers synthetic, preferentially acrylics, polyamides, polypropylenes. 6. Thread according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in what the sheath (17, 19) is produced by a textile mechanical bonding process, spinning, winding, wrapping, twisting, twisting, friction spinning Dref.TM .. 7. Thread according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in what all or part of the soul is covered by a porous coating, so as to facilitate the attachment of the textile fiber or fibers of the sheath. 8. Textile, characterized in that it comprises at least one composite yarn (18, 21), according to any one of the preceding claims. 9. Textile according to claim 8, characterized in that it is made by a method weaving, knitting, braiding, embroidery, topping, nonwoven. 10. Article of clothing, characterized in that it is assembled with the aid of minus one composite yarn (18, 21) according to one of claims 1 to 7.