Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D03—WEAVING
  • D03D—WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS
  • D03D15/00—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used
  • D03D15/30—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used characterised by the structure of the fibres or filaments
  • D03D15/37—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used characterised by the structure of the fibres or filaments with specific cross-section or surface shape
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
  • D01F—CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
  • D01F8/00—Conjugated, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, artificial filaments or the like; Manufacture thereof
  • D01F8/04—Conjugated, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, artificial filaments or the like; Manufacture thereof from synthetic polymers
  • D01F8/14—Conjugated, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, artificial filaments or the like; Manufacture thereof from synthetic polymers with at least one polyester as constituent
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D02—YARNS; MECHANICAL FINISHING OF YARNS OR ROPES; WARPING OR BEAMING
  • D02G—CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS
  • D02G3/00—Yarns or threads, e.g. fancy yarns; Processes or apparatus for the production thereof, not otherwise provided for
  • D02G3/02—Yarns or threads characterised by the material or by the materials from which they are made
  • D02G3/04—Blended or other yarns or threads containing components made from different materials
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D02—YARNS; MECHANICAL FINISHING OF YARNS OR ROPES; WARPING OR BEAMING
  • D02G—CRIMPING OR CURLING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, OR YARNS; YARNS OR THREADS
  • D02G3/00—Yarns or threads, e.g. fancy yarns; Processes or apparatus for the production thereof, not otherwise provided for
  • D02G3/22—Yarns or threads characterised by constructional features, e.g. blending, filament/fibre
  • D02G3/36—Cored or coated yarns or threads
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D03—WEAVING
  • D03D—WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS
  • D03D15/00—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used
  • D03D15/20—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used characterised by the material of the fibres or filaments constituting the yarns or threads
  • D03D15/292—Conjugate, i.e. bi- or multicomponent, fibres or filaments
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D03—WEAVING
  • D03D—WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS
  • D03D15/00—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used
  • D03D15/40—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used characterised by the structure of the yarns or threads
  • D03D15/44—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used characterised by the structure of the yarns or threads with specific cross-section or surface shape
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D03—WEAVING
  • D03D—WOVEN FABRICS; METHODS OF WEAVING; LOOMS
  • D03D15/00—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used
  • D03D15/40—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used characterised by the structure of the yarns or threads
  • D03D15/49—Woven fabrics characterised by the material, structure or properties of the fibres, filaments, yarns, threads or other warp or weft elements used characterised by the structure of the yarns or threads textured; curled; crimped
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B1/00—Weft knitting processes for the production of fabrics or articles not dependent on the use of particular machines; Fabrics or articles defined by such processes
  • D04B1/14—Other fabrics or articles characterised primarily by the use of particular thread materials
  • D04B1/16—Other fabrics or articles characterised primarily by the use of particular thread materials synthetic threads
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
  • D04B—KNITTING
  • D04B21/00—Warp knitting processes for the production of fabrics or articles not dependent on the use of particular machines; Fabrics or articles defined by such processes
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D10—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
  • D10B—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
  • D10B2401/00—Physical properties
  • D10B2401/02—Moisture-responsive characteristics
  • D10B2401/021—Moisture-responsive characteristics hydrophobic

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a composite fiber, a multifilament, a woven or knitted fabric, and a fiber product.
• Synthetic fibers made of polyester, polyamide, and the like have excellent mechanical properties and dimensional stability, and thus are widely used from clothing applications to non-clothing applications.
• the method of adding a smoothing agent in post-processing aims to inhibit the deformation or wear of fibers and prevent the occurrence of the shiny phenomenon due to the flattening of the textile surface by reducing friction of a fiber surface using the smoothing agent.
• this method there have been cases where texture is hardened by adhesion of the smoothing agent, and durability is deteriorated due to falling of the smoothing agent by washing or the like.
• Patent Document 1 proposes a composite fiber in which a low melting point polymer having a melting point lower than that of polyester is disposed inside a polyester fiber.
• a low melting point polymer having a melting point lower than that of polyester is disposed inside a polyester fiber.
• frictional heat generated by abrasion with a floor or the like is absorbed by an endothermic action due to melting of the low melting point polymer in a core part before the polyester melts, so that fiber deformation due to melting of the polyester can be inhibited, and the shiny phenomenon in textiles can be inhibited.
• Patent Document 2 proposes a false-twist textured yarn obtained from an air interlaced yarn in which a multifilament composed of a self-extensible polyester fiber is disposed as a sheath yarn and a multifilament composed of a polyester fiber having a higher boiling water shrinkage rate than the sheath yarn is disposed as a core yarn.
• the sheath yarn is looped around the core yarn by air interlacing to form voids between the core yarn and the sheath yarn, thereby exhibiting a soft texture, and further imparting slight crimps by false twisting, so that crushing of the voids between the core yarn and the sheath yarn due to pressing can be reduced, and the shiny phenomenon in ironing can be inhibited.
• Patent Document 1 has a technical idea of inhibiting the shiny phenomenon caused by the frictional heat instantaneously generated by abrasion with a floor or the like, and when a textile composed of the composite fiber of Patent Document 1 is worn for a long period of time, a textile surface is gradually flattened by wear with other materials and crushing due to pressing, sometimes leading to the shiny phenomenon. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of interfacial peeling between the polyester and the low melting point polymer, a fiber diameter and a fiber form are limited in order to secure wear resistance, and thus tactile sensation and flexibility may be poor.
• Patent Document 2 by looping the sheath yarn around the core yarn by air interlacing to form voids between the core yarn and the sheath yarn, and further imparting slight crimps by false twisting, there is a possibility that crushing of the voids between the core yarn and the sheath yarn due to pressing can be reduced, and the shiny phenomenon caused by instantaneous pressing by ironing or the like can be inhibited.
• an object of the present invention is to solve the above-described problems of the prior arts, and to provide a composite fiber, a multifilament, a woven or knitted fabric, and a fiber product suitable for textiles for clothing, which have a texture with flexibility, a smooth tactile sensation, and a feeling of resilient, inhibit deterioration in surface quality caused by friction/wear or the like with other materials, and further exhibit high water-repellent performance when subjected to water repellent finish.
• the object of the present invention is achieved by the following means. That is:
• the composite fiber, the multifilament, the woven or knitted fabric, and the fiber product of the present invention have a special fiber form in which cross-sectional arrangement in the composite fiber and fiber arrangement in the multifilament are precisely controlled, which makes it possible to obtain a textile that has a texture with flexibility, a smooth tactile sensation, and a feeling of resilient, inhibits deterioration in surface quality caused by friction/wear or the like with other materials, and further exhibits high water-repellent performance when subjected to water repellent finish because of its fine and complex surface irregularities.
• gloss does not necessarily increase at a portion that becomes flat with a part of a monofilament being scraped by wear of a fiber, but gloss increases at a portion where flat portions of a plurality of fibers are disposed side by side. This is presumed to be because even if a flat portion formed on a monofilament having a fiber diameter of about several ten ⁇ m strongly reflects light, light reaching human eyes is slight, but when a fiber bundle including a plurality of fibers is worn on its surface to form a large flat portion of about several hundred ⁇ m, a part of a fabric strongly reflects light, which is recognized by a person.
• the present inventors have intensively studied and found that by forming a multifilament in which a fine fiber having a reduced fiber diameter and a normal fiber are present in a mixed manner in a specific range, sufficient durability as a textile is achieved, and no flat portion is formed in a fiber bundle even when the multifilament is repeatedly worn with other materials, and have further found that the fine fiber has an effect of achieving a textile for clothing having both resistance to friction and texture, in which textile flexibility can be improved and a feeling of resilient can also be maintained by the normal fiber being present in a mixed manner, which have not been achieved in the conventional material.
• normal fiber and fine fiber in a system in which monofilaments having different fiber diameters are present in a mixed manner, a fiber having a relatively large fiber diameter is referred to as normal fiber, and a fiber having a relatively small fiber diameter is referred to as fine fiber.
• the fine fiber disposed on a surface layer of the fiber bundle has crimps, fine voids are formed between the fibers by steric hindrance due to the crimps, and a friction surface can move flexibly without being fixed, so that the resistance to friction is further improved as compared with a fiber bundle in which a normal fine fiber is disposed on a surface layer, and the shiny phenomenon, which is a problem of the conventional material, can be greatly inhibited.
• the present inventors also have found that fine and complex irregularities are formed on a textile surface by disposing the crimped fine fiber and the normal fiber in a mixed manner on the surface layer, so that a flexible and smooth tactile sensation, which is important in textiles for clothing, can be obtained, and high water-repellent performance is exhibited when water repellent finish is performed, to achieve the present invention.
• segment B has a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the segment A and is formed of two types of polymers combined in a side-by-side type or an eccentric core-sheath type.
• the segment in the present invention means a portion that can be divided from the composite fiber by solvent treatment, heat treatment, pressure treatment, or the like in the fiber transverse section of the composite fiber, and when any segments formed of the same polymer have a difference in cross-sectional area of 10% or less, the segments are regarded as the same segment group.
• the composite fiber of the present embodiment is used for a textile, it is necessary that the two types of segments A and B are present in the fiber transverse section, and the segment B has a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the segment A in order to stably form the multifilament in which the fine fiber is present in a mixed manner, without being affected by a structure such as weaving and knitting.
• the fine fiber composed of the segment B having a cross-sectional area smaller than that of the segment A can be uniformly present in a mixed manner in the multifilament by dividing the segments A and B from the composite fiber after the composite fiber is formed into a textile. Therefore, in the textile using the composite fiber of the present embodiment, the area of the flat portion generated by friction/wear or the like can be reduced. Furthermore, it is possible to improve the flexibility since the fine fiber has low flexural rigidity, and to also maintain the feeling of resilient since the normal fiber has high flexural recovery.
• the segments B are disposed on an outer periphery of the segment A from the viewpoint that the presence of the fine fiber composed of the segment B can reduce the area of the flat portion generated by friction/wear or the like. Since the segments B are disposed on the outer periphery of the segment A, the multifilament obtained after the division has a structure in which the normal fiber composed of the segment A is surrounded by the fine fibers composed of the segments B, and the fine fibers composed of the segments B are preferentially worn at the time of wear with other materials, so that the area of the flat portion to be generated can be further reduced.
• the number of segments B disposed on the outer periphery of the segment A is preferably as large as possible, and is more preferably 5 or more, and particularly preferably 7 or more.
• the number of segments B disposed on the outer periphery of the segment A is preferably 50 or less, more preferably 35 or less, and particularly preferably 20 or less.
• a cross-sectional area S B per segment B is preferably 1 ⁇ m 2 ⁇ S B ⁇ 65 ⁇ m 2 .
• the fine fiber composed of the segment B and having a small cross-sectional area can provide a shine inhibiting effect of reducing the area of the flat portion generated by friction/wear or the like, and a flexibility improving effect obtained from the low flexural rigidity.
• the S B is smaller, the shine inhibiting effect and the flexibility improving effect can be emphasized, and thus the S B is more preferably less than 50 ⁇ m 2 , and still more preferably less than 40 ⁇ m 2 .
• the cross-sectional area S B per segment B is preferably 1 ⁇ m 2 or more, more preferably 3 ⁇ m 2 or more, and still more preferably 7 ⁇ m 2 or more.
• a cross-sectional area S A per segment A is preferably 65 ⁇ m 2 ⁇ S A ⁇ 700 ⁇ m 2 .
• the cross-sectional area S A per segment A is 65 ⁇ m 2 or more, in the multifilament obtained by dividing the composite fiber into the segments A and B, it is possible to achieve both the flexibility and the shine inhibiting effect by the fine fiber composed of the segment B and having a small cross-sectional area while maintaining the flexural recovery for exhibiting the feeling of resilient preferred in textiles for clothing by the normal fiber composed of the segment A and having a large cross-sectional area.
• the S A is more preferably 80 ⁇ m 2 or more, and still more preferably 95 ⁇ m 2 or more.
• the S A is preferably less than 700 ⁇ m 2 , more preferably less than 500 ⁇ m 2 , and still more preferably less than 350 ⁇ m 2 .
• the cross-sectional area of the segment in the present invention is determined by embedding the composite fiber in an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin and capturing an image at a magnification at which the composite fiber can be observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in the fiber transverse section in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis.
• SEM scanning electron microscope
• the captured image is analyzed using image analysis software to calculate the cross-sectional area of one segment present in the fiber transverse section of the composite fiber, and a value obtained by rounding off the cross-sectional area to the nearest whole number is defined as the cross-sectional area of the segment.
• a simple number average of the cross-sectional areas obtained for all the segments of the same type is obtained, and a value obtained by rounding off the number average to the nearest whole number is adopted.
• the segment B is formed of two types of polymers combined in a side-by-side type or an eccentric core-sheath type in the fiber transverse section in order to further inhibit the shiny phenomenon by developing crimps in the fine fiber obtained by dividing the segment B from the composite fiber, and forming fine voids between the fibers, to obtain a smooth tactile sensation by forming fine and complex irregularities on a textile surface, and to obtain high water-repellent performance when water repellent finish is performed.
• the fine fiber composed of the segment B is greatly curved toward the high-shrinkage polymer side by dividing the segment B and then performing heat treatment, and the fine fiber is continuously greatly curved toward the high-shrinkage polymer side, so that a coil-shaped crimped form can be developed.
• any crimped form by controlling a distance between the gravity centers of the polymers, to thereby further inhibit the shiny phenomenon by forming the fine voids between the fibers, which is an object of the present invention, and achieve the smooth tactile sensation by forming the fine and complex irregularities on the textile surface.
• a composite structure of the segment B may be either the side-by-side type or the eccentric core-sheath type.
• the composite structure is the side-by-side type, the distance between the gravity centers of the polymers is maximized, and thus crimp development can be improved.
• the composite structure is the eccentric core-sheath type, the high-shrinkage polymer inferior in wear resistance is coated with the low-shrinkage polymer superior in wear resistance, so that the wear resistance of the fine fiber composed of the segment B can be further improved.
• the two types of polymers forming the segment B are not particularly limited as long as the polymers are combined to cause a difference in shrinkage in heat treatment, and a combination of polymers having different viscosities or polymers having different melting points is conceivable. From the viewpoint of easily controlling the crimp development, the combination of polymers having different melting points is preferable. In the case of the combination having different melting points, the low melting point polymer shrinks first when subjected to heat treatment, so that a difference in shrinkage between the polymers can be easily exhibited.
• the polymer forming the segment A is a polymer having a lowest melting point among the polymers forming the segments A and B.
• the normal fiber composed of the segment A obtained by being divided from the composite fiber highly shrinks, a difference in yarn length is generated between the normal fiber and the fine fiber composed of the segment B, and the voids between the fibers can be increased, so that the shiny phenomenon can be more effectively inhibited, which is an object of the present invention.
• the segment A is formed of two types of polymers combined in a side-by-side type or an eccentric core-sheath type as shown in Fig. 1(b) or Fig. 2 , and either one of the two types of polymers is the polymer having a lowest melting point among the polymers forming the segments A and B.
• an area ratio of the low melting point polymer to the high melting point polymer is preferably in a range of 70/30 to 30/70 for the low melting point polymer/the high melting point polymer.
• the cross-sectional shape of the segment B is not limited, but from the viewpoint of developing crimps in the fine fiber composed of the segment B after dividing the segment B to form a fiber form having the fine voids between the fibers, the cross-sectional shape of the segment B is preferably a flat shape as shown in Fig. 1(a) .
• the "flat shape” refers to an elongated shape in plan view, and specifically refers to a shape having a “flatness” of 1.1 or more in a segment to be described later.
• the length of the major axis is rate-limiting, generating steric hindrance, so that a void effect obtained from the crimp development can be maximized, and the smooth tactile sensation by the fine irregularities on the textile surface and the water-repellent performance obtained when water repellent finish is performed can be further emphasized.
• the flatness becomes too large, the area of the flat portion generated at the time of wear may increase, and thus the flatness is preferably 6.0 or less, more preferably 5.0 or less, and still more preferably 4.0 or less.
• the flatness of the segment in the present embodiment is obtained by the following method.
• the flatness is determined by embedding the composite fiber in an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin and capturing an image at a magnification at which the composite fiber can be observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in the fiber transverse section in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis.
• an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin
• the captured image is analyzed using image analysis software to calculate a value obtained by dividing the length of the major axis by the length of the minor axis, the major axis being a straight line connecting two points (a1, a2) farthest from each other among any points on an outer periphery of the segment and the minor axis being a straight line connecting intersection points (b1, b2) between a fiber outer periphery and a straight line passing through a midpoint of the major axis and orthogonal to the major axis as shown in Fig. 1(a) , and a value obtained by rounding off the calculated value to one decimal place is defined as the flatness.
• a simple number average of the flatnesses obtained for all the segments of the same type is obtained, and a value obtained by rounding off the number average to one decimal place is adopted.
• the cross-sectional shape of the segment A is not limited, but from the viewpoint that the flat portion can be made smaller even in a case where the fiber composed of the segment A is worn when the textile obtained by dividing the segment A from the composite fiber is worn, the cross-sectional shape of the segment A is preferably a multilobal cross section having three or more protrusions on its outer periphery as shown in Fig. 1(a) .
• the protrusions on the outer periphery By having the protrusions on the outer periphery, a contact area with other materials at the time of wear can be reduced, and an area to be flattened by wear can be reduced.
• the number of protrusions is more preferably 5 or more, and still more preferably 7 or more.
• the number of protrusions is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 15 or less, and still more preferably 10 or less.
• the composite fiber of the present embodiment it is an object to make the fine fiber composed of the segment B uniformly present in a mixed manner in the multifilament by dividing the segments A and B of the composite fiber after forming the composite fiber into the textile. Therefore, as a cross-sectional form of the composite fiber, a sea-island composite fiber having the segments A and B as island components as in Fig. 1(a) , or a core-sheath composite fiber having the segment A as a core and the segment B as a sheath as in Fig. 1(c) is preferable. In the case of the sea-island composite fiber as in Fig.
• the segments A and B can be divided by removing a sea component z, and in the case of the core-sheath composite fiber as in Fig. 1(c) , the polymer constituting the segment A and the polymer constituting the segment B are formed of incompatible polymers having different bonds present in a main chain, and thus the segment A and the segment B can be divided by separating an interface between the segments A and B by heat treatment, physical impact, or the like.
• the segments A and B can be stably divided regardless of the polymers forming the segments A and B, it is more preferable to use the sea-island composite fiber having the segments A and B as the island components, in which the sea component is formed of a polymer having a highest dissolution rate in a solvent among the polymers constituting the sea-island composite fiber.
• a dissolution rate ratio (sea component/island component) is preferably 100 or more, and more preferably 1000 or more based on the polymer having a highest dissolution rate among the polymers forming the island components.
• the dissolution rate ratio is 1000 or more, the dissolution treatment can be finished in a short time, so that a higher quality fabric can be obtained without unnecessarily deteriorating the polymers of the island components in addition to increasing a process speed. From this viewpoint, it is more preferable that the dissolution rate ratio is larger, but a substantial upper limit is 10000 or less from the viewpoint of stability of the polymer forming the sea component.
• the polymer forming the sea component is preferably selected from polymers that can be melt-molded and exhibit more easily elution than other components, such as polyester and copolymers thereof, polylactic acid, polyamide, polystyrene and copolymers thereof, polyethylene, and polyvinyl alcohol.
• the polymer forming the sea component is preferably a copolyester, polylactic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, or the like exhibiting easily elution in an aqueous solvent, hot water, or the like.
• a polyester in which 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid is copolymerized in an amount of 5 mol% to 15 mol% and a polyester in which polyethylene glycol having a weight-average molecular weight of 500 to 3000 is copolymerized in a range of 5 mass% to 15 mass% in addition to the above 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid are preferable from the viewpoint of high-order processing passability that fusion or the like between composite fibers does not occur even in false twisting or the like in which rubbing is imparted under heating because of easily elution in an aqueous solvent such as an alkaline aqueous solution while maintaining crystallinity.
• the composite fiber of the present embodiment is once subjected to high-order processing such as weaving and knitting, then divided into the segments A and B, and then subjected to heat treatment to obtain the multifilament in which the normal fiber composed of the segment A and the crimped fine fiber composed of the segment B are uniformly present in a mixed manner.
• This multifilament because of its special fiber form, it is possible to obtain a textile for clothing that has a texture with flexibility, a smooth tactile sensation, and a feeling of resilient, which have not been achieved in a conventional material, inhibits deterioration in surface quality caused by friction/wear or the like with other materials, and further exhibits high water-repellent performance when subjected to water repellent finish.
• the multifilament of the present embodiment in order to reduce the area of the flat portion generated by friction/wear or the like, and further exhibit the flexibility and the feeling of resilient, it is necessary that the multifilament is composed of two types of filaments A and B, one or more filaments B are present between any two filaments A in the multifilament, and the filament B has a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A.
• the filaments are regarded as the same filaments.
• the presence of one or more filaments B between any two filaments A in the multifilament means that the filament A and the filament B are uniformly present in a mixed manner.
• an image of a textile cross section perpendicular to a length direction of the textile and perpendicular to a fiber axis direction of the multifilament is captured with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at a magnification at which 15 or more filaments including two or more filaments A can be observed, circumscribed circles R1 and R2 of any two filaments A are drawn on the captured image using image analysis software as shown in Fig.
• SEM scanning electron microscope
• one or more filaments B are present in a range surrounded by two common circumscribed lines (J1 and J2) of the two drawn circumscribed circles and the two circumscribed circles (R1 and R2).
• J1 and J2 the two common circumscribed lines
• R1 and R2 the two circumscribed circles
• the presence of the filament(s) B having a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A between any two filaments A in the multifilament makes it possible to obtain a fiber form in which the filament A, which is the normal fiber, and the filament B, which is the fine fiber, are uniformly present in a mixed manner in the multifilament, and reduce the area of the flat portion to be generated by friction/wear or the like. Furthermore, it is possible to improve the flexibility since the filament B, which is the fine fiber, has low flexural rigidity, and to also maintain the feeling of resilient since the filament A, which is the normal fiber, has high flexural recovery.
• a fiber diameter D B of the filament B is preferably 1 ⁇ m ⁇ D B ⁇ 9 ⁇ m.
• the filament B is the fine fiber having the fiber diameter D B of less than 9 ⁇ m
• the shine inhibiting effect of reducing the area of the flat portion generated by friction/wear or the like, and the flexibility improving effect because of the low flexural rigidity can be obtained.
• the D B is smaller, the shine inhibiting effect and the flexibility improving effect can be emphasized, and thus, the D B is more preferably less than 8 ⁇ m, and still more preferably less than 7 ⁇ m.
• the fiber diameter D B of the filament B is preferably 1 ⁇ m or more, more preferably 2 ⁇ m or more, and still more preferably 3 ⁇ m or more.
• a fiber diameter D A of the filament A is preferably 9 ⁇ m ⁇ D A ⁇ 30 ⁇ m.
• the fiber diameter D A of the filament A is 9 ⁇ m or more, it is possible to achieve both the flexibility and the shine inhibiting effect by the fine fiber composed of the segment B and having a small cross-sectional area while maintaining the flexural recovery for exhibiting the feeling of resilient preferred in textiles for clothing.
• the D A is larger, the feeling of resilient can be enhanced by the high flexural recovery, and thus the D A is more preferably 10 ⁇ m or more, and still more preferably 11 ⁇ m or more.
• the D A is preferably less than 30 ⁇ m, more preferably less than 25 ⁇ m, and still more preferably less than 20 ⁇ m.
• the filament B is formed of two types of polymers combined in a side-by-side type or an eccentric core-sheath type in the fiber transverse section in order to further inhibit the shiny phenomenon by developing crimps in the filament B, which is the fine fiber, and forming fine voids between the fibers, to obtain a smooth tactile sensation by forming fine and complex irregularities on a textile surface, and to obtain high water-repellent performance when water repellent finish is performed.
• the filament B Since the two types of polymers forming the filament B are combined in the side-by-side type or the eccentric core-sheath type as shown in Fig. 5(b) having different gravity centers, the filament B is greatly curved toward the high-shrinkage polymer side by performing heat treatment, and the filament B is continuously greatly curved toward the high-shrinkage polymer side, so that a coil-shaped crimped form can be developed. Furthermore, it is possible to develop any crimped form by controlling a distance between the gravity centers of the polymers, to thereby further inhibit the shiny phenomenon by forming the fine voids between the fibers, which is an object of the present invention, and achieve the smooth tactile sensation by forming the fine and complex irregularities on the textile surface.
• the presence of the fine and complex irregularities on the textile surface makes it possible to exhibit high water-repellent performance because of a reduced contact area with water when water repellent finish is performed.
• a composite structure of the filament B may be either the side-by-side type or the eccentric core-sheath type.
• the composite structure is the side-by-side type, the distance between the gravity centers of the polymers is maximized, and thus crimp development can be improved.
• the composite structure is the eccentric core-sheath type, the high-shrinkage polymer inferior in wear resistance is coated with the low-shrinkage polymer superior in wear resistance, so that the wear resistance of the fine fiber of the filament B can be further improved.
• the two types of polymers forming the filament B are not particularly limited as long as the polymers are combined to cause a difference in shrinkage in heat treatment. From the viewpoint of easily controlling the crimp development, a combination of polymers having different melting points is preferable. In the case of the combination having different melting points, the low melting point polymer shrinks first when subjected to heat treatment, so that a difference in shrinkage between the polymers can be easily exhibited.
• the polymer forming the filament A is a polymer having a lowest melting point among the polymers forming the filaments A and B.
• the filament A which is the normal fiber, highly shrinks, a difference in yarn length is generated between the filament A and the filament B, which is the fine fiber, and the voids between the fibers can be increased, so that it is possible not only to more effectively inhibit the shiny phenomenon, which is an object of the present invention, but also to form more complex irregularities in which fine irregularities due to the crimps of the filament B, which is the fine fiber, and coarse irregularities due to the filament A, which is the normal fiber, are mixed on the textile surface.
• the smooth tactile sensation, and the water-repellent performance that is obtained when water repellent finish is performed can be further emphasized.
• the filament A is formed of two types of polymers combined in a side-by-side type or an eccentric core-sheath type as shown in Fig. 6(a) , and either one of the two types of polymers is the polymer having a lowest melting point among the polymers forming the filaments A and B.
• an area ratio of the low melting point polymer to the high melting point polymer is preferably in a range of 70/30 to 30/70 for the low melting point polymer/the high melting point polymer.
• a cross-sectional shape of the filament B is not limited, but from the viewpoint of developing crimps in the filament B, which is the fine fiber, after dividing the filament B to form a fiber form having the fine voids between the fibers, the cross-sectional shape of the filament B is preferably a flat shape as shown in Fig. 5(b) .
• the "flat shape” refers to an elongated shape in plan view, and specifically refers to a shape having a “flatness” of 1.1 or more in a filament to be described later.
• the filament B when the cross-sectional shape of the filament B is the flat shape, the filament B is bulky in a major axis direction, so that a void effect obtained from the crimp development can be maximized, and the smooth tactile sensation by the fine and complex irregularities on the textile surface and the water-repellent performance obtained when water repellent finish is performed can be further emphasized.
• the flatness when the flatness becomes too large, the area of the flat portion generated at the time of wear may increase, and thus the flatness is preferably 6.0 or less, more preferably 5.0 or less, and still more preferably 4.0 or less.
• the flatness of the segment in the present embodiment is obtained by the following method.
• the multifilament removed from the textile is embedded in an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin, and an image is captured at a magnification at which the multifilament can be observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) in the fiber transverse section in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis.
• SEM scanning electron microscope
• the captured image is analyzed using image analysis software to calculate a value obtained by dividing the length of the major axis by the length of the minor axis, the major axis being a straight line connecting two points (a1, a2) farthest from each other among any points on an outer periphery of the filament and the minor axis being a straight line connecting intersection points (b1, b2) between a fiber outer periphery and a straight line passing through a midpoint of the major axis and orthogonal to the major axis as shown in Fig. 5(b) , and a value obtained by rounding off the calculated value to one decimal place is defined as the flatness.
• a cross-sectional shape of the filament A is not limited, but from the viewpoint that the flat portion can be made smaller even in a case where the filament A, which is the normal fiber, is worn when the textile is worn, the cross-sectional shape of the filament A is preferably a multilobal cross section having three or more protrusions on its outer periphery as shown in Fig. 5(a) .
• the number of protrusions is more preferably 5 or more, and still more preferably 7 or more.
• the number of protrusions is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 15 or less, and still more preferably 10 or less.
• the polymer used in the present embodiment is preferably a thermoplastic polymer because of its excellent processability.
• the thermoplastic polymer include polymer groups such as polyester-, polyethylene-, polypropylene-, polystyrene-, polyamide-, polycarbonate-, polymethyl methacrylate-, and polyphenylene sulfide-based polymers, and copolymers thereof. From the viewpoint that particularly high interface affinity can be imparted and a fiber having no composite cross-sectional abnormality can be obtained, all of the thermoplastic polymers used in the present embodiment are preferably of the same polymer group and copolymers thereof.
• thermoplastic polymers used for the composite fiber and the multifilament of the present embodiment are more preferably of the polyester- or polyamide-based polymer group and copolymers thereof from the viewpoint of obtaining favorable color development at the time of dyeing when the composite fiber and the multifilament are made into the textile, and among them, polyethylene terephthalate and copolymers thereof are still more preferable because a moderate feeling of resilient can be obtained from the high flexural recovery.
• a plant-derived biopolymer or a recycled polymer in the present embodiment from the viewpoint of reducing environmental load. Therefore, as the polymer used in the present embodiment described above, a recycled polymer recycled by any of chemical recycling, material recycling, and thermal recycling can be used.
• the polyester- or polyamide-based polymer group and copolymers thereof are preferable from the viewpoint of obtaining favorable color development at the time of dyeing, and among them, recycled polyethylene terephthalate and copolymers thereof can be more suitably used because a moderate feeling of resilient can be obtained from the high flexural recovery.
• the polymer may contain various additives such as inorganic compounds such as titanium oxide, silica, and barium oxide; car bon black; colorants such as dyes, and pigments; flame retardants; fluorescent brighteners; antioxidants; and ultraviolet absorbers.
• inorganic compounds such as titanium oxide, silica, and barium oxide
• car bon black such as colorants such as dyes, and pigments
• colorants such as dyes, and pigments
• flame retardants such as dyes, and pigments
• fluorescent brighteners such as titanium oxide, silica, and barium oxide
• antioxidants such as ultraviolet absorbers.
• the polymer preferably contains titanium oxide.
• the titanium oxide in the fiber irregularly reflects light, so that not only appearance quality can be improved such that appearance unevenness (glare) caused by increase or decrease in reflection due to an incident angle of light can be inhibited, but also functionality such as transparency prevention and ultraviolet shielding can be obtained by the titanium oxide in the fiber.
• a content of the titanium oxide in the composite fiber is preferably 0.5 mass% or more, more preferably 1.0 mass% or more, and still more preferably 3.0 mass% or more.
• the content of the titanium oxide in the fiber is preferably 10.0 mass% or less because an increase in irregular reflection of light due to the titanium oxide may cause a decrease in color development.
• the combination of the polymers having different melting points in the present embodiment refers to a combination of polymers having different melting points by 10°C or more when selected from melt-moldable thermoplastic polymer groups such as polyester-, polyethylene-, polypropylene-, polystyrene-, polyamide-, polycarbonate-, polymethyl methacrylate-, and polyphenylene sulfide-based polymers and copolymers thereof, and a combination of polymers having different melting points by 5°C or more when selected from the same polymer group having the same bond present in a main chain, such as polyesters with ester bonds and polyamides with amide bonds.
• the combination of the polymers is preferably selected from the same polymer group having the same bond in a main chain, such as polyesters with ester bonds and polyamides with amide bonds.
• polyester-based ones such as copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene terephthalate/polyethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate/polyethylene terephthalate, thermoplastic polyurethane/polyethylene terephthalate, polyester-based elastomer/polyethylene terephthalate, and polyester-based elastomer/polybutylene terephthalate; polyamide-based ones such as nylon 6 or 66/nylon 610, nylon 6-nylon 66 copolymer/nylon 6 or 610, PEG-copolymerized nylon 6/nylon 6 or 610, and thermoplastic polyurethane/nylon 6 or 610; and polyolefin-based ones such as ethylene-propylene rubber fine dispersion polypropylene/polypropylene, and propy
• the polymers having different melting points are more preferably the polyester- or polyamide-based combination from the viewpoint of obtaining favorable color development at the time of dyeing when the composite fiber and the multifilament of the present embodiment are made into the textile, and among them, the combination of copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene terephthalate as the polyester-based combination is particularly preferable because a moderate feeling of resilient can be obtained from the high flexural recovery.
• examples of the copolymerization component in the above copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate include succinic acid, adipic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, maleic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid.
• succinic acid adipic acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid, 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid, maleic acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, and 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid.
• the multifilament of the present embodiment constitutes a part thereof, since the multifilament has the fiber form in which the normal fiber and the fine fiber are uniformly present in a mixed manner, the area of the flat portion generated by friction/wear or the like can be reduced. Furthermore, the textile having both resistance to friction and texture is obtained in which the flexibility can be improved since the fine fiber has low flexural rigidity and the feeling of resilient can also be maintained since the normal fiber has high flexural recovery, which have not been achieved in a conventional material.
• the fine fiber has crimps, fine voids are formed between the fibers by steric hindrance due to the crimps, and a friction surface can move flexibly without being fixed, so that the resistance to friction is further improved, and shine resistance can be significantly improved.
• the crimped fine fiber is disposed on a surface layer, fine and complex irregularities are formed on the textile surface, a smooth tactile sensation can be obtained, and high water-repellent performance can also be obtained when water repellent finish is performed.
• the textile can be suitably used for a wide variety of fiber products including general clothing such as jackets, skirts, pants, and underwear; sports clothing; and clothing materials, and by taking advantage of its characteristics, interior products such as carpets and sofas; vehicle interior products such as car seats; and living applications such as cosmetics, masks, and health goods. It is particularly preferable to use the textile for clothing applications from the viewpoint of being able to inhibit the shiny phenomenon caused by wear with other materials in wearing, being able to obtain the smooth tactile sensation while being flexible, and being able to exhibit high water-repellent performance when water repellent finish is performed.
• the multifilament of the present embodiment can be used for various textiles such as a nonwoven fabric and a woven or knitted fabric.
• the textile is preferably a woven or knitted fabric in which the multifilament of the present embodiment constitutes a part thereof.
• a structure in the woven or knitted fabric of the present invention is not particularly limited, and examples of a weave structure when the woven or knitted fabric is a woven fabric include plain weave, twill weave, satin weave, modified plain weave, modified twill weave, modified satin weave, variable weave, Jacquard weave, katagasane-ori, double weave structure, multiple weave structure, warp pile weave, weft pile weave, and gauze weave.
• examples of a knitting structure when the woven or knitted fabric is a knitted fabric include circular knitting, weft knitting, warp knitting (including tricot knitting and raschel knitting), pile knitting, plain knitting, jersey knitting, rib knitting, smooth knitting (interlock knitting), rib knitting, pearl knitting, denbigh structure, cord structure, atlas structure, chain structure, and inlay structure.
• Both the woven fabric and the knitted fabric may have any structure, but a structure in which irregularities are more likely to be formed, such as twill weave rather than plain weave, is preferable because the multifilament of the present embodiment is more likely to shrink and the fine and complex irregularities are more likely to be formed on a fabric surface.
• a structure in which the multifilament of the present embodiment appears in a large amount on its surface is desirable.
• a total cover factor (CF) of the warp and the weft is preferably 1000 to 3500.
• the CF is 1000 or more, the volume of voids formed at a structure point decreases, and a highly durable woven fabric in which pilling, wear, and the like are less likely to occur can be obtained. From this viewpoint, the CF is more preferably 1500 or more.
• the CF is 3500 or less, the fine and complex irregularities in the multifilament described above are not lost by an excessive restraining force at the structure point, the shiny phenomenon caused by wear with other materials in wearing can be inhibited, the flexible and smooth tactile sensation can be obtained, and high water-repellent performance can be exhibited when water repellent finish is performed.
• the CF is more preferably 2800 or less.
• the total cover factor (CF) referred to herein is a value obtained by measuring a warp density and a weft density of the woven fabric in a section of 2.54 cm in accordance with JIS L1096:2010 8.6.1, and calculating formulae: warp weave density [yarns/2.54 cm] ⁇ (warp total fineness [dtex]) 1/2 + weft weave density [yarns/2.54 cm] ⁇ weft total fineness [dtex]) 1/2 .
• the woven or knitted fabric of the present embodiment in order to exhibit high water-repellent performance, it is preferable that the woven or knitted fabric includes the multifilament composed of the two types of filaments A and B, one or more filaments B are present between any two filaments A in the multifilament, the filament B has a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A and is formed of two types of polymers combined in a side-by-side type or an eccentric core-sheath type, and water repellent finish is performed.
• the presence of one or more filaments B between any two filaments A means that the filament A and the filament B are uniformly present in a mixed manner. Specifically, it means that in the woven or knitted fabric of the present embodiment, an image of a cross section perpendicular to a length direction and perpendicular to a fiber axis direction of the filament is captured with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) at a magnification at which 15 or more filaments including two or more filaments A can be observed, circumscribed circles R1 and R2 of any two filaments A are drawn on the captured image using image analysis software as shown in Fig.
• SEM scanning electron microscope
• one or more filaments B are present in a range surrounded by two common circumscribed lines (J1 and J2) of the two drawn circumscribed circles and the two circumscribed circles (R1 and R2).
• J1 and J2 the two common circumscribed lines
• R1 and R2 the two circumscribed circles
• the presence of the filament(s) B having a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A between any two filaments A in the multifilament makes it possible to obtain a fiber form in which the filament A, which is the normal fiber, and the filament B, which is the fine fiber, are uniformly present in a mixed manner in the multifilament. Furthermore, since the two types of polymers forming the filament B are combined in the side-by-side type or the eccentric core-sheath type as shown in Fig. 5(b) having different gravity centers, the filament B is greatly curved toward the high-shrinkage polymer side by performing heat treatment, and the filament B is continuously greatly curved toward the high-shrinkage polymer side, so that a coil-shaped crimped form is developed.
• fine and complex irregularities are formed on the textile surface by disposing the crimped fine fiber and the normal fiber in a mixed manner on a surface layer, and it is possible to exhibit high water-repellent performance because of a reduced contact area with water when water repellent finish is performed.
• the woven or knitted fabric subjected to water repellent finish in the present invention may be any woven or knitted fabric as long as the woven or knitted fabric substantially has the water-repellent performance, and examples of the woven or knitted fabric include a woven or knitted fabric whose sliding angle of water drop on its surface is less than 90 degrees.
• the woven or knitted fabric of the present invention is composed of polyolefin, the woven or knitted fabric has sufficient water-repellent performance without adding a water repellent, and thus the woven or knitted fabric subjected to water repellent finish is obtained as it is.
• the woven or knitted fabric is composed of polyester or polyamide suitably used for clothing applications, sufficient water-repellent performance cannot be obtained as it is, and thus it is preferable to add a water repellent to the surface of the woven or knitted fabric.
• the water repellent finish is performed such that at least one surface of the woven or knitted fabric has the water-repellent performance. Whether or not the water repellent finish is performed so that only one surface requiring water repellency or both surfaces have the water-repellent performance is appropriately selected as necessary.
• a fluorine-based water repellent or a non-fluorine-based water repellent for example, any other water repellents such as a silicone- or hydrocarbon-based water repellent
• the water repellent may be of any type, and a fluorine-based water repellent composed of a fluorine-based compound having a perfluoroalkyl group in which two or more hydrogen atoms of an alkyl group are substituted with a fluorine atom, a non-fluorine-based water repellent containing no fluorine element, or the like can be used.
• a C6 fluorine-based water repellent in which a carbon number of the perfluoroalkyl group is 6 or less or the non-fluorine-based water repellent, and from the viewpoint of recyclability, it is more preferable to use the non-fluorine-based water repellent to make the woven or knitted fabric contain substantially no fluorine element.
• non-fluorine-based water repellent examples include a silicone-based water repellent mainly composed of a silicone-based compound and a hydrocarbon-based water repellent such as a paraffin-based water repellent mainly composed of a paraffin-based compound.
• the amount of attachment of the water repellent is preferably 0.1 to 1 mass%. As the amount of attachment of the water repellent increases, the fibers are fixed to each other with the water repellent, so that not only texture is hardened, but also a flat tactile sensation is obtained by the water repellent filling irregularities. On the other hand, when the amount of attachment of the water repellent is small, the water-repellent performance cannot be sufficiently exhibited. From these viewpoints, the amount of attachment of the water repellent is more preferably 0.2 to 0.8 mass%, and particularly preferably 0.3 to 0.5 mass%.
• the fine and complex irregularities are formed on the textile surface by disposing the crimped fine fiber and the normal fiber in a mixed manner on the surface layer, which makes it possible to exhibit excellent water-repellent performance such as a lotus effect when a water droplet is dropped on the surface of the woven or knitted fabric.
• a sliding angle of water drop representing water droplet removability is preferably 1 to 20 degrees.
• the sliding angle of water drop referred to herein is an angle at which a water droplet is gently dropped on the surface of the woven or knitted fabric attached to a horizontal plate in a planar shape, the flat plate is gently inclined at a constant speed, and the dropped water droplet starts to slide down, and serves as an index indicating that the water droplet removability is more excellent as the sliding angle of water drop is smaller.
• the sliding angle of water drop means an inclination angle (°) at the time when 20 ⁇ L of water at 20°C is placed on the surface of the woven or knitted fabric, the surface is gently inclined from 0° in increments of 1° at a constant speed (approximately 1°/sec), and the droplet starts to slide down by using a solid-liquid interface analyzer ("DropMaster" 700 manufactured by Kyowa Interface Science Co., Ltd.).
• the sliding angle of water drop is 1 to 20 degrees
• the woven or knitted fabric is used for, for example, clothing
• the water droplet is less likely to remain on the woven or knitted fabric in wearing, and excellent water droplet removability without discomfort due to a wet feeling or the like can be obtained.
• the sliding angle of water drop is smaller, extremely high water droplet removability with which almost no water droplet remains on the woven or knitted fabric in wearing can be obtained, and thus the sliding angle of water drop is more preferably 1 to 15 degrees.
• the sliding angle of water drop is 1 to 10 degrees, superb water-repellent performance exceeding natural lotus leaves can be obtained, and thus the range is particularly preferable.
• a difference between the sliding angles of water drop before and after repeating washing and drying 20 times is preferably 0 to 20 degrees.
• the difference between the sliding angles of water drop before and after repeating washing and drying 20 times referred to herein means an absolute value of a value obtained by subtracting the sliding angle of water drop before performing washing and drying, from the sliding angle of water drop after repeating washing in accordance with JIS L1930-2014-C4M method and drying in accordance with JIS L1930-2014-A method (line dry) 20 times for the woven or knitted fabric subjected to at least the water repellent finish of the present invention.
• the woven or knitted fabric can be suitably used as casual clothing. Furthermore, when the difference is 0 to 10 degrees, the woven or knitted fabric can be suitably used for sports clothing and uniform clothing required to have excellent durable water repellency, which are assumed to be used in a severe environment, and thus the range is more preferable.
• various methods such as a method of dividing the normal fiber and the fine fiber from the composite fiber, a method of mixing the normal fiber and the fine fiber separately produced by an air nozzle or the like, and a method of mixing filament during spinning of discharging the normal fiber and the fine fiber from the same spinneret and simultaneously winding the fibers can be adopted.
• the composite fiber of the present embodiment composed of the two or more types of polymers, when a melt viscosity ratio of the used polymers is less than 5.0, and a solubility parameter difference is less than 2.0, a stable composite polymer flow can be formed, and a fiber having a favorable composite cross section can be obtained, which is preferable.
• a composite spinneret used for producing the composite fiber of the present embodiment composed of the two or more types of polymers for example, a composite spinneret described in Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2011-208313 is suitably used.
• the composite spinneret shown in Fig. 12 of the present invention is incorporated into a spinning pack in a state where mainly three types of members, that is, a measuring plate 1, a distribution plate 2, and a discharge plate 3 are stacked from the top, and the spinneret is used for spinning.
• Fig. 12 is an example in which three polymers of A polymer, B polymer, and C polymer are used.
• a composite spinneret it is difficult to combine three or more types of polymers, and it is preferable to use a composite spinneret using a microchannel as exemplified in Fig. 12 .
• the measuring plate 1 has a role of measuring the amount of polymer per discharge hole and per distribution hole and flowing the polymer into the distribution plate 2.
• the distribution plate 2 has a role of controlling a composite cross section and a cross-sectional shape in a monofilament cross section, and the discharge plate 3 has a role of compressing and discharging the composite polymer flow formed with the distribution plate 2.
• the members located above the measuring plate 1 are not shown in the figure to avoid complexity in explaining the composite spinneret, but any appropriate ones may be used if they have flow channels that are suitable for use with the spinning machine and spinning pack.
• the measuring plate 1 in accordance with the existing channel member, the existing spinning pack and members of the spinning pack can be used as they are. Therefore, it is not necessary to dedicate the spinning machine especially to the spinneret.
• a plurality of channel plates are preferably stacked between the channel and the measuring plate or between the measuring plate 1 and the distribution plate 2. The purpose is to provide a structure with the channel through which the polymer is transferred and introduced into the distribution plate 2 efficiently in a cross-sectional direction of the spinneret and in a cross-sectional direction of the monofilament.
• the discharge plate 3 compresses and discharges the composite polymer flow formed by the distribution plate 2.
• the hole diameter and the hole length are suitably determined in consideration of the viscosity and the amount of discharge of the polymer.
• the composite fiber and the multifilament of the present embodiment may be produced by a melt spinning method for the purpose of producing a long fiber, a solution spinning method such as a wet method or a dry-wet method, a melt blowing method and a spunbonding method suitable for obtaining a sheet-shaped fiber structure, or the like, and the melt spinning method is suitable from the viewpoint of enhancing productivity.
• a composite spinneret to be described later can also be used for production, and a spinning temperature at that time is preferably set to a temperature at which a high melting point polymer or a high-viscosity polymer among polymer types to be used exhibits flowability.
• the temperature where such a polymer show flowability may be set between its melting point and a temperature 60° C above the melting point to ensure stable production.
• the composite fiber and the multifilament of the present embodiment can be stably produced when the discharge amount per single hole in the spinneret is 0.1 g to 10 g/min ⁇ hole.
• the discharge amount is preferably determined according to a desired fiber diameter in consideration of a winding condition, a drawing ratio, and the like.
• the discharged-hole polymer flow is cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, and taken up by a roller having a prescribed circumferential speed.
• the spinning speed is determined from the discharge amount and the intended fiber diameter.
• the spinning speed of the roller in spinning may be about 500 to 6000 m/min, and can be changed depending on physical properties of the polymer and an intended use of the fiber.
• the spinning speed is set to 500 to 4000 m/min, and the fiber is then drawn, so that not only uniaxial orientation of the fiber can be promoted, but also crimp development can be controlled by a difference in thermal shrinkage caused by a difference in stress during drawing and a difference in orientation during drawing between the combined polymers, which is preferable.
• a fiber made of a polymer exhibiting melt-spinnable thermoplasticity is typically easily stretched in a fiber axis direction by a circumferential speed ratio between a first roller set at a preheating temperature and a second roller having a temperature corresponding to a crystallization temperature, and is wound up with thermally set by the second roller.
• the preheating temperature is preferably set appropriately based on a softening temperature such as a glass transition temperature of the polymer.
• An upper limit of the preheating temperature is preferably set to a temperature at which yarn path disturbance does not occur due to spontaneous elongation of the fiber in the preheating process.
• the preheating temperature is usually set to about 80 to 95°C.
• a dynamic viscoelasticity measurement (tan ⁇ ) of the composite fiber may be carried out, and a temperature equal to or higher than a peak temperature on the high temperature side of tan ⁇ obtained may be selected as the preheating temperature.
• the spun composite fiber and multifilament may be once wound and then drawn, or may be drawn following the spinning without being wound once. It is more preferable to perform yarn processing involving drawing. By performing the yarn processing, the irregularities on the textile surface become more complex, so that the resistance to friction, the texture, and the water-repellent function, which are features of the present invention, can be enhanced.
• the yarn processing involving drawing it is preferable to use a highly oriented undrawn yarn obtained by high-speed spinning.
• the highly oriented undrawn yarn is suitable for the yarn processing because of having an oriented amorphous structure with appropriate crystal nuclei, having a high crystallization speed, capable of inhibiting yarn breakage by preventing fusion in a heater, and capable of inhibiting fluff by reducing drawing tension.
• the composite fiber having favorable yarn processability can be obtained by selecting a winding speed at the time of spinning from a range of 2000 to 4000 m/min.
• the yarn processing is not particularly limited as long as it is a normal yarn processing technique such as false twisting and non-uniform drawing. It is more preferable to perform the false twisting or the non-uniform drawing from the viewpoint of changing the crimped form to a non-uniform form to complicate the obtained tactile sensation and texture.
• a method for performing the false twisting is not particularly limited as long as the method is widely used. In consideration of productivity, it is preferable to perform the false twisting using a friction false twisting machine using a disk or a belt. By performing the false twisting, a multiple crimped form in which crimps due to the shrinkage difference and mechanical crimps imparted by the false twisting are combined is obtained, and the irregularities on the textile surface become more complex, so that the resistance to friction, the texture, and the water-repellent function, which are features of the present invention, can be enhanced.
• a false twist count T (unit: times/m), which is the twist count of the yarn bundle in the twisting region, satisfies the following condition, which is determined according to a total fineness Df (unit: dtex) of the yarn bundle after the false twisting.
• the false twist count T is measured by the following method. That is, the yarn bundle running in the twisting region in the false twisting process is collected with a length of 50 cm or more so as not to untwist immediately before a twister. The collected yarn sample is attached to a twist inspection machine, and the twist count is measured by the method described in JIS L1013(2010)8.13, which is the false twist count T.
• the false twist count satisfies the above condition, the multiple crimped form in which crimps due to the shrinkage difference and mechanical crimps imparted by the false twisting are combined is obtained.
• a drawing ratio in the twisting region may be adjusted.
• the drawing ratio referred to herein is calculated as Vd/V0 using a circumferential speed V0 of a roller that supplies a yarn to the twisting region and a circumferential speed Vd of a roller installed immediately after a false twisting mechanism.
• Vd/V0 may be set to 0.9 to 1.4 times
• Vd/V0 may be set to 1.2 to 2.0 times
• the drawing may be performed simultaneously with the false twisting.
• a false twist temperature is preferably determined from a range of Tg+50 to Tg+150°C based on Tg of the polymer on the high Tg side in the combined polymers.
• the false twist temperature referred to herein means a temperature of a heater installed in the twisting region.
• a thick and thin (thick and thin) yarn in which drawn portions and undrawn portions randomly appear in a fiber axis direction by performing drawing at a drawing ratio within a range not exceeding a natural drawing ratio of the composite fiber by the non-uniform drawing.
• a difference in dyeability occurs between the drawn portion and the undrawn portion in addition to a difference in dyeability between single yarns, so that shades of colors are more emphasized, and the crimped form is also different between the drawn portion and the undrawn portion, which makes it possible to express a grain pattern and a texture like a natural material when a fabric is formed.
• the false twisting is performed following the non-uniform drawing, a material having a texture from the grain pattern and the multiple crimped form can be obtained, and therefore the range is more preferable.
• other fibers may be mixed with the composite fiber and the multifilament of one embodiment of the present invention before or after the yarn processing.
• the mixing method is not particularly limited, and typical methods such as interlaced fiber mixing and Taslan fiber mixing can be used.
• the sea component may be composed of a known polymer that can be dissolved in a solvent or hot water, and the composite fiber may be immersed in the solvent or the like in which the polymer of the sea component can be dissolved to remove the polymer of the sea component.
• the polymer of the sea component is copolymerized polyethylene terephthalate copolymerized with 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid, polyethylene glycol, or the like, or polylactic acid
• an alkaline aqueous solution such as a sodium hydroxide solution.
• the composite fiber may be formed into a woven or knitted fabric or a fiber structure, and then immersed in the alkaline aqueous solution. At this time, the alkaline aqueous solution is heated to 50°C or more, which makes it possible to accelerate the progress of hydrolysis, and this is preferable.
• a fluid dyeing machine or the like when used, a large amount of fibers can be treated at a time, and thus this is preferable from the industrial viewpoint.
• water-repellent, antistatic, flame-retardant, moisture-absorptive, antibacterial, and flexible finish, or other known post-processing can be used in combination as necessary after the composite fiber and the multifilament of the present embodiment are formed into the textile.
• the fiber product partially including the multifilament of the present embodiment particularly in the woven or knitted fabric, because the fine and complex irregularities are present on the textile surface, high water-repellent performance can be exhibited by reducing the contact area with water when the water repellent finish is performed. Therefore, it is particularly preferable to perform the water repellent finish as the post-processing.
• the presence of the fine and complex irregularities on the textile surface can also improve washing durability of these functional processing agents for water-repellent, antistatic, flame-retardant, moisture-absorptive, antibacterial, and flexible finish.
• a fluorine-based water repellent or a non-fluorine-based water repellent for example, any other water repellents such as a silicone- or hydrocarbon-based water repellent
• the water repellent finish process is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a padding method, a spraying method, and a coating method.
• the padding method is preferable in terms of allowing the water repellent to penetrate into the woven or knitted fabric.
• the water repellent is preferably used in combination with a cross-linker.
• a cross-linker at least one of a melamine-based resin, a blocked isocyanate-based compound (polymerization), a glyoxal-based resin, and an imine-based resin can be used, and the cross-linker is not particularly limited.
• a method for weaving or knitting the woven or knitted fabric in which the multifilament of the present embodiment constitutes a part thereof is not particularly limited, and the woven or knitted fabric can be woven or knitted by a normal method.
• the woven or knitted fabric is a woven fabric
• examples thereof include a water jet loom, an air jet loom, a rapier loom, and a jacquard loom.
• examples thereof include a circular knitting machine and a warp knitting machine.
• a polymer in a chip form was dried in a vacuum dryer to a moisture ratio of 200 ppm or less, and the melt viscosity was measured with Capilograph manufactured by Toyo Seiki Seisaku-sho, Ltd. Evaluation was performed by setting a measurement temperature to be the same as the spinning temperature, setting a period from the time when a sample was put into a heating furnace in a nitrogen atmosphere to the start of measurement to 5 minutes, and setting a value of a shear rate of 1216s -1 as the melt viscosity of the polymer.
• a polymer in a chip form was dried in a vacuum dryer to a moisture ratio of 200 ppm or less, about 5 mg of the polymer was weighed, heated at a heating rate of 16°C/min from 0°C to 300°C using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) Q2000 manufactured by TA Instruments, and then held at 300°C for 5 minutes to perform DSC measurement.
• the melting point was calculated from a melting peak observed during the heating process. The measurement was performed three times for each sample, and an average value thereof was taken as the melting point. In a case where a plurality of melting peaks were observed, the melting peak top on the highest temperature side was taken as the melting point.
• a mass of a fiber of 100 m was measured and a value obtained by multiplying the value by 100 was calculated. This operation was repeated 10 times, and a value obtained by rounding off the decimal places of an average value thereof was defined as the fineness (dtex).
• the flatness is determined by embedding the composite fiber in an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin and capturing an image at a magnification at which one composite fiber can be observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) manufactured by HITACHI, Ltd. in the fiber transverse section in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis.
• an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin
• SEM scanning electron microscope
• the captured image is analyzed using WinROOF manufactured by Mitani Corporation as computer software to calculate a value obtained by dividing the length of the major axis by the length of the minor axis, the major axis being a straight line connecting two points (a1, a2) farthest from each other among any points on an outer periphery of the segment and the minor axis being a straight line connecting intersection points (b1, b2) between a fiber outer periphery and a straight line passing through a midpoint of the major axis and orthogonal to the major axis as shown in Fig. 1(a) , and a value obtained by rounding off the calculated value to one decimal place is defined as the flatness.
• a simple number average of the flatnesses obtained for all the segments of the same type is obtained, and a value obtained by rounding off the number average to one decimal place is adopted.
• the cross-sectional area is determined by embedding the composite fiber in an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin and capturing an image at a magnification at which one composite fiber can be observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) manufactured by HITACHI, Ltd. in the fiber transverse section in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis.
• SEM scanning electron microscope
• the captured image is analyzed using WinROOF manufactured by Mitani Corporation as computer software to calculate the cross-sectional area ( ⁇ m 2 ) of one segment present in the fiber transverse section of the composite fiber, and a value obtained by rounding off the calculated cross-sectional area to the nearest whole number is defined as the cross-sectional area of the segment.
• the flatness is determined by embedding the multifilament composed of 10 or more filaments removed from the textile in an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin and capturing an image at a magnification at which the multifilament can be observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) manufactured by HITACHI, Ltd. in the fiber transverse section in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis.
• an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin
• the captured image is analyzed using WinROOF manufactured by Mitani Corporation as computer software to calculate a value obtained by dividing the length of the major axis by the length of the minor axis, the major axis being a straight line connecting two points (a1, a2) farthest from each other among any points on an outer periphery of the filament and the minor axis being a straight line connecting intersection points (b1, b2) between a fiber outer periphery and a straight line passing through a midpoint of the major axis and orthogonal to the major axis as shown in Fig. 5(b) , and a value obtained by rounding off the calculated value to one decimal place is defined as the flatness.
• the fiber diameter is determined by embedding the multifilament composed of 10 or more filaments removed from the textile in an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin and capturing an image at a magnification at which the multifilament can be observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM) manufactured by HITACHI, Ltd. in the fiber transverse section in a direction perpendicular to the fiber axis.
• an embedding agent such as an epoxy resin
• the captured image is analyzed using WinROOF manufactured by Mitani Corporation as computer software to measure the cross-sectional area of one filament present in the fiber transverse section of the multifilament, and measure a diameter obtained in terms of a perfect circle up to the first decimal place in units of ⁇ m, and a value obtained by rounding off the obtained value to the nearest whole number is defined as the fiber diameter ( ⁇ m).
• WinROOF manufactured by Mitani Corporation as computer software to measure the cross-sectional area of one filament present in the fiber transverse section of the multifilament, and measure a diameter obtained in terms of a perfect circle up to the first decimal place in units of ⁇ m, and a value obtained by rounding off the obtained value to the nearest whole number is defined as the fiber diameter ( ⁇ m).
• a simple number average of the fiber diameters obtained for all the filaments of the same type is obtained, and a value obtained by rounding off the number average to the nearest whole number is adopted.
• the fluorine content was calculated by the following combustion-ion chromatography method.
• the number of composite fibers is adjusted such that a cover factor (CFA) in a warp direction is 800 and a cover factor (CFB) in a weft direction is 1200 to prepare a 2/1 twill woven fabric.
• CFA cover factor
• CFB cover factor
• the obtained woven fabric was subjected to refining, alkali treatment, wet heat treatment, heat setting, dyeing processing, and water repellent finish in this order, and then three textures of flexibility, feeling of resilient, and smooth tactile sensation were evaluated using the following methods.
• Evaluation was performed by the following method using a pure bending tester (KES-FB2) manufactured by KATO TECH CO., LTD. That is, a woven fabric of 20 cm ⁇ 20 cm was gripped with an effective sample length of 20 cm ⁇ 1 cm and bent under the condition of a maximum curvature of ⁇ 2.5 cm -1 in the weft direction.
• KS-FB2 pure bending tester
• This operation was performed three times per location, and a simple number average of results obtained by performing this operation for 10 locations in total was calculated.
• a woven fabric of 20 cm ⁇ 20 cm was gripped with an effective sample length of 20 cm ⁇ 1 cm, and a width (gf ⁇ cm/cm) of hysteresis at a curvature of ⁇ 1.0 cm -1 when the woven fabric was bent in the weft direction was calculated.
• This operation was performed three times per location, and a simple number average of results obtained by performing this operation for 10 locations in total was calculated.
• a value obtained by rounding off the number average to three decimal place and then multiplying the resulting value by 100 was defined as flexural recovery 2HB ⁇ 10 -2 (gf ⁇ cm/cm).
• the number of composite fibers is adjusted such that a cover factor (CFA) in a warp direction is 800 and a cover factor (CFB) in a weft direction is 1200 to prepare a 2/1 twill woven fabric.
• CFA cover factor
• CFB cover factor
• the obtained woven fabric was subjected to refining, alkali treatment, wet heat treatment, heat setting, dyeing processing, and water repellent finish in this order, and then two functions of water repellency and stretchability were evaluated using the following methods.
• the stretchability was performed in accordance with A method of elongation rate (constant rate elongation method) described in Section 8.16.1 of JIS L1096:2010.
• a load of 17.6 N (1.8 kg) in a stripping method was used, and test conditions thereof were a sample width of 5 cm ⁇ a length of 20 cm, a clamp interval of 10 cm, and a tensile speed of 20 cm/min.
• a weight corresponding to a sample width of 1 m was used in accordance with the method of JIS L1096:2010.
• the water repellency was obtained by placing 20 ⁇ L of water at 20°C on a surface of a 20 cm ⁇ 20 cm woven fabric on a horizontal table, gently inclining the surface from 0° in increments of 1° at a constant speed (approximately 1°/sec), and determining an inclination angle (°) at the time when the droplet started to slide down.
• a simple number average of results obtained by performing this operation at any five locations on the woven fabric was calculated, and a value obtained by rounding off the decimal places was defined as the sliding angle of water drop (°). From the obtained sliding angle of water drop, the water repellency was determined in three stages based on the following criteria.
• the number of composite fibers is adjusted such that a cover factor (CFA) in a warp direction is 800 and a cover factor (CFB) in a weft direction is 1200 to prepare a 2/1 twill woven fabric.
• CFA cover factor
• CFB cover factor
• CFA warp weave density [yarns/2.54 cm] ⁇ (warp total fineness [dtex]) 1/2
• CFB weft weave density [yarns/2.54 cm] ⁇ (weft total fineness [dtex]) 1/2 .
• the obtained woven fabric was subjected to refining, alkali treatment, wet heat treatment, heat setting, dyeing treatment, and water repellent finish in this order, and then two surface qualities of shine resistance and wear resistance were evaluated using the following methods.
• the woven fabric was attached to a sample holder at the center of an upper part of the apparatus and rubbed against a friction surface at a lower part of the apparatus for a certain period of time.
• a woven fabric that became shiny by actual wearing was used as a sample, and the number of times of rubbing until shiny gloss equivalent to that of the above actually worn sample was obtained was defined as the prescribed number of times.
• a sample after rubbing obtained at this time was used as a first grade sample.
• a sample after rubbing obtained when the sample was rubbed half the prescribed number of times was used as a third grade sample, and a sample before rubbing was used as a fifth grade sample.
• grade determination of grade 1 to grade 5 was performed in increments of 1. Note that a case where there was less gloss than grade 3 and there was more gloss than grade 5 was rated as grade 4, and a case where there was less gloss than grade 1 and there was more gloss than grade 3 was rated as grade 2. From the obtained grade determination results, the shine resistance was determined in four stages based on the following criteria.
• a woven fabric cut into a circle having a diameter of 6 cm was wetted with distilled water and attached to a disk using Appearance Retention Tester (manufactured by Daiei Kagaku Seiki MFG Co., Ltd.). Furthermore, a woven fabric cut into a circle of 11 cm was fixed on a horizontal plate while being dried. The disc, on which the woven fabric wetted with distilled water was attached, was brought into horizontal contact with the woven fabric fixed on the horizontal plate, and the disc was circularly moved at a load of 420 g and a speed of 85 rpm for 10 minutes so that the center of the disc draws a circle having a diameter of 38 mm, to rub the two woven fabrics.
• the degree of discoloration of the woven fabric attached to the disk was determined to be grade 1 to grade 5 in increments of 0.5 using a gray scale for discoloration. From the obtained grade determination results, the wear resistance was determined in four stages based on the following criteria.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (SSIA-PEG copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 100 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 233°C) copolymerized with 8 mol% of 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid and 9 mass% of polyethylene glycol was prepared as Polymer 1
• polyethylene terephthalate (IPA copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 140 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 232°C) copolymerized with 7 mol% of isophthalic acid was prepared as Polymer 2
• polyethylene terephthalate (PET, melt viscosity: 30 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C) was prepared as Polymer 3.
• the discharged composite polymer flow was cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, wound at a spinning rate of 1500 m/min, and drawn between rollers heated to 90°C and 130°C to produce a composite fiber of 110 dtex/-24 filaments.
• a 2/1 twill woven fabric was obtained using the obtained composite fiber as warp and weft.
• the obtained woven fabric was refined in warm water at 80°C containing a surfactant for 10 minutes, and heated to 90°C using a 1 mass% sodium hydroxide solution with a jet dyeing machine to remove 99% or more of Polymer 1 that was an easily soluble polymer. Subsequently, wet heat treatment was performed at 130°C for 30 minutes C using the jet dyeing machine, and then heat setting was performed under the conditions of 180°C, 1 minute, and a width extension ratio of 5%.
• the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing a disperse dye (black) as a dye and a dyeing assistant, dyed by immersion at a temperature of 130°C for 60 minutes, and then washed with water. Subsequently, the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing a reduction clearing agent, subjected to reduction cleaning by immersion at a temperature of 80°C for 20 minutes, then washed with water, and air-dried.
• a disperse dye black
• a dyeing assistant dyed by immersion at a temperature of 130°C for 60 minutes
• the woven fabric was immersed in a treatment liquid prepared by mixing 4 mass% of "NEOSEED” (registered trademark) NR-158 (non-fluorine-based (paraffin-based) water repellent, solid content: 30%, manufactured by NICCA CHEMICAL CO., LTD.), 0.2 mass% of "BECKAMINE” (registered trademark) M-3 (manufactured by DIC Corporation), 0.15 mass% of CATALYST ACX (manufactured by DIC Corporation), 1 mass% of isopropyl alcohol, and 94.65 mass% of water, and squeezed with a mangle at a squeezing rate of 60%, dried with a pin tenter at 130°C for 2 minutes, and cured with a pin tenter at 170°C for 1 minute.
• NEOSEED registered trademark
• NR-158 non-fluorine-based (paraffin-based) water repellent, solid content: 30%, manufactured by NICCA CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
• the obtained woven fabric was composed of a multifilament in which an eight-lobed filament A having a side-by-side composite structure composed of X1 and X2 in Fig. 6(a) and a flat-shaped (flatness: 3.0) filament B having a side-by-side composite structure composed of Y1 and Y2 in Fig. 6(b) were uniformly present in a mixed manner.
• the filament A had a fiber diameter of 15 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter of 4 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A.
• the woven fabric composed of this multifilament had a good feeling of resilient (flexural recovery 2HB: 0.8 ⁇ 10 -2 gf ⁇ cm/cm (7.8 ⁇ 10 -2 mN ⁇ cm/cm)) and good flexibility (flexural hardness B: 0.8 ⁇ 10 -2 gf ⁇ cm 2 /cm (7.8 ⁇ 10 -2 mN ⁇ cm 2 /cm)) because the filament A as a normal fiber and the filament B as a fine fiber were uniformly present in a mixed manner in the multifilament.
• the filament B as a fine fiber had crimps because of the side-by-side composite structure, fine voids were formed between the fibers by steric hindrance due to the crimps, and a friction surface was able to move flexibly without being fixed. Therefore, the woven fabric was increased in resistance to friction to have good shine resistance (shine resistance: grade 4) and good wear resistance (discoloration: grade 3.5).
• the crimped fine fiber was disposed on a surface layer and thus fine irregularities were formed on the surface of the woven fabric, the woven fabric also had good smooth tactile sensation (friction variation: 1.7 ⁇ 10 -2 ) and achieved both the resistance to friction and the texture at the same time, which have not been achieved in a conventional material.
• the filament A also had the side-by-side composite structure and thus all the filaments in the multifilament had crimps, good stretchability (elongation rate: 25%) was obtained, and in addition, fine and complex irregularities in which fine irregularities due to the crimps of the filament B as a fine fiber and coarse irregularities due to the filament A as a normal fiber were mixed were formed. Therefore, while the woven fabric was provided with the non-fluorine-based water repellent having a fluorine content in combustion-ion chromatography of 25 ng/g or less, that is, the detection limit or less, good water repellency (sliding angle of water drop: 11°) was obtained. The results are shown in Table.
• Examples 2 and 3 were carried out in accordance with Example 1 except that the discharge amount was changed such that the cross-sectional area S A of the segment A of the composite fiber was 66 ⁇ m 2 and the cross-sectional area S B of the segment B was 5 ⁇ m 2 (Example 2), and the cross-sectional area S A of the segment A was 670 ⁇ m 2 and the cross-sectional area S B of the segment B was 50 ⁇ m 2 (Example 3).
• Example 2 as the cross-sectional areas of the segments A and B of the composite fiber were decreased, the fiber diameters of the filaments A and B of the multifilament constituting the obtained woven fabric were also decreased, and the flexibility and shine resistance of the woven fabric were improved. In addition, as the fiber diameters were decreased, the developed crimp loops were also smaller, so that the irregularities formed on the surface of the woven fabric were finer, and the contact area with water droplets was reduced, to improve the water repellency.
• Example 3 as the cross-sectional areas of the segments A and B of the composite fiber were increased, the fiber diameters of the filaments A and B of the multifilament constituting the obtained woven fabric were also increased, and the resilience of the woven fabric was improved. In addition, as the fiber diameters were increased, the developed crimp loops were also larger, so that the irregularities formed on the surface of the woven fabric were coarser, to improve the smooth tactile sensation. The results are shown in Table.
• Example 4 was carried out in accordance with Example 1 except that the cross-sectional shape was changed such that the segment B had a trilobal shape (flatness: 1.4) as shown in Fig. 2(a) .
• Example 4 irregular reflection of light was amplified by forming irregularities on the filament B in the obtained woven fabric, and uneven gloss (glare) of the woven fabric was inhibited. The results are shown in Table.
• Examples 5 and 6 were carried out in accordance with Example 1 except that the cross-sectional shape was changed such that the segment A had a four-lobed shape as shown in Fig. 2(b) (Example 5) and a circular shape as shown in Fig. 2(c) (Example 6).
• Example 5 the feeling of resilient was improved along with an increase in the degree of shape irregularity of the filament A in the obtained woven fabric.
• the developed crimp loops were also larger along with an increase in the fiber diameter of the filament B, so that the irregularities formed on the surface of the woven fabric were coarser, to improve the smooth tactile sensation.
• Example 6 since the filament A in the obtained woven fabric had a circular shape, not only the flexural hardness was reduced and the flexibility was improved, but also the distance between the gravity centers of the polymers constituting the filament A was increased, so that the crimp developability was improved and the stretchability was also improved.
• the results are shown in Table.
• Examples 7 and 8 were carried out in accordance with Example 1 except that Polymer 2 was changed to high-viscosity polyethylene terephthalate (high-viscosity PET, melt viscosity: 300 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C) (Example 7) and polypropylene terephthalate (PPT, melt viscosity: 130 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 231°C) (Example 8).
• high-viscosity PET melt viscosity: 300 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C
• PPT melt viscosity: 130 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 231°C
• Example 7 since the multifilament constituting the obtained woven fabric was formed only of PET with no copolymerization component, an excellent feeling of resilient was obtained.
• Example 8 the obtained woven fabric exhibited a texture more excellent in flexibility in combination with rubber elasticity characteristics of PPT, and the crimp developability of the filaments A and B was also improved, so that not only the stretch function was significantly improved, but also the smooth tactile sensation and water repellency were improved because of more complex irregularities being developed on the fiber surface.
• the results are shown in Table.
• Example 9 was carried out in accordance with Example 8 except that the cross-sectional shape was changed such that the segment B had an eccentric core-sheath composite structure as shown in Fig. 1(c) .
• Example 9 since the surface of the filament B in the obtained woven fabric was coated with PET, wear of PPT was inhibited, and good wear resistance was obtained. The results are shown in Table.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (SSIA-PEG copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 100 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 233°C) copolymerized with 8 mol% of 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid and 9 mass% of polyethylene glycol was prepared as Polymer 1
• polyethylene terephthalate (IPA copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 140 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 232°C) copolymerized with 7 mol% of isophthalic acid was prepared as Polymer 2
• polyethylene terephthalate (PET, melt viscosity: 30 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C) was prepared as Polymer 3.
• the discharged composite polymer flow was cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, wound at a spinning rate of 1500 m/min, and drawn between rollers heated to 90°C and 130°C to produce a composite fiber of 110 dtex/-24 filaments.
• a 2/1 twill woven fabric was obtained using the obtained composite fiber as warp and weft.
• the obtained woven fabric was subjected to refining, alkali treatment, wet heat treatment, heat setting, dyeing processing, and water repellent finish in this order under the same conditions as in Example 1 to obtain a woven fabric composed of one type of filament having a side-by-side composite structure composed of Y1 and Y2 in Fig. 11 .
• the filament had a fiber diameter of 5 ⁇ m.
• Comparative Example 1 since the woven fabric was composed of only the filament as a fine fiber, not only the feeling of resilient was poor, but also the fine irregularities formed on the surface of the woven fabric were flattened, and the smooth tactile sensation was impaired. The results are shown in Table.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (IPA copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 140 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 232°C) copolymerized with 7mol% of isophthalic acid was prepared as Polymer 1
• polyethylene terephthalate (PET, melt viscosity: 30 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C) was prepared as Polymer 2.
• the discharged composite polymer flow was cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, wound at a spinning rate of 1500 m/min, and drawn between rollers heated to 90°C and 130°C to produce a composite fiber of 110 dtex/-48 filaments.
• a 2/1 twill woven fabric was obtained using the obtained composite fiber as warp and weft.
• the obtained woven fabric was subjected to refining, alkali treatment, wet heat treatment, heat setting, dyeing processing, and water repellent finish in this order under the same conditions as in Example 1 to obtain a woven fabric composed of one type of filament having a side-by-side composite structure composed of X1 and X2 in Fig. 11 .
• the filament had a fiber diameter of 15 ⁇ m.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (IPA copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 140 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 232°C) copolymerized with 7mol% of isophthalic acid was prepared as Polymer 1
• polyethylene terephthalate (PET, melt viscosity: 30 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C) was prepared as Polymer 2.
• the discharged composite polymer flow was cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, wound at a spinning rate of 1500 m/min, and drawn between rollers heated to 90°C and 130°C to produce a composite fiber of 55 dtex/-24 filaments.
• a composite fiber of 55 dtex/-72 filaments was produced by the same method as described above except that the number of discharge holes of the composite spinneret was changed.
• the obtained two types of composite fibers were mixed using a known air nozzle, and then used as warp and weft to obtain a 2/1 twill woven fabric.
• the obtained woven fabric was subjected to refining, alkali treatment, wet heat treatment, heat setting, dyeing processing, and water repellent finish in this order under the same conditions as in Example 1 to obtain a woven fabric composed of a multifilament in which a filament A having a side-by-side composite structure composed of X1 and X2 in Fig. 11 and a filament B having a side-by-side composite structure composed of Y1 and Y2 in Fig. 11 were present in a mixed manner.
• the filament A had a fiber diameter of 15 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter of 8 ⁇ m.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (SSIA-PEG copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 100 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 233°C) copolymerized with 8 mol% of 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid and 9 mass% of polyethylene glycol was prepared as Polymer 1
• polyethylene terephthalate (IPA copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 140 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 232°C) copolymerized with 7 mol% of isophthalic acid was prepared as Polymer 2
• polyethylene terephthalate (PET, melt viscosity: 30 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C) was prepared as Polymer 3.
• the discharged composite polymer flow was cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, wound at a spinning rate of 1500 m/min, and drawn between rollers heated to 90°C and 130°C to produce a composite fiber of 110 dtex/-24 filaments.
• a 2/1 twill woven fabric was obtained using the obtained composite fiber as warp and weft.
• the obtained woven fabric was refined in warm water at 80°C containing a surfactant for 10 minutes, and heated to 90°C using a 1 mass% sodium hydroxide solution with a jet dyeing machine to remove 99% or more of Polymer 1 that was an easily soluble polymer. Subsequently, wet heat treatment was performed at 130°C for 30 minutes using the jet dyeing machine, and then heat setting was performed under the conditions of 180°C, 1 minute, and a width extension ratio of 5%.
• the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing a disperse dye (black) as a dye and a dyeing assistant, dyed by immersion at a temperature of 130°C for 60 minutes, and then washed with water. Subsequently, the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing a reduction clearing agent, subjected to reduction cleaning by immersion at a temperature of 80°C for 20 minutes, then washed with water, and air-dried.
• a disperse dye black
• a dyeing assistant dyed by immersion at a temperature of 130°C for 60 minutes
• the woven fabric was immersed in a treatment liquid prepared by mixing 4 mass% of "NEOSEED” (registered trademark) NR-158 (non-fluorine-based (paraffin-based) water repellent, solid content: 30%, manufactured by NICCA CHEMICAL CO., LTD.), 0.2 mass% of "BECKAMINE” (registered trademark) M-3 (manufactured by DIC Corporation), 0.15 mass% of CATALYST ACX (manufactured by DIC Corporation), 1 mass% of isopropyl alcohol, and 94.65 mass% of water, and squeezed with a mangle at a squeezing rate of 60%, dried with a pin tenter at 130°C for 2 minutes, and cured with a pin tenter at 170°C for 1 minute.
• NEOSEED registered trademark
• NR-158 non-fluorine-based (paraffin-based) water repellent, solid content: 30%, manufactured by NICCA CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
• the obtained woven fabric was composed of a multifilament in which an eight-lobed filament A composed of X1 in Fig. 5(a) and a flat-shaped (flatness: 3.0) filament B having a side-by-side composite structure composed of Y1 and Y2 in Fig. 5(b) were uniformly present in a mixed manner.
• the filament A had a fiber diameter of 15 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter of 4 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A.
• the woven fabric composed of this multifilament had a good feeling of resilient (flexural recovery 2HB: 0.6 ⁇ 10 -2 gf ⁇ cm/cm (5.9 ⁇ 10 -2 mN ⁇ cm/cm)) and good flexibility (flexural hardness B: 1.0 ⁇ 10 -2 gf ⁇ cm 2 /cm (9.8 ⁇ 10 -2 mN ⁇ cm 2 /cm)) because the filament A as a normal fiber and the filament B as a fine fiber were uniformly present in a mixed manner in the multifilament.
• the filament B as a fine fiber had crimps because of the side-by-side composite structure, fine voids were formed between the fibers by steric hindrance due to the crimps, and a friction surface was able to move flexibly without being fixed. Therefore, the woven fabric was increased in resistance to friction to have shine resistance (shiny degree: 6%) and wear resistance (discoloration: grade 4). Moreover, since the crimped fine fiber was disposed on a surface layer and thus fine irregularities were formed on the surface of the woven fabric, the woven fabric also had smooth tactile sensation (friction variation: 1.3 ⁇ 10 -2 ) and achieved both the resistance to friction and the texture at the same time, which have not been achieved in a conventional material.
• Example 11 was carried out in accordance with Example 9 except that Polymer 1/Polymer 2/Polymer 3 were weighed to a mass ratio of 20/65/15 and caused to flow into a spinning pack into which the composite spinneret shown in Fig. 12 was incorporated, and the inflow polymers were discharged from the discharge hole so as to form a sea-island composite fiber as shown in Fig. 1(a) having a composite structure in which Polymer 1 was disposed at z, Polymer 2 was disposed at x1 and y1, and Polymer 3 was disposed at y2 in Fig. 1(a) .
• Example 11 since the segment A of the composite fiber was formed only of IPA copolymerized PET having a low melting point, the filament A of the multifilament constituting the obtained woven fabric highly shrunk during heat treatment, so that a difference in yarn length was generated between the filament A and the filament B, the irregularities formed on the surface of the woven fabric were coarser, and good smooth tactile sensation was obtained.
• the interfiber voids were larger by the difference in yarn length, so that the area of the flat portion generated by friction/wear or the like was reduced, and excellent shine resistance was obtained. The results are shown in Table.
• Nylon 6 (N6, melt viscosity: 190 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 223°C) was prepared as Polymer 1
• polyethylene terephthalate (IPA copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 140 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 232°C) copolymerized with 7 mol% of isophthalic acid was prepared as Polymer 2
• polyethylene terephthalate (PET, melt viscosity: 30 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C) was prepared as Polymer 3.
• the discharged composite polymer flow was cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, wound at a spinning rate of 1500 m/min, and drawn between rollers heated to 90°C and 130°C to produce a composite fiber of 110 dtex/-24 filaments.
• a 2/1 twill woven fabric was obtained using the obtained composite fiber as warp and weft.
• the obtained woven fabric was refined in warm water at 80°C containing a surfactant for 10 minutes, then subjected to wet heat treatment at 130°C for 30 minutes with a jet dyeing machine to separate the segment A and the segment B, and then subjected to heat setting under the conditions of 180°C, 1 minute, and a width extension ratio of 5%.
• the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing a disperse dye (black) as a dye and a dyeing assistant, dyed by immersion at a temperature of 130°C for 60 minutes, and then washed with water. Subsequently, the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing a reduction clearing agent, subjected to reduction cleaning by immersion at a temperature of 80°C for 20 minutes, then washed with water, and air-dried.
• a disperse dye black
• a dyeing assistant dyed by immersion at a temperature of 130°C for 60 minutes
• the woven fabric was immersed in a treatment liquid prepared by mixing 4 mass% of "NEOSEED” (registered trademark) NR-158 (non-fluorine-based (paraffin-based) water repellent, solid content: 30%, manufactured by NICCA CHEMICAL CO., LTD.), 0.2 mass% of "BECKAMINE” (registered trademark) M-3 (manufactured by DIC Corporation), 0.15 mass% of CATALYST ACX (manufactured by DIC Corporation), 1 mass% of isopropyl alcohol, and 94.65 mass% of water, and squeezed with a mangle at a squeezing rate of 60%, dried with a pin tenter at 130°C for 2 minutes, and cured with a pin tenter at 170°C for 1 minute.
• NEOSEED registered trademark
• NR-158 non-fluorine-based (paraffin-based) water repellent, solid content: 30%, manufactured by NICCA CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
• the obtained woven fabric was composed of a multifilament in which an eight-lobed filament A composed of X1 in Fig. 5(a) and a flat-shaped (flatness: 3.0) filament B having a side-by-side composite structure composed of Y1 and Y2 in Fig. 5(b) were uniformly present in a mixed manner.
• the filament A had a fiber diameter of 16 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter of 4 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A.
• the woven fabric composed of this multifilament had excellent flexibility, and the filament A highly shrunk during heat treatment, so that a difference in yarn length was generated between the filament A and the filament B, the irregularities formed on the surface of the woven fabric were coarser, and good smooth tactile sensation was obtained.
• the interfiber voids were larger by the difference in yarn length, so that the area of the flat portion generated by friction/wear or the like was reduced, and excellent shine resistance was obtained. The results are shown in Table.
• Example 13 was carried out in accordance with Example 1 except that the composite fiber of 110 dtex/-24 filaments obtained in Example 1 was subjected to false twisting at a magnification of 1.05 to obtain a false-twist textured yarn of 105 dtex/-24 filaments.
• Example 13 since the crimp developability was improved by the false twisting, not only the stretch function was significantly improved, but also the smooth tactile sensation and water repellency were improved because of more complex irregularities being developed on the fiber surface. The results are shown in Table.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (SSIA-PEG copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 100 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 233°C) copolymerized with 8 mol% of 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid and 9 mass% of polyethylene glycol was prepared as Polymer 1
• nylon 66 N66, melt viscosity: 200 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 255°C
• nylon 610 N610, melt viscosity: 80 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 225°C
• the discharged composite polymer flow was cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, wound at a spinning rate of 1500 m/min, and drawn between rollers heated to 40°C and 130°C to produce a composite fiber of 90 dtex/-24 filaments.
• the obtained woven fabric was composed of a multifilament in which an eight-lobed filament A having a side-by-side composite structure composed of X1 and X2 in Fig. 6(a) and a flat-shaped (flatness: 3.0) filament B having a side-by-side composite structure composed of Y1 and Y2 in Fig. 6(b) were uniformly present in a mixed manner.
• the filament A had a fiber diameter of 15 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter of 4 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A.
• a 2/1 twill woven fabric was obtained using the obtained composite fiber as warp and weft.
• the obtained woven fabric was refined in warm water at 80°C containing a surfactant, to remove 99% or more of Polymer 1 that was an easily soluble polymer in warm water containing a sodium hydroxide solution with a jet dyeing machine. Subsequently, wet heat treatment was performed at 110°C using the jet dyeing machine, and heat setting was performed at 180°C.
• the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing an acid dye (black) as a dye and a dyeing assistant, dyed by immersion at a temperature of 100°C for 60 minutes, and then washed with water. Subsequently, the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing a fixing agent, subjected to fixing treatment by immersion at a temperature of 80°C for 20 minutes, then washed with water, and air-dried.
• an acid dye black
• a dyeing assistant dyed by immersion at a temperature of 100°C for 60 minutes
• the woven fabric was immersed in an aqueous solution containing 4 mass% of "NEOSEED” (registered trademark) NR-158 (non-fluorine-based water repellent, manufactured by NICCA CHEMICAL CO., LTD.), a cross-linker, and a penetrant, and squeezed with a mangle at a squeezing rate of 60%, dried with a pin tenter at 130°C, and cured with a pin tenter at 170°C.
• NOSEED registered trademark
• NR-158 non-fluorine-based water repellent
• the obtained woven fabric was composed of a multifilament in which an eight-lobed filament A composed of X1 in Fig. 5(a) and a flat-shaped (flatness: 3.0) filament B having a side-by-side composite structure composed of Y1 and Y2 in Fig. 5(b) were uniformly present in a mixed manner.
• the filament A had a fiber diameter of 16 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter of 4 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter smaller than that of the filament A.
• the woven fabric composed of the multifilament was formed of nylon having low elasticity, the woven fabric had excellent flexibility, and also had excellent shine resistance and wear resistance because the nylon was hardly scraped at the time of wear.
• the results are shown in Table.
• Polyethylene terephthalate (SSIA-PEG copolymerized PET, melt viscosity: 100 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 233°C) copolymerized with 8 mol% of 5-sodium sulfoisophthalic acid and 9 mass% of polyethylene glycol was prepared as Polymer 1
• polyethylene terephthalate (PET, melt viscosity: 30 Pa ⁇ s, melting point: 254°C) was prepared as Polymer 2.
• the discharged composite polymer flow was cooled and solidified, then provided with an oil agent, wound at a spinning rate of 1500 m/min, and drawn between rollers heated to 90°C and 130°C to produce a composite fiber of 110 dtex/-48 filaments.
• the obtained woven fabric was subjected to refining, alkali treatment, wet heat treatment, heat setting, dyeing processing, and water repellent finish in this order under the same conditions as in Example 1 to obtain a woven fabric composed of a multifilament in which an eight-lobed filament A composed of X1 in Fig. 10(a) and a flat-shaped (flatness: 3.0) filament B composed of Y1 in Fig. 10(b) were uniformly present in a mixed manner.
• the filament A had a fiber diameter of 15 ⁇ m
• the filament B had a fiber diameter of 4 ⁇ m.
• the composite fiber, the multifilament, and the woven or knitted fabric of the present invention have a special fiber form in which cross-sectional arrangement in the composite fiber and fiber arrangement in the multifilament are precisely controlled, which makes it possible to obtain a textile that has a texture with flexibility, a smooth tactile sensation, and a feeling of resilient, inhibits deterioration in surface quality caused by friction/wear or the like with other materials, and further exhibits high water-repellent performance when subjected to water repellent finish.
• the textile can be suitably used for a wide variety of fiber products including general clothing such as jackets, skirts, pants, and underwear; sports clothing; and clothing materials, and by taking advantage of its characteristics, interior products such as carpets and sofas; vehicle interior products such as car seats; and living applications such as cosmetics, masks and health goods. It is particularly preferable to use the textile for clothing applications from the viewpoint of being able to inhibit the shiny phenomenon caused by wear with other materials in wearing, being able to obtain the smooth tactile sensation while being flexible, and being able to exhibit high water-repellent performance when water repellent finish is performed.

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• Knitting Of Fabric (AREA)

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• 2023
  • 2023-09-14 JP JP2023560019A patent/JPWO2024070726A1/ja active Pending
  • 2023-09-14 EP EP23871959.5A patent/EP4596766A1/en active Pending
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  • 2023-09-14 CN CN202380066598.1A patent/CN119895088A/zh active Pending
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