JP2003504531A - Method for imparting stain resistance to fiber surfaces having different dyeing properties and articles produced thereby - Google Patents

Abstract

  (57) [Summary] Disclosed is a method of treating an article having a fiber surface (such as a wide woven carpet or carpet tile) with an antifouling composition. In one embodiment, a pile surface structure having a pile element containing a nylon thread having both acid and cationic dyeability is dyed with both an acid and a cationic dye and then subjected to high temperature antifouling. Pass through the agent treatment bath and cooling zone. Substantially the entire height of each pile element is coated with the antifouling composition, so that the pile surface structure has an AATCC Red 40 stain resistance of 9 or more. The resulting pile surface has good color separation and stability, and does not lose color from yarns that can be clearly dyed shades. In another embodiment, after coloring, an antifouling composition at a temperature of 20 to 95 degrees Celsius (20 to 95 degrees Celsius) is applied. If the article is a carpet tile, the antifouling agent is applied using a flood method. The article is dried in a drying zone at a temperature ranging from 75 degrees Celsius to 95 degrees Celsius (75C to 95C) for a time sufficient to allow the antifouling composition to react with the nylon yarn on the fiber surface. Preferably, an infrared oven is used in the drying zone area.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for continuously treating a fiber surface made of nylon yarns having different dyeability with an antifouling composition to impart stain resistance thereto. , And articles made thereby.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART In the industrial production of articles having a fibrous surface such as wide woven carpets or carpet tiles, such articles may be provided with additional properties such as resistance to soiling by a variety of things such as food and beverages. It is customary to treat with a composition that gives it the desired properties. Especially troublesome stains are coffee, black tea,
It is red wine.

In the industrial production of such articles, it is also common to use nylon yarns with different dyeability. The term "different in dyeability" means that the article contains at least two yarns having different dyeability, such as a yarn dyeable with an acid dye and a yarn dyeable with a cationic ("cat") dye. To do. The desired aesthetic effect on a carpet can often be achieved by simply combining these two yarns with different dyeability. Both dyeability is light acid dye, normal color acid dye, dark and extra dark acid dye, and light cat dye, normal color c
Various dye strengths such as at dyes are available.

Compositions called "antifoulants" are those which are applied to carpets or carpet tiles, which usually have no difference in dyeability, to provide stain resistance.

At present, both a continuous method and a discontinuous or batch method can be used to apply the antifouling composition to a carpet made of yarn having no difference in dyeability.

Continuous Conventional Method The steps of the conventional method of applying the antifouling composition to a fiber surface (such as a wide woven carpet) made of yarn having no difference in dyeability are shown in FIG. In the conventional continuous process, a colored carpet (dyed or printed) operating line is passed through an aqueous liquid treatment bath containing an antifouling composition and a surfactant after rinsing and suction water extraction. . The temperature of the bath is 20 to 60 degrees Celsius (2
The range is from 0 ° C to 60 ° C. The dwell time of the carpet in the bath is usually not adjusted as an independent and important parameter, but is instead related to the speed of the carpet line. After leaving the bath, the carpet passes through a steam chamber where it is exposed to saturated steam for about 60 to 90 seconds. The traditional steps to finish the carpet are then generally a suction water extraction operation that removes residual liquid from the carpet in a vacuum, a cold water rinse operation (spray or pass the carpet through a dip layer), another suction water extraction operation, and a final There is dryness.

Batch-type conventional method A batch-type method of applying an antifouling agent composition and a surfactant to a fiber surface (a wide woven carpet, etc.) made of yarns having no difference in dyeability is described in “winch / beck”. Beck) method. In the batch winch / Beck method, separate dyed carpets are dipped in a vat containing a bath containing an antifoulant composition and a surfactant. Bath temperature in batch winch / Beck method is slightly higher than in continuous method 70 to 75 degrees Celsius (70 to 75 degrees Celsius)
And the residence time in the bath is about 20 minutes. After being removed from the bath, the carpet should be rinsed in place with cold water, or removed from the hot application bath and then with a spray bar, followed by a vacuum extraction operation to ensure that no residual antifouling agent remains. It is passed on to the usual finishing steps such as performing.

In both the continuous method and the batch method, the antifouling composition is preferably
Anion functionalized type, more preferably sulfone resole type with nonionic functionality.

Preparation of Tiles To prepare carpet tiles treated with an antifouling composition,
It is often preferred to first treat the wide woven carpet with the antifouling composition by one of the methods described above, line the backing, and then cut the wide woven carpet into small pieces of the size required to form the carpet tile. Done.

Antifouling Agents Suitable anion-functionalized antifouling compositions include sulfonated phenol formaldehyde condensate type, maleic anhydride type, acrylic dispersions and mixtures thereof. The anion-functionalized antifouling composition is
It should be present at between 3 weight percent (3 wt%) and 5 weight percent (5 wt%) based on the weight of the nylon carpet fiber. When using anion-functionalized antifouling compositions, the pH of the bath must be adjusted to between 2 and 5.

Examples of commercially available anion-functionalized antifoulant compositions include SR 300, SR 400, SR 500 from Ei DuPont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, DE. Is a trademark of DuPont de Nemours International S. of Geneva, Switzerland. A. To NR
D 334 under the trademark Allied RD from Allied Colloids of West Yorkshire / Bradford, UK under the trademark Alguard RD, Bayer AG, Leverkusen, Germany.
) Under the trade name Baygard DT.

When using sulfone resole-type antifoulants with nonionic functionality, they are 4 weight percent (4 wt%) based on the weight of the nylon carpet fiber.
) To 6 weight percent (6 wt%), and the pH must be adjusted to between 6 and 7.5. An example of a commercially available non-ionic functional sulfone resole-type antifoulant composition is available from EI DuPont de Nemours & Co., Wilmington, Del. Under the trademark Zelan 8236. It is commercially available.

The pH of the treatment bath can be adjusted with well-known acid donor additives such as acetic acid, citric acid, and sulfamic acid.

Surfactant The surfactant can be added separately to the antifouling agent bath or can be included as part of the antifouling agent composition. Surfactants can be anionic, amphoteric, or nonionic in nature. Preferably, the surfactant used is either the alkylated diphenyl oxide disulfonate sodium salt alone or in admixture with the alkylnaphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate sodium salt. The surfactant is usually added to the bath at a rate of between 1 and 4 grams per liter. Suitable surfactants are available from Zelan from E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Del.
The Dow Chemical Company of Midland, Michigan
Chemical Company) under the trademark Dowfax 3B2 from BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany, Primasol N
It is marketed under the F trademark.

Problems of Conventional Methods for Differently Dyeable Fiber Surfaces Applying an Antifoulant Composition to Wide Woven Carpets Containing Differently Dyeable Yarns Using Either Continuous or Batch Processes Unfortunately, if attempted, the cationic dye "bleeds" into the antifouling treatment bath surrounding the cationic dye dyeable yarn, resulting in an unacceptable visible color change.

Low Bath Method The only known system for applying antifouling compositions to carpets of differing dyeability is what is known as the "low bath" method. By using this "low bath" method, carpets with different dyeability can obtain at least a modest degree of stain resistance. In the "low bath" method, a low temperature, foamy bath containing an antifouling composition and a fluorocarbon material is locally co-applied to the carpet. The carpet is then dried without rinsing with steam or water. In the past, commonly used antifouling compositions have been developed by 3M Corporation.
ION) is an acrylic dispersion sold under the trademark "FX-661", while a commonly used fluorocarbon material is 3M Corporation (3M
"FC-3611", "FC-3602", "F"
It is sold under the trademark "C-1395". However, the low bath method is only useful for carpets that have a very low "wet pickup" of the order of 15 to 20 percent (15% to 20%). Wet pickup (wpu
) Is the ratio of the weight of the carpet to the weight of the liquid it draws from the treatment bath. Moreover, in the low bath method, the antifouling composition penetrates only about 25 percent (25%) of the top of the pile elements of the carpet with differential dyeability. This depth of penetration of antifoulant does not appear to be sufficient to provide a high degree of stain resistance.

In view of the above, therefore, an article having a fiber surface containing nylon yarns of different dyeability, such as a wide woven carpet or carpet tile, may be treated while maintaining good hue stability. However, it would be advantageous to provide a way to give it a high degree of stain resistance.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a first aspect, the present invention is directed to a method of continuously treating an article having a fiber surface made of nylon yarns of different dyeability to impart stain resistance thereto. . This method (the "hot shock" method) comprises: (a) dyeing the fiber surface of the article with an acid dye and a cationic dye; and (b) containing an antifouling composition and a surfactant at 70 degrees Celsius. From 95 degrees (7
Passing the fiber surface of the article through a bath at a temperature in the range of 0 ° C. to 95 ° C. such that the fiber surface dwells in the bath for about 5 seconds to about 30 seconds; Removing excess water from the fiber surface of the article; (d) passing the article through an ambient temperature zone; and (e) rinsing the fiber surface of the article with water, followed by suction to dry it. And the step of applying an antifouling composition to substantially the entire fiber surface of the article so that the fiber surface is coated with AATCC (American Institute of Textile Chemists and Color Engineers).
It has a stain resistance of 9 or more at a Red 40 Stain Scale.

[0019] Preferably, excess water is removed by passing the fiber article through a pair of nip rolls,
The amount of wet pickup is between 200% and 600% (200
% -600%). The textile article preferably dwells in the cooling zone for 20 seconds to 120 seconds.

When the article has a pile surface structure with multiple pile elements, substantially the entire height of each pile element is coated with the antifoulant composition,
Thereby, the pile surface structure has a stain resistance of 9 or more at AATCC Red 40 stain degree.

In this method, when the antifouling composition is of the sulfone resole type with nonionic functionality (as preferred), the antifouling composition is 4 percent (based on the weight of the nylon thread). 4%) and 6% (6%) and the pH of the antifoulant bath is between 6 and 7.5. Alternatively, the antifouling composition is a sulfonated phenol formaldehyde condensate type, maleic anhydride type,
When an anion-functionalized type, such as selected from the group consisting of acrylic dispersions and mixtures thereof, the antifouling agent comprises 3 percent (3%) and 5 percent (5% by weight of the nylon yarn. %) And the pH of the antifoulant bath is between 2 and 5.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method of treating an article having a fibrous surface (such as a wide woven carpet or carpet tile) with an antifoulant composition to render it stain resistant (the “infrared” method). ) Concerning. The fiber surface of the article can be brought from either nylon yarns of different dyeability or nylon yarns that can be dyed with acid dyes.

The fiber surface of the article is an acid dye and a cationic dye (when the article is made of nylon thread having different dyeability) or an acid dye (when the article is made of nylon thread that can be dyed with the acid dye). ) To color. The coloring can be achieved either by dyeing or by screen printing or spray printing. After coloring, the method of this embodiment comprises: (a) applying an antifouling composition at a temperature of 20 ° C to 95 ° C (20 ° C to 95 ° C) to the fiber surface of the article; ) Drying the article in a drying zone at a temperature in the range of 75 ° C to 95 ° C (75 ° C to 95 ° C) for a time sufficient to allow the antifouling composition to react with the nylon threads on the fiber surface. And (c) rinsing the fiber surface of the article with water and then drying it, so that substantially the entire fiber surface of the article is coated with the antifoulant composition. As a result, the fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or more at AATCC Red 40 stain degree.

The broad woven carpet, which has a backing on it, can be cut into pieces for forming carpet tiles either before or after coloring it, or after a final drying step.

When the article is in the shape of a carpet tile, the tiles are separated and laid down and transported by a transport belt through the application of the antifoulant. For carpet tiles, the antifouling composition is applied using the flood method with a flood coater. The broad woven carpet can be transported by any suitable transport mechanism and the antifoulant composition can be applied by any suitable applicator.

Preferably, the drying zone of step c) uses infrared energy to dry the textile article. Preferably, the temperature of the drying zone is in the range of 80 ° C to 85 ° C (80 ° C to 85 ° C).

In this method, when the antifouling composition is a sulfone resole type (as preferred) with nonionic functionality, the antifouling composition is 1.5 based on the weight of the nylon yarn. It is present between percent (1.5%) and 6 percent (6%), more preferably between 2 percent (2%) and 3 percent (3%). The pH of the antifoulant bath is between 6 and 7.5. Alternatively, the antifouling composition is
When it is an anion functionalized type such as selected from the group consisting of sulfonated phenol formaldehyde condensate type, maleic anhydride type, acrylic dispersion and mixtures thereof, the antifouling agent will reduce the weight of the nylon yarn. As a reference, it is present between 1 percent (1%) and 5 percent (5%) and the pH of the antifoulant bath is between 2 and 5.

In another aspect, the invention is directed to an article having a fiber surface formed from at least two types of dyeable nylon yarn. At least one nylon yarn is dyeable with an acid dye and at least one other type of nylon yarn is dyeable with a cationic dye. In accordance with the present invention, the fiber surface of the article is coated with the antifoulant composition such that the fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or greater at AATCC Red 40 stain level. In a preferred embodiment, the article is
It has the characteristic that it takes the shape of a pile surface, on which the majority of the pile elements formed from two types of dyeable nylon yarns are upright. Substantially the entire height of each pile element is coated with the antifouling composition.

The dyeable nylon yarn may be a bulked continuous filament yarn or staple spun yarn. The pile elements can be formed such that each pile element comprises both nylon yarns that can be dyed with acid dyes and nylon yarns that can be dyed with cationic dyes. Also, the pile element is formed from a nylon thread in which at least some of the pile element can be dyed with an acid dye,
It can also be formed so that at least other pile elements are formed from nylon yarns that can be dyed with cationic dyes.

The invention will be more fully understood when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this application.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Throughout the following detailed description, like reference numbers in the figures of all drawings refer to like elements.

The present invention is broadly directed to methods of applying an antifouling composition to any article having a woven surface to impart antifouling properties, and the articles made thereby. The surface of the fabric can be a surface formed from at least two types of dyeable nylon yarn. At least one type of nylon yarn can be dyed with an acid dye and at least one other type of nylon yarn can be dyed with a cationic (“cat”) dye. A textile surface that comprises at least two yarns with different dyeability, such as cationic dyeable yarns and acid dyeable yarns, is referred to as "difference in dyeability". Alternatively, the textile surface can be "acid dyeable", ie, a textile surface formed only from nylon yarns that can be dyed using acid dyes.

According to the present invention, the textile surface of the article is coated with an antifouling composition such that the textile surface has a stain resistance of 9 or greater at AATCC Red 40 stain.

The most preferred form of article 10 according to the present invention is illustrated in FIG. In FIG. 1, an article 10 has a woven surface 12 constituted by a carpet 10C defined by a plurality of pile-shaped pile elements 12P. Pile element 12P
Extends over the lining 14. Carpet 10C can be a full wide woven size, or (when lined) can be cut into "carpet tile" configurations. As recognized by those skilled in the art, "carpet tile"
Typically, it is a square piece of carpet, generally having a size of about 50 times 50 centimeters (50 x 50 cm). Of course, the tiles take other shapes,
The size of any desired range can be indicated.

As a result of treating the carpet 10C with any of the embodiments described herein (in the form of broad woven or tiles), the overall height 12H of each pile element 12P is protected against it. Substantially having a coating 16 of the soil composition. Although it is not possible to actually see the coating 16 of the antifouling composition, note in FIG. 1 that for purposes of illustration, the presence of the coating 16 is represented by a relatively thick line on the contour of the pile element 12P. Should be.

Since the woven surface 12 of the carpet 10C illustrated in FIG. 1 is defined by the plurality of fluffy pile elements 12P, the carpet 10C will be referred to as "pile surface structure" hereinafter. This nomenclature serves to distinguish the exemplified pile surface structure from other carpet structure morphologies in which the woven surface is defined by a woven cloth. These alternative carpet construction configurations are also within the contemplation of the present invention. An example of one such alternative carpet construction is WO 97/01.
No. 665 (Vinod).

The pile element 12P defining the textile surface of the pile surface structure 10C is
It can either be a cut pile (illustrated in the right part of FIG. 1) or a loop pile (illustrated in the left part of FIG. 1). Pile element 12
P can be produced by any suitable and well known carpet forming method such as tufting, weaving, or knitting. In the case of pile surface structures with different dyeability, each pile element 12P, although made, may consist entirely of either acid dyeable nylon threads or cat dyeable nylon threads. Alternatively,
Each pile element 12P may include a combination of both acid dyeable nylon threads or cat dyeable nylon threads. The material of nylon is nylon 6
, 6 or nylon 6, or any of their different copolymers. The yarn is either bulky continuous filament yarn or staple spun yarn.

In the case of the acid dyeable pile surface structure, each pile element 12P in the pile surface structure 10C is formed only from nylon yarns that can be dyed with an acid dye.

The base fabric 14 of the pile surface structure 10C can be implemented using any convenient material. A preferred backing construction is a synthetic latex / chalk filler compound.

A first embodiment of the present invention, referred to as the “hot shock” method, in which the pile surface structure 10 C (or the textile surface of the article) is treated with an antifouling composition is now described in the schematic representation of FIG. 2A. , And the corresponding block diagram representation of FIG. 4A. This embodiment of the method of the invention is carried out in a continuous manner, as for batch mode.

After being manufactured using any of the well known carpet forming methods, the undyed pile surface structure 10C is dyed in a dyebath 20 containing both cationic dyes and acid dyes. Each of the cat dyeable nylon yarn and the acid dyeable nylon yarn forming the pile element 12P is dyed with a suitable dye so that both types of yarn can contribute to the visual aesthetics of the pile surface structure 10C.

The process conditions of the dye bath 20 are suitable for the dye chosen for use. Dye bath 2
Some commercially available acid dyes that may be suitable for use in C. 0 are Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Inc. of Basel, Switzerland. Under the trademark Tectilon by DyStar Tex, Leverkusen, Germany
Cla, Basel, Switzerland, under the trademark Telon by tilfarben
riant (Switzerland) Ltd. Under the trademark Nylosan and by Crompton & Knowle in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The acid dyes sold under the trademark Nylanthren by S.S.
Some commercially available cationic dyes that may be suitable for use in the dyebath 20 include Ciba Specialty Chemicals, Inc, Basel, Switzerland.
． Under the trademark Maxilon by DyStar, Leverkusen, Germany
Textilfarben under the trademark Astrazon, Clariant (Switzerland) Ltd. Basel, Switzerland. By the trademark Sa
Crompt under Ndocryl and Charlotte, NC
Includes cationic dyes sold under the trademark Sevron by on & Knowles.

After dyeing, the pile surface structure 10C passes through a cold water rinse step 21 and a water extraction step 22 to remove residual dye and chemicals. Perform the water extraction step using any conventional device for drawing liquid from the carpet. Both steps are similar to the corresponding steps in prior art continuous methods. If dyeing of the pile surface structure occurs at a faster time, pre-wet the pile surface structure (as in rinsing step 21) and extract water (before rinsing with antifoulant).
As in step 22).

After water extraction, the pile surface structure 10C passes through a hot aqueous solution treatment bath 24 containing the antifouling composition and a surfactant. As previously mentioned, an antifoulant composition and surfactant similar to those used in the conventional continuous process is used in treatment bath 24, but at the temperature of treatment bath 24 and the pile surface structure 10C therein. It has been found that bleeding of the cationic dye from the cat dyeable yarn does not occur if the residence time of the is consistent with the teachings of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, the temperature of the heat treatment bath 24 is about 70 to about 95 degrees Celsius (70 to 95 degrees Celsius).
℃) range. More preferably, this temperature is in the range of about 80 to about 90 degrees Celsius (80-90 ° C). The temperature of the heating bath 24 is maintained by direct or indirect heating under automatic control. A suitable system that is useful for coating step 24 is Eduard Kuesters Maschinenfa, Krefeld, Germany.
brik GmbH & Co. Named “Hot Shock Applicator” by KG
It is a system manufactured under the
And a plate heat exchanger with steam supply.

The pile surface structure 10C should remain in the bath 24 for a residence time in the range of about 5 to about 30 seconds, more preferably in the range of about 10 to about 15 seconds.

With respect to the antifouling composition itself, a sulfone resole antifouling composition having nonionic functionality (in a suitable weight percentage and by a suitable pH adjustment) is preferred. Anion-functionalized antifouling compositions (in appropriate weight percentages and by appropriate pH adjustment) can also be used. As discussed above, the pH of the treatment bath can be adjusted with known acid donor additives such as acetic acid, citric acid, sulfamic acid. Again, preferred surfactants include the appropriate amount of alkylated diphenyl oxide disulfonate sodium salt, alone or in combination with alkylnaphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate sodium salt.

When the antifouling composition is of the sulfone resole type with nonionic functionality, the antifouling composition comprises 4 percent (4%) and 6 percent (6%) by weight of the nylon yarn. %) And the pH of the antifoulant bath is between 6 and 7.5.

After leaving the heat treatment bath 24, excess water is removed from the pile surface structure 10C. Therefore, the pile surface structure 10C passes through the pair of nip rolls 26. This roll 26 has a wet pickup of pile surface structure 10C of 200% (
200%) and 600% (600%), preferably about 3
Most preferably, it is set to 00 percent (300%). Nip roll 2 to find the optimum wet pickup for a given carpet construction and method.
The pressure between 6 can be varied. Excess water can be removed using means other than nip rolls.

The pile surface structure 10C then passes through the ambient temperature zone 28, within which the pile surface structure 10C cools to ambient air temperature. The pile surface structure 10C preferably remains in the cooling zone for 20 to 120 seconds, more preferably 20 to 40 seconds. It should be noted that, according to the present invention, the pile surface structure 10C does not undergo a steaming step as in prior art continuous processes.

After being treated in the hot bath 24 and cooled in the air cooling zone, the pile surface structure 10C is subjected to a conventional finishing step, which is commonly used in prior art continuous dipping methods. Such finishing steps would include a suction operation 30, a cold water rinse operation 32, and another suction operation 34. Finally, pile surface structure 10C is dried in oven 36 and assembled by take-up roll 38.

Examples 1-3 Test Methods In the following Examples 1-3, the following test methods were used to test carpet samples made according to the “hot shock” embodiment of the present invention, as well as control samples. Measures for stain resistance, color stability, and dye lightfastness.

Kool-Aid® Soft Drink Stain Resistance Standard Test (Standardized AATCC Test Method 175-1991: Red 40 Stain Rating) This impact tester method involves dropping from table height onto carpet. It simulates a "home accident" caused by a spill.

Colorant The colorant is 90 grams of cherry flavored 1000 cc cherry flavored aqueous Kool-Aid® soft drink solution with sugar. Prior to use, the solution is allowed to reach room temperature (22 ± 2 ° C). An alternative colorant is a solution containing 0.1 gram / liter FD & C Food Red 40 dye, 1 gram / liter citric acid, and 10 gram / liter sugar.

Equipment A specially designed impact tester is used to apply the colorant to the sample to be tested. The impact tester comprises a cylinder (of plastic or glass) with an inner diameter of 6.5 cm and a height of 28 cm. A heavy piston, 9 cm long and weighing 400 grams, is received on the inside of the cylinder. The piston is made of a plastic material (polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)).
A bolt attached to the piston allows the piston to move vertically within the cylinder. The bolt projects into the cylinder through a 4 mm vertical groove. A small (7 mm diameter) hole is provided 2 cm from the bottom of the cylinder to inject the colorant.

Procedure A test sample measures a 10 cm square and is cut from each pile surface structure to be tested. Place the impact tester on the center of each sample, lift the plastic piston and position with the bolt in the groove. Using a syringe, inject 20 cc of colorant through the small hole and onto the sample surface. Open the plastic piston and let it fall freely on the carpet sample. This shock drops from the height of the table [80 cm] 1
Corresponds to the impact of a glass of liquid. The impact tester is removed and the sample is left undisturbed for 24 ± 4 hours in a horizontal position. About 20 degrees Celsius without damaging the pile (
The samples are thoroughly rinsed with tap water at 20 ° C), centrifuged to remove excess water, and dried in a forced air oven at up to 75 ° C (75 ° C).

Each sample is evaluated for soiling using the AATCC Red 40 soiling degree. Depending on the degree of dirt, dirt is graded from 1 to 10 where "1" represents heavy dirt and "10" represents no dirt. Samples rated "9" are considered to have acceptable stain resistance.

Coffee-Stain Standard Test In this test, the colorant is 20 grams / liter (20 g / l) of an instant coffee solution at 60 degrees Celsius (60 ° C.) (eg Necafe® Gold Coffee, Substantially the same as the Kool-Aid® soft drink test, except that it is milk or no additives such as sugar).

Color Measurement “Commission Internationale de
CIELAB L ^* a ^* b ^* using the International Standard Color Measurement Method ("CIE") published by L'Eclairage '(Paris, France) (International Commission on Illumination) ^.
Color measurements were made using standard color coordinates in both the CIELAB L ^* C ^* h color space. “L” represents lightness coordinates, “a” represents red / green coordinates (+ a represents red, −a represents green), and “b” represents yellow / blue coordinates (+ b represents yellow). , -B represents blue), and "C" is the saturation coordinate, the vertical distance from the lightness axis,
Represents (the more distance, the more saturated).

Dye fastness Standardized test method German Industrial Standard (DIN) 54
004 (International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 105B02) measures the light fastness to dyeing. This method is based on a standardized "blue scale" scale from 1 to 8 consisting of 8 different blue wool dyes, which are dyed on a wool fabric and exposed with a test specimen ( (1 is extremely poor, 8 is extremely high light fastness).

Examples 1-3 The pile surface structures in Examples 1 and Controls 1a-1c show three different long fiber yarn types with standard cations, light cations, and dark acid dyeability. It was a loop structure containing. The dark acid dyeable yarn was dyed green. The standard and pale cationic yarns were dyed orange in two color steps.

Control 1a was processed by the conventional batch winch / Beck method. Control 1b was processed by conventional continuous coating method. Control 1c is an untreated control carpet. Example 1 was treated with the method of the present invention. The bath temperature was 85 degrees Celsius (85 ° C.), the residence time of the article in the bath was 10 seconds, and the time in the ambient temperature range was 30 seconds.

In Example 1 and Controls 1a-1b, the antifoulant composition was ZELAN® 8236 (DuPont) and the surfactant was ZELAN® 5
It was 0 (Dupont). The antifouling agent composition uses 5.5% by weight of the pile and p
The H value was adjusted with acetic acid. Control 1a was treated at pH 6.8 and a temperature of 75 ° C. for 20 minutes. Control 1b was treated at pH 6.8 and then steamed. The wet pickup was 400%. Example 1 was treated at pH 6.8 as described above. Control 1c was untreated to compare color stability and dye lightfastness.

After treatment with the antifouling composition, Example 1 and Controls 1a-1b were rinsed,
It was extracted with water and dried. After staining, Example 1 and control standards 1a-1b were each
Color stability and dye lightfastness were tested by the methods described above. The results are reported in Table 1.

As can be seen from Table 1, Example 1 shows the smallest deviation in color saturation (C ^* value). Further, the dyeing light fastness obtained from each application method was also good.

[0066]

[Table 1]

Example 2 and Controls 2a to 2c The pile surface structures in Example 2 and Controls 2a to 2c have standard acidity, deep dark acidity, standard cation and light cation stainability, 4 It was a velor structure containing three different filament types. The pile surface structure was stained gray and orange. The standard acid dyeable yarn was light gray, the extra dark acid dyeable yarn was dark gray, the standard cation dyeable yarn was dark orange, and the light cation dyeable yarn was light orange. Example 2 and Controls 2a-2c were performed exactly as Example 1 and Controls 1a-1c. After dyeing, each carpet sample was tested for stain resistance using both the Kool-Aid® soft drink stain resistance test and the coffee-stain resistance test. The results are reported in Table 2. As a result, there is almost no difference between the samples, and the stain resistance of Example 2 is the best as a whole.

Due to the particularly fine four-component color pattern in this carpet, color measurements could not be performed and the samples were compared only visually.

[0069]

[Table 2]

Example 3 and Controls 3a-3c These examples demonstrate the application of antifouling compositions to cationic dyeable nylon carpets. Example 3 and Controls 3a-3c were performed exactly as in Example 1 and Controls 1a-1c. In Example 3 and Controls 3a-3c, the pile surface structure was 100% cationic dyeable nylon carpet velor structure. The color of the carpet was orange. Each of the samples was tested for color stability and dye lightfastness by the methods described above. The results are reported in Table 3. These results show small deviations in color saturation of hot shock treated carpet samples (compare Controls 3a, 3b, and Example 3 with Control 3c). The results also show the improved dye lightfastness of the hot shock treated carpet sample Example 3, as compared to Examples 3a and 3b.

[0071]

[Table 3]

Discussion of Results Examples 1 and 3 showed the least color deviation measurements compared to untreated control samples. Also, although only visual ratings were valid in Example 2, the samples treated by the method described above showed minimal color change from the control color. In all three examples, application of the antifouling composition using a bath having a temperature and residence time according to the "hot shock" embodiment of the present invention resulted in a minimum in the cationic dyeable yarn. And still an acceptable color change was obtained. This is considered to be the first, industry-applicable method of treating a carpet with different dyeability with nylon with its antifouling agent on its cationic dyeable yarn without unacceptable color loss. To be Good antifouling treatment results were obtained in all cases. The results of dyeing light fastness were one-half (1/2) to one rank better than after performing the standard coating method.

The “hot shock” method, as described above, is advantageous for use in wide woven carpets, but not particularly for use in carpet tiles. Therefore, if the pile surface structure is implemented in the form of either broad woven carpet or carpet tile, an alternative embodiment, referred to as the "infrared" method, can be used.

The “infrared” method of treating a pile surface structure (or textile surface of an article) with an antifouling composition is related to the schematic representation of FIG. 2B and its corresponding block diagram representation of FIG. 4B. It is described as. In the infrared method embodiments of the present invention, the antifouling composition is also applied in a continuous manner, as for batch mode.

In a typical implementation, an undyed pile surface structure 10C is dyed in a color applicator 16A (such as a dyebath) after being manufactured using any of the well known carpet forming methods. The color is fixed in the color fixing device 16B (such as a steamer). When the pile surface structure 10C is formed from yarns of different dyeability, the dyebath contains a mixture of both acid and cationic dyes. The cationic dyeing yarn and the acid dyeing nylon yarn forming the pile element are each dyed with a suitable dye so that both types of yarn can contribute to the visual aesthetics of the pile surface structure.
On the contrary, when the pile surface structure 10C is formed only by the acid dyeable yarn, only the acid dye is put in the dyeing bath, and the acid dyeable nylon yarn forming the pile element is appropriately dyed with the dye.

The process conditions of the dye bath are suitable for the dye chosen for use. Some commercial acid dyes that may be suitable for use in the dyebath include C of Basel, Switzerland.
iba Specialty Chemicals, Inc. By the trademark Tec
DyStar Textilf, Leverkusen, Germany, under tiron
Clarian, Basel, Switzerland, under the trademark Telon by Arben
t (Switchland) Ltd. Under the trademark Nylosan, and by Yorkshire Chemicals of Leeds, United Kingdom under the trademark Nylan.
Includes acid dyes sold under thren. Some commercial cationic dyes that may be suitable for use in the dyebath include Ciba, Basel, Switzerland.
Specialty Chemicals, Inc. By the trademark Maxilon
Dystar Textilfarben, Leverkusen, Germany
Under the trademark Astrazon by Clariant (Basel, Switzerland
Switzerland) Ltd. Under the trademark Sandocryl, and under the trademark Sevro by Yorkshire Chemicals, Leeds, England.
n includes the cationic dyes sold. It should also be appreciated that the dyes suitable for pile surface structure 10C can also be applied using either screen printing or spray printing techniques.

When the pile surface structure 10C is left in the form of wide weave after dyeing, the pile surface structure 1
0C is transported through the antifoulant application process using a suitable guide device typically used in the art. However, it should be understood that it is within the contemplation of the present invention that the wide woven carpet (assuming it is lined) is cut into tiles prior to entering the antifouling application process. For this reason, a device for carpet backing attachment and cutting is shown schematically in dashed line paths in FIG. 2B. It is also within the contemplation of the present invention to cut the wide weave (with lining) into tile form prior to dyeing. When the pile surface structure 10C is cut into tiles (either before or after dyeing), the tiles are advanced through an antifoulant application process using any commercially available conveyor belt conveyor.

The dyed pile surface structure 10C (in the form of broad woven or carpet tile) is passed through a cold water rinse step 21 and a water extraction step 22 to remove residual dye and chemicals. The water extraction step can be performed using any conventional device for drawing liquid from the carpet. Both of these steps are similar to the corresponding steps in prior art continuous methods.

If dyeing of the pile surface structure occurs at a faster time, pre-wet the pile surface structure (as in rinsing step 21) and extract water (in step 22) before using the antifoulant. like).

After suction, the pile surface structure passes through the applicator 24 ', where the antifouling composition (
If used, apply with surfactant). According to this embodiment of the invention,
The temperature of the antifoulant composition is in the range of about 20 to about 95 degrees Celsius (20 to 95 ° C).
More preferably, this temperature is in the range of about 20 to about 25 degrees Celsius (20-25 ° C).

Due to the pile surface structure in the form of carpet tiles that are laid apart on the conveyor belt, a suitable system useful in the coating step 24 'is Eduard Kuesters Maschinenfabri, Krefeld, Germany.
k GmbH & Co. Flood applicators such as those manufactured by KG ("Kuesters"). "Flood applicator" means that the operating line of a dyed carpet tile passes through a "gutter" containing an antifouling composition. The calculated amount of antifoulant composition is applied continuously on the carpet by the "waterfall / weir" principle.

A pile surface structure in the form of a wide woven carpet held by a guiding device is manufactured by a dip bath (having a nip roll at the transport end), flood applicator, foam applicator, Kuesters and sold as “Flexnip”. Device manufactured by Kuesters, or "Fluidyer"
The antifouling composition can be applied by any suitable application device, such as the device sold as ".

The speed of the transport mechanism controls the time that the pile surface structure is in the bath. For wide woven carpets, with transport speeds in the range of 8 to 15 meters per minute,
Sufficient to hold the broad woven carpet in the bath for a suitable amount of time. For carpet tiles, transport rates in the range of 2 to 5 meters per minute are sufficient to keep each tile in the bath for a suitable amount of time.

As for the antifouling composition itself, the sulfone resole antifouling composition having nonionic functionality (in appropriate weight percentage and by appropriate pH adjustment) is preferred. Anion-functionalized antifouling compositions (in appropriate weight percentages and by appropriate pH adjustment) can also be used. As discussed above, the pH of the treatment bath can be adjusted with known acid donor additives such as acetic acid, citric acid, sulfamic acid. Again, preferred surfactants include the appropriate amount of alkylated diphenyl oxide disulfonate sodium salt, alone or in combination with alkylnaphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate sodium salt.

When the antifouling composition is of the sulfone resole type with nonionic functionality, the antifouling composition is 1.5 percent (1.5%) by weight of the nylon yarn.
And 6 percent (6%), the pH of the antifoulant bath is between 6 and 7.5.

After exiting the applicator 24 ', the pile surface structure (either broad weave or tile) passes through the drying zone 28'. Conveniently the drying zone 28 'is confined to the heating device. The temperature in the drying zone may range from 75 degrees Celsius to 95 degrees Celsius (75-9 degrees Celsius).
5 ° C). The temperature in the drying zone is 80 to 85 degrees Celsius (80 to 8 degrees Celsius).
More preferably, it is in the range of 5 ° C.

In the drying zone 28 ', the antifouling composition is reacted with the nylon thread on the fabric surface. The fiber structure becomes very open and allows the antifouling composition to react with the fiber because the pile surface structure is at the temperature of the drying zone [ie, 75 ° C to 95 ° C (75-95 ° C). And more preferably in the range of 80 to 85 degrees Celsius (80 to 85 ° C.)]. The pile surface structure should remain in this temperature environment for a time sufficient to allow the antifouling composition to penetrate into the nylon threads on the textile surface and react with the nylon threads without bleeding the dye from the fibers. The time required for the pile surface structure to reach this temperature depends on the temperature of the antifoulant composition bath and the speed of the pile surface structure through the process. For typical antifoulant temperatures and transport rates, this residence time is in the range of about 5 to about 20 seconds, and more preferably in the range of about 10 to about 15 seconds.

In a preferred example, infrared energy is used to raise the carpet temperature in the drying zone. Suitable for use as a heating device to limit the drying zone is Babcock Textilmaschin, Seevetal, Germany.
en GmbH, Brueckner Tracken, Leonberg, Germany
technik GmbH and Co. , KG, or Fleissner GmbH and Co. of Egersbach, Germany. An infrared oven such as the device manufactured by

It should be noted that the pile surface structure according to the invention does not undergo a steaming step which would result in bleeding of the cationic dye from the cat dyeable yarn, as in the conventional continuous process.

After being treated in the coater 24 'and dried in the dryer 28', the pile surface structure is subjected to a conventional finishing step usually used in continuous processes. Such finishing steps would include a cold water rinse operation 32, and a suction operation 34. A suction operation could be performed before the cold water rinse. Finally, the pile surface structure 10C is dried in a drying oven 36 and properly assembled by a winding roll (for wide woven carpet) or a collecting bin (for carpet tile). The winding roll and the collecting bin are shown in FIG. 2B.
Not shown inside.

If desired, after final drying in oven 36, the wide woven carpet can be lined and then cut into tiles of the desired size.

Examples 4-5 Test Method Examples 4 and 5 In the following, the same test method used in connection with Examples 1 to 3 was used to test the “infrared radiation” of the present invention. The carpet samples made according to the embodiments according to the invention and the comparative samples were measured for stain resistance, color stability and dye lightfastness.

Examples 4a-4c Examples 4a-4c were carried out to demonstrate the invention on printed carpet tiles.

In all Examples 4a-4c, the antifoulant was ZELAN® 8236.
And the surfactant was ZELAN® 50. The amount of ZELAN® 8236 was 5.0% of the pile weight and the wet pickup was 400%. The pH value was adjusted to 6.3 with citric acid. The antifouling agent composition was applied by the flood method at a temperature of 76 degrees Celsius (76 ° C.). The tile was cured in an infrared heater at 80 degrees Celsius (80 ° C.) for 10 seconds. In all Examples 4a-c, the residual water content after printing was 40 percent (40%). Example 4a was 100 percent (100%) printed before being treated with the antifouling composition.
Example 4b was 40 percent (40%) printed and Example 4c was a non-printed control carpet. After treatment, tile sample pieces 4a-4c were rinsed, extracted and dried.

After dyeing, each of the tile specimens was subjected to a standard test method for antifouling performance (Ko
ol-Aid auxiliaries test: cold water rinse. Coffee test: after cleaning). The results are reported in Table 4.

As can be seen from this table, the results of the antifouling agents of Examples 4a, 4b and 4c were excellent.

[0097]

[Table 4]

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS In all three cases, application of the antifouling composition using a flood applicator and an infrared oven according to the present invention resulted in excellent antifouling results in all cases. Was obtained.

Examples 5a-5d Examples 5a-5d were carried out to demonstrate the invention on nylon carpet tiles with different dyeability. The carpets in Examples 5a-5d were loop structures containing three different long fiber yarn types with dark acidity, standard cation, and light cation dyeability. The carpet was blue (acid dyeable yarn) and orange (cationic dyeable yarn). Example 5a
Was processed by the conventional winch / Beck method. Example 5b was processed by conventional continuous coating. Example 5c was processed by the infrared method of the present invention. Example 5d was an untreated control carpet.

In all Examples 5a-5c, ZELAN® 82 was used as an antifouling agent.
36 (DuPont), ZELAN (registered trademark) 50 (DuPont) as a surfactant
It was used. In Examples 5a and 5b, ZELAN® 8236.
Is 5.5% of the carpet pile weight, and in Example 5c, ZEL
The amount of AN®8236 was 3.0%. The pH value was adjusted with acetic acid. Example 5a was treated for 20 minutes at pH 6.8 and a temperature of 75 degrees Celsius (75 ° C). Example 5b was treated at pH 6.8 and then steamed. The wet pickup was 450%. Example 5c was treated at pH 6.8 as described above. Example 5d was untreated to compare antifoulant performance, color stability and dye lightfastness.

After the treatment, the carpet sample pieces 5a-5c were rinsed, extracted with water and dried.

After drying, each of the carpet specimens was subjected to Kool- by the test method described above.
Aid aid stain, color stability and dye lightfastness were tested. The results are reported in Table 5.

[0103]

[Table 5]

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS As can be seen in this table (compare Examples 5a, 5b with 5c and 5a, 5b, 5c with 5d), the carpet sample 5c treated by the infrared method was more Although using a small amount of antifouling agent, it shows similar excellent antifouling results. These results (compare Examples 5a, 5b, 5c with 5d) also show the smallest deviation in color saturation of the carpet test piece 5c. Also,
As can be seen by comparing Examples 5a, 5b, 5c with 5d, the dye lightfastness in all application methods is good.

[Brief description of drawings]

[Figure 1]   FIG. 3 is a side view of a pile surface structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a schematic diagram illustrating each step of a method of treating an article having a fiber surface with an antifouling agent according to the present invention, and a diagram of a “hot shock” method (FIG. 2A) which is an embodiment of the present invention. , Extending along the upper side of the drawing sheet, is another embodiment of the present invention.
The view of the “infrared” method (FIG. 2B) extends along the underside of the drawing sheet.

FIG. 2B is a schematic representation of each step of a method of treating an article having a fiber surface with an antifoulant according to the present invention, a diagram of a “hot shock” method (FIG. 2A) being one embodiment of the present invention. , Extending along the upper side of the drawing sheet, is another embodiment of the present invention.
The view of the “infrared” method (FIG. 2B) extends along the underside of the drawing sheet.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a conventional method of applying an antifouling composition to a fiber surface made of a yarn having no difference in dyeability.

FIG. 4A is a schematic diagram representing each step of a method of treating an article having a fiber surface with an antifoulant according to the present invention, wherein the steps of the “hot shock” method (FIG. 4A) according to one embodiment of the present invention are , Extending along the left-hand side of the drawing sheet, another embodiment of the invention, the "infrared" method step (FIG. 4B), extending along the right-hand side of the drawing sheet.

FIG. 4B is a schematic representation of each step of a method of treating an article having a fiber surface with an antifoulant according to the present invention, wherein the steps of the “hot shock” method (FIG. 4A), which is an embodiment of the present invention, are: , Extending along the left-hand side of the drawing sheet, another embodiment of the invention, the "infrared" method step (FIG. 4B), extends along the right-hand side of the drawing sheet.

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification code FI theme code (reference) D06M 13/192 D06M 13/192 15/263 15/263 D06N 7/04 D06N 7/04 D06P 3/00 D06P 3/00 M 3/24 3/24 AC 5/04 5/04 5/08 DBG 5/08 DBGZ // D06M 101: 34 D06M 101: 34 (81) Designated country OA (BF, BJ, CF, CG) , CI, CM, GA, GN, GW, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG), AP (GH, GM, KE, LS, MW, MZ, SD, SL, SZ, TZ, UG, ZW) ), EA (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, MD, RU, TJ, TM), AL, AM, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BR, BY, CA, CH, CN , CU, CZ, DE , DK, EE, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IS, JP, KE, KG, KP, KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR, LS, LT, LU, LV, MD, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, NO, NZ, PL, PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK, SL, TJ, TM, TR , TT, UA, UG, US, UZ, VN, YU, ZW (72) Inventor Ranel Heinz Germany Dee-76684 Estlingen Richard-Wagner-Strasse 11 (72) Inventor Klaus Stark Germany Dee-76684 Estlingen Johann- Strauss-Strasse 14 F term (reference) 3B120 AA15 AB03 EB04 4F055 AA13 BA11 CA18 DA14 DA20 EA05 GA03 4H057 AA01 BA02 BA03 CA25 CB08 CB10 CB16 CC03 DA01 DA22 GA08 4L033 AA08 AB05 AC03 AC04 AC15 BA18 CA18 CA18 18 CA34 4L036 MA06 MA35 MA37 MA40 PA21 PA31 PA33 UA12 UA16

Claims (38)

[Claims] 1. A method of treating an article having a fiber surface, the fiber surface of which is formed from at least two types of dyeable nylon yarns, with an antifouling composition, comprising at least one type of nylon yarn. Can be dyed with an acid dye, at least one other type of nylon yarn can be dyed with a cationic dye, and (a) dyeing the fiber surface of the article with an acid dye and a cationic dye; b) 70 to 95 degrees Celsius (7 degrees Celsius) containing the antifouling composition and the surfactant.
Passing the fiber surface of the article through a bath at a temperature of 0 ° C. to 95 ° C., so that the fiber surface dwells in the bath for about 5 seconds to about 30 seconds; Removing excess water from the fiber surface; (d) passing the article through an ambient temperature zone; (e) rinsing the fiber surface of the article with water, followed by suction to dry it. Continuously, so that substantially the entire fiber surface of the article is coated with the antifouling composition, whereby the fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or more at AATCC Red 40 stain level. A method characterized by. 2. A method of treating an article having a fiber surface, the fiber surface of which is formed from at least two types of dyeable nylon yarns, with an antifouling composition, the nylon yarn of at least one type. Can be dyed with an acid dye, at least one other type of nylon yarn can be dyed with a cationic dye, and (a) coloring the fiber surface of the article with the acid dye and the cationic dye; b) An antifouling composition, which has a temperature of 20 ° C to 95 ° C (20 ° C to 95 ° C)
A) applying the antifouling composition to the fiber surface of the article in a drying zone at a temperature in the range of 75 ° C to 95 ° C (75 ° C to 95 ° C). And (d) rinsing the fiber surface of the article with water and then drying it, wherein the antifouling composition is dried for a time sufficient to react with the nylon threads on the fiber surface. In a continuous manner, such that substantially the entire fiber surface of the article is coated with the antifouling composition, whereby the fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or greater at an AATCC Red 40 stain level. How to characterize. 3. The article is a carpet tile, and step (b).
In which the antifouling composition is applied using the flood method so that substantially the entire fiber surface of the carpet tile is coated with the antifouling composition, whereby the fiber surface of the carpet tile is AATCC Red. Four
The method according to claim 2, which has a stain resistance of 0 or more at a degree of 0 stain. 4. A method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that infrared energy is used to dry the textile article in the drying zone of step c). 5. The temperature of the drying zone is from 80 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Celsius).
The method according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the temperature is in the range of ~ 85 ° C. 6. The article is conveyed on a conveyor, and the flood method is used on the conveyor to apply the antifouling composition to the fiber surface of the article. The method described in. 7. Prior to step a), further comprising cutting the textile article into tiles of a predetermined size, and in step (b) the antifouling composition using a flood method. Characterized in that it is applied so that substantially the entire fiber surface of each tile is coated with an antifouling composition, whereby said fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or more at an AATCC Red 40 stain level. The method according to claim 2, wherein 8. After step a) and before step b), the method further comprises the step of cutting the textile article into tiles of a predetermined size, and in step (b) the antifouling composition. Is applied using a flood method so that substantially the entire fiber surface of each tile is coated with the antifouling composition, whereby the fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or more at an AATCC Red 40 stain level. The method of claim 2, comprising: 9. After step d), the method further comprises the step of cutting the fiber article into tiles of a predetermined size, such that substantially the entire fiber surface of each tile is coated with the antifoulant composition. The method of claim 2, wherein the fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or greater at AATCC Red 40 stain degree. 10. The textile article has a pile surface structure having a number of pile elements thereon, the pile elements being formed from nylon yarns of the first and second types. The entire height of each pile element is coated with an antifouling agent composition, whereby the fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or more at an AATCC Red 40 stain level. The method according to 2 or 3. 11. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the antifouling composition is of anion functionalized type. 12. The antifouling composition is selected from the group consisting of sulfonated phenol-formaldehyde condensate type, maleic anhydride type, acrylic dispersion and mixtures thereof, and the antifouling agent is the nylon yarn. 12. The pH of the antifoulant bath is between 2 and 5, based on the weight of 3% (3%) and 5% (5%). Method. 13. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the antifouling composition is of the sulfone resole type having nonionic functionality. 14. The antifouling composition is present between 1.5 percent (1.5%) and 6 percent (6%), based on the weight of the nylon yarn, and the antifouling bath. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pH of the is between 6 and 7.5. 15. The antifouling composition is present between 4 percent (4%) and 6 percent (6%) based on the weight of the nylon yarn, and the pH of the antifouling agent bath is 6%. And between 7.5 and 7.5. 16. A method according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the two types of dyeable nylon yarns are bulked continuous filament yarns. 17. The method of claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the two types of dyeable nylon yarns are staple spun yarns. 18. The method of claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the pile element is formed from both an acid dyeable nylon thread and a cationic dyeable nylon thread. 19. The pile element is formed of at least a part of a nylon thread that can be dyed with an acid dye, and at least the other pile element is formed of a nylon thread that can be dyed with a cationic dye. The method according to claim 10, wherein 20. The antifouling composition is present at between 2 percent (2%) and 3 percent (3%) based on the weight of the nylon yarn. the method of. 21. An article made by the method of claim 2. 22. An article made by the method of claim 3. 23. A method of treating each fiber surface of a number of tiles with an antifouling composition, wherein the fiber surface of each tile is formed from a nylon thread that can be colored with an acid dye. The fiber surface of the tile is colored using an acid dye, and the step (a) is a step of applying the antifouling composition to the fiber surface of the tile, wherein the application of the antifouling composition is a flood method. And the antifouling composition is at a temperature of 20 to 95 degrees Celsius (20 to 95 degrees Celsius), and (b) the tile is 75 to 95 degrees Celsius (75 degrees Celsius). C.-95.degree. C.) in a drying zone at a temperature in the range of (100.degree. C. to 95.degree. C.), for a time sufficient to allow the antifouling composition to react with the nylon threads on the fiber surface of the tile; Rinse the surface with water and then it And the result is that substantially the entire fiber surface of each tile is coated with the antifoulant composition such that the fiber surface has an AATCC Red 40 stain resistance of 9 or more. A method comprising: 24. The method of claim 23, wherein infrared energy is used to dry the tile in the drying zone of step d). 25. The temperature of the drying zone is 80 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius (80 degrees Celsius).
The method according to claim 23, characterized in that it is in the range of (° C to 85 ° C). 26. The method of claim 23, wherein the tile is conveyed on a conveyor and the flood method is used on the conveyor to apply the antifouling composition to the fiber surface of the tile. The method described in. 27. An article of manufacture characterized by the method of claim 23. 28. A method of treating the fiber surface of an article with an antifouling composition, comprising:
The fiber surface is formed from a nylon thread that can be colored with an acid dye, the fiber surface of the article is colored using an acid dye, and (a) is an antifouling composition comprising 20 degrees Celsius. To 95 degrees (20 to 95 degrees Celsius
A) applying the antifouling composition to the fiber surface of the article in a drying zone at a temperature in the range of 75 degrees Celsius to 95 degrees Celsius (75 ° C to 95 ° C). And (c) rinsing the fiber surface of the article with water and then drying it, wherein the antifouling composition is dried for a time sufficient to react with the nylon threads on the fiber surface. Characterized in that substantially the entire fiber surface of the article is coated with the antifouling composition, whereby the fiber surface has a stain resistance of 9 or more at AATCC Red 40 stain level. Method. 29. An article of manufacture, characterized by the method according to claim 28. 30. An article having a fibrous surface formed from at least two types of dyeable nylon yarns, wherein at least one type of nylon yarn is dyeable with an acid dye and at least one other type of nylon. The yarn can be dyed with a cationic dye, and the surface of the fiber of the article is coated with an antifouling composition so that the surface has a stain resistance of 9 or more at AATCC Red 40 stain level. An article characterized by the above. 31. The article has a pile surface structure, the fiber surface is formed from a number of pile elements, the pile elements comprising dyeable nylon yarns of the first type and the second type. And the fiber surface of the article is coated with the antifouling composition substantially over the entire height of each pile element so that the fiber surface of the article has a stain resistance of 9 or more at AATCC Red 40 stain level. 31. The article according to claim 30, which is characterized in that 32. The article of claim 30, wherein the antifoulant composition is of the anion functionalized type. 33. The antifouling composition is selected from the group consisting of a sulfonated phenol formaldehyde condensate type, a maleic anhydride type, an acrylic dispersion and mixtures thereof. Item 32. 34. The article according to claim 30, wherein the antifouling composition is of the sulfone resole type having nonionic functionality. 35. The article of claim 30, wherein the two types of dyeable nylon yarns are bulked continuous filament yarns. 36. The article of claim 30, wherein the two types of dyeable nylon yarns are staple spun yarns. 37. The article of claim 31, wherein at least a portion of the pile elements are formed from both nylon yarns that can be dyed with acid dyes and nylon yarns that can be dyed with cationic dyes. 38. At least a part of the pile element is formed from a nylon thread that can be dyed with an acid dye, and at least the other pile element is formed from a nylon thread that can be dyed with a cationic dye. 32. The article according to claim 31.