JP2006016708A - Fibrous structure treating method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a fibrous structure treating method in which the fibrous structure is treated with atmospheric pressure plasma that develops high modification effect. <P>SOLUTION: After it is allowed to contain moisture, the fiber structure is treated with the plasma atmosphere at the normal pressure. The water content is preferably 5 to 150 wt.% based on the fiber weight. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a function-imparting processing method in which a fiber structure is surface-treated with plasma to impart excellent water absorption, antifouling properties and adhesion.

  Synthetic fibers are widely used for clothing or industry due to their excellent physical properties. However, since the activity of the fiber surface is low, it has the essential drawback of poor water absorption and antifouling properties. Therefore, various modifications have been made to improve these drawbacks. As a modification method, generally, a method of adhering a compound that exhibits a required function to the fiber surface is widely adopted. There is a problem with washing durability. As a method for modifying the fiber surface without using a compound, a method is known in which a functional group is generated on the fiber surface by treatment in a plasma discharge atmosphere (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Such discharge processing includes low-pressure plasma processing for generating plasma under reduced pressure and atmospheric pressure plasma processing for generating plasma near atmospheric pressure. The former has a high fiber surface modification effect, but requires a decompression container and a decompression device, and therefore has a problem that a large amount of equipment costs are required. The latter is advantageous in terms of cost because it does not require a decompression vessel or the like, but has a problem that the surface modification ability is lower than the former. In recent years, development for obtaining an effect similar to that of a reduced-pressure atmosphere in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere has been studied focusing on the apparatus (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 to 4), but has not yet reached the reforming effect of low-pressure plasma treatment. is the current situation.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-9314 (page 2) Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-119994 (page 2) JP-A-6-182195 (2nd page) JP 2001-316976 A (page 2)

  In view of the prior art, the present invention provides an atmospheric pressure plasma treatment method for a fiber structure, which has a high modification effect.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention employs the following means. That is, the method for treating a fiber structure according to the present invention is characterized in that moisture is contained in the fiber surface and the treatment is performed in an atmospheric pressure plasma atmosphere.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the fiber structure which has high water absorption, antifouling property, and adhesiveness can be supplied stably and at low cost. The fiber structure having the functionality of the present invention can be suitably used not only for general clothing but also for industrial materials.

  The present invention, as a result of earnestly examining the above-mentioned problem, that is, the treatment for improving the surface modification effect by the atmospheric pressure plasma treatment, by adopting a technique of treating the fiber surface with water and then treating with the atmospheric pressure plasma, It has been clarified that such problems can be solved all at once.

  In the present invention, the fiber constituting the fiber structure is a synthetic fiber such as polyester fiber, polyamide fiber, polyacrylonitrile fiber, polyethylene fiber, polypropylene fiber, polyvinyl chloride fiber, or polyvinyl alcohol fiber. These are semi-synthetic fibers such as fibers, acetate, rayon and the like, and natural fibers such as cotton, wool, hemp and silk, and these can be used alone or in combination. Among these, it is effective for synthetic fibers, and particularly effective for polyester fibers and polyamide fibers. Such fibers may be long fibers or short fibers, and these may be used in combination.

  As the fiber structure in the present invention, a knitted fabric, a woven fabric, a non-woven fabric, a rope, a string, or the like made of the fiber can be used.

  In the present invention, the fiber surface contains water, and the water content is preferably 5 to 150 wt%, more preferably 10 to 100 wt%, more preferably the fiber weight, that is, the dry weight of the fiber structure. 30 to 80 wt%. By making the water content within these ranges, a greater reforming effect can be obtained. In addition, water content says the value measured with the measuring method mentioned later.

  In the present invention, the moisture treatment method for the fiber structure is not particularly limited. For example, after the fiber structure is immersed in water at 10 to 60 ° C., the mangle is adjusted so that the target moisture content is obtained. A method of squeezing with a dehydrator, a method of dehydrating with a dehydrator, a method of spraying water on one side or both sides of a fabric with a spray, and the like can be employed.

  The water used in the present invention is not particularly limited, but tap water, ground water, industrial water, distilled water, or the like can be used.

  The treatment in the atmospheric pressure plasma atmosphere of the present invention means a plasma discharge treatment generated by applying a high voltage under a pressure of 700 to 800 Torr, and such a high voltage application power source may be an alternating current or a direct current. However, in terms of discharge stability, alternating current is preferable, and the discharge frequency is preferably 60 Hz to 1000 KHz, more preferably 5 to 100 KHz. The gas used in the discharge atmosphere in the present invention is preferably a non-polymerizable gas such as argon, helium, oxygen, nitrogen, air, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, water vapor, ammonia, perfluoromethane, and these are used alone or in combination. It can be used as a mixture of seeds or more. Of these, the use of air is preferable in terms of processing costs. In the present invention, a polymerizable gas such as ethylene, octafluorocyclobutane, carbon hexafluoride, or the like may be mixed in the discharge gas atmosphere as long as the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

As the discharge treatment apparatus in the present invention, a known discharge treatment apparatus can be used, but it is preferable to install opposed electrodes. As the shape of the electrode, for example, a flat plate shape, a rod shape, a wire shape, a roll shape, a knife edge shape, or the like can be used, and these may be used in combination. Such an electrode is preferably coated with a dielectric material from the viewpoint of uniformity of discharge, and the dielectric material may be coated with ceramics, or may be coated with a film made of glass, silicon rubber, or fluorine resin. The distance between the discharge electrodes is usually 0.1 to 5 cm, and a uniform discharge can be formed when used within the range of preferably 0.2 to 0.4 cm. Moreover, it is preferable to cool both electrodes with water etc. as needed. The discharge power of the present invention is preferably in the range of 0.2 to 25 w / cm ² as a value obtained by dividing the discharge applied power by the area of the discharge electrode. Tend to 0.2 w / cm ² less than the time to process too much, tends to becomes unstable discharge and exceeds 25 / cm ^2, the object to be treated by heat or damage. The processing time is set in the range of several seconds to several minutes according to the target effect. In the present invention, it is effective to perform the plasma discharge treatment directly in the atmospheric pressure plasma atmosphere. However, it is preferable that the plasma discharge treatment is a remote plasma treatment or an after glow treatment in which the treatment is performed downstream of the discharge portion without directly exposing the discharge portion. it can.

  In the present invention, it is preferable to heat-treat the fiber structure at a temperature of 80 to 180 ° C. after the treatment with atmospheric pressure plasma.

  The present invention can efficiently produce functional groups on the fiber surface by interposing water on the fiber surface, and produce a fiber structure having high water absorption, antifouling properties, and adhesiveness. Can do.

  Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples.

  Various performances in the examples were evaluated by the following methods.

<Water content>
The weight immediately after treating the fiber structure with a pin tenter at 170 ° C. for 1 minute was taken as the reference weight in the dry state, and the water content was calculated by obtaining the weight increase by the water treatment.

<Water absorption>
It measured by JIS L 1096 (drop method).

<Anti-fouling property>
150 ml of the contaminated liquid specified in JIS L 0821 and 10 stainless steel balls with a diameter of 6.4 mm are put in a 450 cc test bottle attached to a round meter type laundry tester, preheated to 40 ± 2 ° C., and then a sample (white: 5 cm × 10 cm), attached to a testing machine and rotated at 40 ± 2 ° C. for 20 minutes, then the sample was taken out, washed with water and air-dried. The degree of contamination of the soiled fabric was determined by the gray scale for dyeing fastness test specified in JIS L 0805, and the degree of contamination resistance during washing was determined.

<Washing resistance>
A weak alkaline synthetic detergent specified in JIS K 337 is dissolved in an automatic inversion swirl electric washing machine to a concentration of 0.2%, and the bath ratio is 1:50 at a temperature of 40 ± 2 ° C. under strong conditions. The process of washing for 10 minutes and then draining and rinsing with water for 5 minutes was repeated 10 times, and then air-dried.

  After washing, water absorption and antifouling properties were measured in the same manner as described above to make it wash-resistant.

<Adhesiveness>
A 30 μm polyurethane resin film was adhered to the fiber structure with a solvent-based adhesive composed of polyurethane-based adhesive / isocyanate / catalyst, and the peel strength (N / 2 cm width) was measured by the method prescribed in JIS K 6328.

Examples 1-12, Comparative Examples 1-3
After weaving a plain fabric using 84 dtex, 72 filament false twisted yarn made of polyethylene terephthalate for warp and weft yarns, in a bath containing nonionic surfactant and soda ash at a temperature of 95 ° C. by a conventional method Scouring continuously, washing with hot water, washing with water, then drying at a temperature of 130 ° C., and setting with a pin tenter at a temperature of 180 ° C. to obtain a warp / width of 145/91 / 2.54 cm. Table 1 shows the results of treating the fabric by the following method and evaluating the performance.

[Water treatment]
Using tap water, the water content was changed by the soaking / mangle squeezing method and spraying on both sides of the fabric.

[Atmospheric pressure plasma treatment]
Air or nitrogen was used as the atmospheric gas.

Two 15 cm × 15 cm stainless steel plates sintered on the surface with a thickness of 1 mm are set at an interval of 1.5 mm, and applied power (W / cm ²⁾ using a power supply with a frequency of 8 KHz on one electrode. ) And changed for 7 seconds. The treated product was placed on the other electrode.

  From Table 1, it can be seen that the product according to the present invention has excellent water absorption, antifouling properties and adhesiveness.

Claims (4)

A method for treating a fiber structure, comprising treating the fiber structure with water and then treating it in an atmospheric pressure plasma atmosphere. The method for treating a fiber structure according to claim 1, wherein the moisture content after the moisture treatment of the fiber structure is 5 to 150 wt% with respect to the fiber weight. The method for treating a fiber structure according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fiber structure is made of a synthetic fiber. The method for treating a fiber structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the gas for generating plasma is air.