Classifications

• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
  • D06P5/00—Other features in dyeing or printing textiles, or dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form
  • D06P5/13—Fugitive dyeing or stripping dyes
  • D06P5/132—Fugitive dyeing or stripping dyes with oxidants
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06L—DRY-CLEANING, WASHING OR BLEACHING FIBRES, FILAMENTS, THREADS, YARNS, FABRICS, FEATHERS OR MADE-UP FIBROUS GOODS; BLEACHING LEATHER OR FURS
  • D06L4/00—Bleaching fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods; Bleaching leather or furs
  • D06L4/10—Bleaching fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods; Bleaching leather or furs using agents which develop oxygen
  • D06L4/13—Bleaching fibres, filaments, threads, yarns, fabrics, feathers or made-up fibrous goods; Bleaching leather or furs using agents which develop oxygen using inorganic agents
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
  • D06P1/00—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed
  • D06P1/44—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed using insoluble pigments or auxiliary substances, e.g. binders
  • D06P1/52—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed using insoluble pigments or auxiliary substances, e.g. binders using compositions containing synthetic macromolecular substances
  • D06P1/5207—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
  • D06P1/5214—Polymers of unsaturated compounds containing no COOH groups or functional derivatives thereof
  • D06P1/5242—Polymers of unsaturated N-containing compounds
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
  • D06P1/00—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed
  • D06P1/44—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed using insoluble pigments or auxiliary substances, e.g. binders
  • D06P1/52—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed using insoluble pigments or auxiliary substances, e.g. binders using compositions containing synthetic macromolecular substances
  • D06P1/5207—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
  • D06P1/525—Polymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids or functional derivatives thereof
• • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
  • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • D06P—DYEING OR PRINTING TEXTILES; DYEING LEATHER, FURS OR SOLID MACROMOLECULAR SUBSTANCES IN ANY FORM
  • D06P1/00—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed
  • D06P1/44—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed using insoluble pigments or auxiliary substances, e.g. binders
  • D06P1/52—General processes of dyeing or printing textiles, or general processes of dyeing leather, furs, or solid macromolecular substances in any form, classified according to the dyes, pigments, or auxiliary substances employed using insoluble pigments or auxiliary substances, e.g. binders using compositions containing synthetic macromolecular substances
  • D06P1/5207—Macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions involving only carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
  • D06P1/525—Polymers of unsaturated carboxylic acids or functional derivatives thereof
  • D06P1/5257—(Meth)acrylic acid

Definitions

• polymeric fibers such as carpet fibers
• colorants may include dyes, pigments, inks, colored contaminants or recycling byproducts, and the like, which may be bound or embedded or otherwise difficult to remove from such post-consumer fibers. It is desirable to process polymeric fibers to remove undesired colorants prior to further uses of the fibers, such as recycled feedstocks for remanufactured carpeting.
• the present application appreciates that removing colorants from post-consumer fibers may be a challenging endeavor.
• a single-phase aqueous solution for at least partly decolorizing post-consumer fiber may include water; a stable peroxygen composition; and a surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition may include at least one of: a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether and a water-soluble polymer.
• the water-soluble polymer may include repeat units corresponding to monomers of one or more of: acrylic acid, maleic acid, vinylpyrrolidone, and vinylimidazole.
• a process mixture may include a post-consumer fiber.
• the post-consumer fiber may include a colorant.
• the process mixture may include a single-phase aqueous solution in contact with the post-consumer fiber.
• the single-phase aqueous solution may include water; a stable peroxygen composition; and a surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition may include at least one of: a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether and a water-soluble polymer.
• the water-soluble polymer may include repeat units corresponding to monomers of one or more of: acrylic acid, maleic acid, vinylpyrrolidone, and vinylimidazole.
• a method for at least partly decolorizing post-consumer fiber using a single-phase aqueous solution may include providing the single phase aqueous solution.
• the single-phase aqueous solution may include water; a stable peroxygen composition; and a surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition may include at least one of: a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether and a water-soluble polymer.
• the water-soluble polymer may include repeat units corresponding to monomers of one or more of: acrylic acid, maleic acid, vinylpyrrolidone, and vinylimidazole.
• the method may include providing the post-consumer fiber.
• the post-consumer fiber may include one or more colorants.
• the method may include contacting the single phase aqueous solution and the post-consumer fiber to form a process mixture under conditions effective to provide a decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber.
• a kit for decolorizing post-consumer fiber may include a stable peroxygen composition.
• the kit may include a surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition may include at least one of: a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether; and a water-soluble polymer.
• the water-soluble polymer may include repeat units corresponding to monomers of one or more of acrylic acid, maleic acid, vinylpyrrolidone, and vinylimidazole.
• the kit may include instructions.
• the instructions may direct a user to provide the stable peroxygen composition and the surfactant composition as a single-phase aqueous solution.
• the instructions may direct a user to contact the single phase aqueous solution and to a post-consumer fiber comprising a colorant to form a process mixture under conditions effective to provide a decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber.
• a decolorized post-consumer fiber is provided.
• the present application relates to compositions, process mixtures, methods, and kits for decolorizing post-consumer fibers, e.g., fibers derived from a carpet, a rug, an upholstery, a vehicle interior, a drapery material, an article of clothing, and the like.
• decolorizing post-consumer fibers e.g., fibers derived from a carpet, a rug, an upholstery, a vehicle interior, a drapery material, an article of clothing, and the like.
• a single-phase aqueous solution for at least partly decolorizing post-consumer fiber may include water; a stable peroxygen composition, and a surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition may include at least one of: a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether and a water-soluble polymer.
• the water-soluble polymer may include repeat units corresponding to monomers of one or more of acrylic acid, maleic acid, vinylpyrrolidone, and vinylimidazole.
• the stable peroxygen composition may include an alkali metal salt of one or more of: peroxide, percarbonate, persulfate, or perborate.
• the alkali metal may include a cation of, for example, lithium, sodium, potassium, and the like.
• the stable peroxygen composition may include sodium percarbonate.
• the stable peroxygen composition may be present in an amount effective to provide a peroxide concentration in millimoles per liter (mM) of about one of: 10, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 191, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or 1000.
• the stable peroxygen composition may include sodium percarbonate in a weight percent concentration (w/w) with respect to the water of about one of: 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.1%, 1.2%, 1.3%, 1.4%, 1.5%, 1.75%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 4.5%, or 5%, e.g., 1%, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., 0.05%-5%, 0.1%-5%, and the like.
• the surfactant composition may include the polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether.
• the single-phase aqueous solution may include the polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether in a weight percent concentration (w/w) with respect to the water of about one of: 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.1%, 0.11%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.17%, 0.18%, 0.19%, 0.2%, 0.25%, 0.3%, 0.35, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4, 4.5%, or 5%, e.g., 0.1%, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., 0.01%-5%, and the like.
• the polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether may be characterized by an average number of ethylene oxide repeat units of one of about: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, or 25, e.g., 10 or 12, or a range between any two of the preceding values. e.g., 7-25, 8-14, and the like.
• the alkyl group of the polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether may be a C 4 -C 16 , branched or unbranched alkyl group, e.g., butyl, pentyl, hexyl, heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, 1, 1, 3, 3, tetramethyl butyl, and the like.
• the polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether may be represented by the following formula, wherein n is an average number of repeat units from about 9 to about 14:
• the polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether may include, for example, one or more of: octoxynol-9, octoxynol-10, octoxynol-1, and octoxynol-12.
• the single-phase aqueous solution may include, for example, an amount of polyethylene oxide in a weight percentage compared to the polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether of one of about: 0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20%, e.g., about 3%, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., about 0.1%-5%, and the like.
• polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether may include, for example, TRITONTM X-102 (Dow Chemical, Midland, Mich.), LUTENSOL®, OP10 (BASF Corporation, Florham Park, N.J.), and the like.
• the surfactant composition may include the water-soluble polymer.
• the single-phase aqueous may include the water-soluble polymer in a weight percent concentration (w/w) with respect to the water of about one of: 0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, 0.04%, 0.05%, 0.06%, 0.07%, 0.08%, 0.09%, 0.1%, 0.11%, 0.12%, 0.13%, 0.14%, 0.15%, 0.16%, 0.17%, 0.18%, 0.19%, 0.2%, 0.25%, 0.3%, 0.35, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 4.5%, or 5%, e.g., 0.1%, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., 0.01%-5%, 0.01%-1%, and the like.
• the water-soluble polymer may include one or more of a homopolymer of acrylic acid and a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid.
• the water-soluble polymer may include one or more of: vinylpyrrolidone and vinylimidazole.
• Suitable commercial examples of the water-soluble polymer may include, for example, the SOKALAN® series of polymers (BTC Europe GMBH, Monheim am Rhein, Germany), for example, SOKALAN®; PA series (water-soluble homopolymers of acrylic acid).
• SOKALAN® CP series e.g., CP5 (water-soluble copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid).
• SOKALAN® HP series e.g., HP 66K (water-soluble homo- and copolymers of vinylpyrrolidone, vinylimidazole and nonionic monomers), and the like.
• the single phase aqueous solution may further include a chelating agent.
• the chelating agent may be in a weight percent concentration (w/w) with respect to the water of about one of: 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.1%, 1.2%, 1.3%, 1.4%, 1.5%, 1.75%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 4.5%, or 5%, e.g., 1%, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., 0.05%-5%, and the like.
• the chelating agent may be polydentate.
• the chelating agent may include an aminopolycarboxylic acid or an alkali metal salt thereof.
• the chelating agent may include a disodium salt of ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid.
• Commercial examples of the chelating agent may include, for example, TRILON® NA (BASF Corporation, Florham Park, N.J.), and the like.
• the single-phase aqueous solution may include the water in a weight percent concentration (w/w) of the single-phase aqueous solution of at least about one or more of: 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.1%, 99.2%, 99.3%, 99.4%, and 99.5%, e.g., 95%, and the like.
• the single phase aqueous solution may be characterized by a pH of about one or more of 9, 9.5, 10, 10.5, 11, 11.5, and 12, or a range between any two of the preceding values, for example, between about 9 and about 12, between about 9.5 and about 11, and the like.
• the pH may be measured using any conventional means, such as pH paper, a pH meter (e.g., a Cole-Parmer handheld pH meter (Cole-Parmer, Vernon Hills, Ill.)), and the like.
• the pH may be adjusted by the addition of an acid, a base, or a buffer.
• the pH may be adjusted by adding an amount of an alkali metal hydroxide, such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, e.g., to provide a hydroxide concentration in millimoles per liter (mM) of about one of: 10, 20, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 191, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, or 1000, e.g., about 191 mM, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., between about 10-1000 mM, 20-500 mM, 50-400 mM, and the like.
• an alkali metal hydroxide such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide
• the pH may be adjusted by adding an amount of the alkali metal hydroxide, e.g., sodium hydroxide, in a weight percent concentration (w/w) with respect to the water of about one of: 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.3%, 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, 1%, 1.1%, 1.2%, 1.3%, 1.4%, 1.5%, 1.75%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, 3.5%, 4%, 4.5%, or 5%, e.g., 1%, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., 0.05%-5%, 0.1%-5%, and the like.
• an amount of the alkali metal hydroxide e.g., sodium hydroxide
• the single-phase aqueous solution may consist essentially of, or may consist of, the stable peroxygen composition; the surfactant composition; and the water.
• the single-phase aqueous solution may consist essentially of, or may consist of, the stable peroxygen composition; the surfactant composition; the chelating agent, and the water.
• a process mixture may include a post-consumer fiber.
• the post-consumer fiber may include a colorant.
• the process mixture may include a single-phase aqueous solution in contact with the post-consumer fiber.
• the single-phase aqueous solution may include water; a stable peroxygen composition, and a surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition may include at least one of: a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether and a water-soluble polymer.
• the water-soluble polymer may include repeat units corresponding to monomers of one or more of: acrylic acid, maleic acid, vinylpyrrolidone, and vinylimidazole.
• the colorant may include one or more of: a dye; a pigment; and a contaminant.
• the post-consumer fiber may include one or more of: wool; cotton; acrylic; cellulose; sisal; jute; hemp; bamboo; an acrylic, a nylon; polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate; an olefin; blends thereof; copolymers thereof: recycled fibers thereof; and the like, e.g., nylon 6, nylon 6,6, and the like.
• the post-consumer fiber may be characterized by an arrangement of fibers in the form of one or more of: a woven textile, a nonwoven textile, a tufted pile, a looped pile, a patterned pile, a frieze pile, a textured pile, a multi-level pile, a cut or tip-sheared pile, a cut and loop pile, a random cut pile, a Saxony pile, a plush pile, a shag pile, a needle felt, a nonwoven portion of fiber; and the like.
• the post-consumer fiber may include fibers in the form of one or more of: staple fiber and bulk continuous filament.
• the post-consumer fiber may be derived from a carpet pile.
• the post-consumer fiber may be a mass of nonwoven, at least partly unwound carpet pile fibers, for example, as recycled from carpet scraps or shredded carpet.
• the post-consumer fiber may be from a carpet e.g., including the post-consumer fiber in the form of a face yarn, e.g., carpet pile.
• the post-consumer fiber may be in any other form, e.g.: a rug; an upholstery; a vehicle interior, e.g., an auto headliner; a drapery material; an article of clothing; a containment material, e.g. a luggage textile or a tent textile; and the like.
• the post-consumer fiber may be in the form of a plurality of pieces.
• the plurality of pieces of the post-consumer fiber may be derived by one or more of shredding and cutting the post-consumer fiber.
• the post-consumer fiber, prior to shredding or cutting may be in the form of one or more of: a tile, a roll, a remnant, a sample, an installation scrap, a deinstallation scrap reclaimed from an installed covering such as carpet removed from a building, a manufacturing scrap, and the like.
• the post-consumer fiber may include fibers of one or more of: wool; cotton; cellulose, such as wood fibers, sisal, jute, hemp, bamboo, synthetic cellulose (rayon), and the like; acrylics, e.g., polyacrylonitrile, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and the like; nylon, e.g., nylon 6, nylon 6,6, and the like; polyester, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PFT, triexta (e.g., SORONA®, DuPont, Wilmington, Del.), and the like; olefin, e.g., polypropylene (PP); and the like.
• wool wool
• cotton such as wood fibers, sisal, jute, hemp, bamboo, synthetic cellulose (rayon), and the like
• acrylics e.g., polyacrylonitrile, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and the like
• nylon e.g.,
• the post-consumer fiber may include fibers of one or more of: polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, nylon-6, nylon-6,6, and the like.
• the post-consumer fiber may also include blends, e.g., composites or mixtures of such fibers, such as an olefin/nylon blend, a wool/nylon blend, and the like.
• the post-consumer fiber may also include copolymers comprising any of the recited fiber polymers, e.g., modacrylic copolymers comprising polyacrylonitrile.
• Fibers in the post-consumer fiber may be derived from previously recycled materials, such as PET from recycled beverage containers, recycled carpet pile, and the like. Fibers in the post-consumer fiber may be in the form of staple fiber or bulk continuous filament.
• the post-consumer fiber may be characterized by an arrangement of fibers in the form of one or more of: a woven textile, a nonwoven textile, a tufted pile, a looped pile, a patterned pile, a frieze pile, a textured pile, a multi-level pile, a cut or tip-sheared pile, a cut and loop pile, a random cut pile, a Saxony pile, a plush pile, a shag pile, a needle felt, and the like.
• the process mixture may include a decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber.
• the process mixture may include the water in a weight ratio to the post-consumer fiber of one or more of about: 6:1, 12:1, 18:1, 24:1, 30:1, 36:1, 42:1, or 48:1. e.g., 12:1, or a range between any two of the preceding ratios, e.g., 6:1 to 48:1, and the like.
• the process mixture may include the single phase aqueous solution according to any embodiment of the single phase aqueous solution described herein.
• a method for at least partly decolorizing post-consumer fiber using a single-phase aqueous solution may include providing the single phase aqueous solution.
• the single-phase aqueous solution may include water; a stable peroxygen composition; and a surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition may include at least one of: a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether and a water-soluble polymer.
• the water-soluble polymer may include repeat units corresponding to monomers of one or more of: acrylic acid, maleic acid, vinylpyrrolidone, and vinylimidazole.
• the method may include providing the post-consumer fiber.
• the post-consumer fiber may include one or more colorants.
• the method may include contacting the single phase aqueous solution and the post-consumer fiber to form a process mixture under conditions effective to provide a decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber.
• the conditions effective to provide the decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber comprising heating the process mixture at a temperature of about one or more of: 50° C. to 100° C.; 60° C. to 100° C.; 60° C. to 95° C.; 60° C. to 90° C.; 60° C. to 85° C.; 65° C. to 85° C.; 80° C. to 85° C.; 82° C. and the like.
• the conditions effective to provide the decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber may include one or more of agitating and stirring.
• the conditions effective to provide the decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber may include stirring at a speed in rotations per minute of one or more of 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750, or 2000, e.g., 1000 RPM, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., 250-2000 RPM, and the like.
• the conditions effective to provide the decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber may include heating and agitating for a time in hours of one or more of about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 30, 36, 42, or 48, e.g., 6 hours, or a range between any two of the preceding values, e.g., 1-48 hours, 6-12 hours, and the like.
• the method may further include determining an initial colorant level of the post-consumer fiber; and determining a decolorized level of the colorant in the post-consumer fiber.
• the determining may be conducted using, for example, UV, visible, or infrared spectroscopy, for example, using standard solutions or samples for calibration as known to the art.
• the colorant level may be analyzed with a colorimeter (e.g., a handheld WR-series colorimeter, Shenzhen Wave Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzen, China) to determine L/a/b values or L/C/H values.
• a colorimeter e.g., a handheld WR-series colorimeter, Shenzhen Wave Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzen, China
• the initial colorant level of the post-consumer fiber may be characterized, e.g., by an initial lightness L initial value and the decolorized level of the colorant in the post-consumer fiber being characterized by a decolorized lightness L decolorized value.
• L decolorized may be greater than L initial by a value of at least about one of: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40.
• L decolorized may be greater than L initial by a percentage at least about one of: 102.5%, 105%, 107.5%, 110%, 112.5%, 115%, 117.5%, 120%, 125%, 130%, 135%, 140%, 145%, or 150%. See the exemplary measurements in the table in Example 5.
• the method may further include one or more of separating and recovering the decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber from the process mixture.
• the method may further include one or more of separating and recovering at least a portion of the single phase aqueous solution from the process mixture.
• the method may further include one or more of separating and recovering at least a portion of the colorant from the process mixture.
• the method may be conducted by one or more of batch operation and continuous operation.
• the method may include using the single phase aqueous solution according to any embodiment of the single phase aqueous solution described herein.
• the method may include preparing the single phase aqueous solution according to any embodiment of the single phase aqueous solution described herein.
• the method may include using the process mixture according to any embodiment of the process mixture described herein.
• the method may include preparing the process mixture according to any embodiment of the process mixture described herein.
• a kit for decolorizing post-consumer fiber may include a stable peroxygen composition.
• the kit may include a surfactant composition.
• the surfactant composition may include at least one of: a polyethylene glycol alkylphenol ether; and a water-soluble polymer.
• the water-soluble polymer may include repeat units corresponding to monomers of one or more of acrylic acid, maleic acid, vinylpyrrolidone, and vinylimidazole.
• the kit may include instructions.
• the instructions may direct a user to provide the stable peroxygen composition and the surfactant composition as a single-phase aqueous solution.
• the instructions may direct a user to contact the single phase aqueous solution and to a post-consumer fiber comprising a colorant to form a process mixture under conditions effective to provide a decolorized portion of the post-consumer fiber.
• the kit may include the stable peroxygen composition or the surfactant composition as a neat composition.
• the kit may include a mixture of the stable peroxygen composition and the surfactant composition together with water in the form of an aqueous concentrate.
• the kit may include the single phase aqueous solution according to any embodiment of the single phase aqueous solution described herein.
• the instructions may include directing the user to prepare the single phase aqueous solution according to any embodiment of the single phase aqueous solution described herein.
• the instructions may include directing the user to prepare the process mixture according to any embodiment of the process mixture described herein.
• the instructions may direct the user to conduct any aspect of the method of decolorizing post-consumer fiber as described herein.
• a decolorized post-consumer fiber is provided.
• the decolorized post-consumer fiber may be produced according to any aspect of the method of decolorizing post-consumer fiber as described herein.
• the decolorized post-consumer fiber of claim 52 comprising fibers of one or more of: wool; cotton; acrylic; cellulose; sisal; jute; hemp; bamboo; an acrylic, a nylon, e.g., nylon 6, nylon 6,6, and the like; polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate; an olefin; blends thereof: copolymers thereof; recycled fibers thereof; staple fiber thereof; and bulk continuous filament thereof.
• the resulting process mixture was heated to about 82° C. and stirred at about 1000 RPM for 12 h.
• the post-consumer fiber initially a dark tan in color, was decolorized to a light beige.
• the decolorized PET and PP carpet fibers were removed from the process mixture by filtration.
• the pH was measured to be about 11 using a Cole-Parmer handheld pH meter (Cole-Parmer, Vernon Hills, Ill.).
• the resulting process mixture was heated to about 82° C. and stirred at about 1000 RPM for 12 h.
• the decolorized post-consumer nylon 6.6 carpet fibers were removed from the process mixture by filtration.
• the post-consumer fiber initially a dark tan in color, was decolorized to a light beige. The extent of decolorization is characterized in Example 5.
• the resulting process mixture was heated to about 82° C. and stirred at about 1000 RPM for 12 h.
• the decolorized post-consumer nylon 6,6 carpet fibers were removed from the process mixture by filtration.
• the extent of decolorization is characterized in Example 5.
• the decolorized post-consumer nylon 6,6 carpet fibers were removed from the process mixture by filtration.
• the post-consumer fiber initially a dark tan in color, was decolorized to a light beige.
• the extent of decolorization is characterized in Example 5.
• the pH was measured to be about 11 using a Cole-Parmer handheld pH meter (Cole-Parmer, Vernon Hills, Ill.).
• the resulting process mixture was heated to about 82° C. and stirred at about 1000 RPM for 12 h.
• the decolorized post-consumer nylon 6.6 carpet fibers were removed from the process mixture by filtration.
• a colorimetric analysis was performed for the raw material (the nonwoven, colorized post-consumer fiber from recycled carpet scrap, including nylon 6,6 fibers), as well as the decolorized nylon carpet fibers obtained from Examples 1-4 (rinsed with water and dried).
• the samples analyzed with a handheld WR-series colorimeter (Shenzhen Wave Optoelectronics Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzen, China) to determine L/a/b values.
• Table 1 shows the colorimeter results for the raw material and the decolorized nylon carpet fibers obtained from Examples 1-4.
• the term “about” in conjunction with a number is intended to include ⁇ 10% of the number. In other words, “about 10” may mean from 9 to 11.
• the terms “optional” and “optionally” mean that the subsequently described circumstance may or may not occur, so that the description includes instances where the circumstance occurs and instances where it does not.
• substituted refers to an organic group as defined below (e.g., an alkyl group) in which one or more bonds to a hydrogen atom contained therein may be replaced by a bond to non-hydrogen or non-carbon atoms.
• Substituted groups also include groups in which one or more bonds to a carbon(s) or hydrogen(s) atom may be replaced by one or more bonds, including double or triple bonds, to a heteroatom.
• a substituted group may be substituted with one or more substituents, unless otherwise specified. In some embodiments, a substituted group may be substituted with 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 substituents.
• substituent groups include: halogens (i.e., F, Cl, Br, and I); hydroxyls; alkoxy, alkenoxy, aryloxy, aralkyloxy, heterocyclyloxy, and heterocyclylalkoxy groups; carbonyls (oxo); carboxyls; esters; urethanes; oximes; hydroxylamines; alkoxyamines; aralkoxyamines; thiols; sulfides; sulfoxides; sulfones; sulfonyls; sulfonamides; amines; N-oxides; hydrazines; hydrazides; hydrazones; azides; amides; ureas; amidines; guanidines; enamines; imides; isocyanates; isothiocyanates; cyanates; thiocyanates; imines; nitro groups; or nitriles (i.e., i
• a “per”-substituted compound or group is a compound or group having all or substantially all substitutable positions substituted with the indicated substituent.
• 1,6-diiodo perfluoro hexane indicates a compound of formula C 6 F 12 I 2 , where all the substitutable hydrogens have been replaced with fluorine atoms.
• Substituted ring groups such as substituted cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl and heteroaryl groups also include rings and ring systems in which a bond to a hydrogen atom may be replaced with a bond to a carbon atom.
• Substituted cycloalkyl, aryl, heterocyclyl and heteroaryl groups may also be substituted with substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, and alkynyl groups as defined below.
• Alkyl groups include straight chain and branched chain alkyl groups having from 1 to 12 carbon atoms, and typically from 1 to 10 carbons or, in some examples, from 1 to 8, 1 to 6, or 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
• straight chain alkyl groups include groups such as methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, n-butyl, n-pentyl, n-hexyl, n-heptyl, and n-octyl groups.
• branched alkyl groups include, but are not limited to, isopropyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, neopentyl, isopentyl, and 2,2-dimethylpropyl groups.
• Representative substituted alkyl groups may be substituted one or more times with substituents such as those listed above and include, without limitation, haloalkyl (e.g., trifluoromethyl), hydroxyalkyl, thioalkyl, aminoalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, dialkylaminoalkyl, alkoxyalkyl, or carboxyalkyl.
• Cycloalkyl groups include mono-, bi- or tricyclic alkyl groups having from 3 to 12 carbon atoms in the ring(s), or, in some embodiments, 3 to 10, 3 to 8, or 3 to 4, 5, or 6 carbon atoms.
• Exemplary monocyclic cycloalkyl groups include, but are not limited to, cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl, and cyclooctyl groups.
• the cycloalkyl group has 3 to 8 ring members, whereas in other embodiments, the number of ring carbon atoms ranges from 3 to 5, 3 to 6, or 3 to 7.
• Bi- and tricyclic ring systems include both bridged cycloalkyl groups and fused rings, such as, but not limited to, bicyclo[2.1.1]hexane, adamantyl, or decalinyl.
• Substituted cycloalkyl groups may be substituted one or more times with non-hydrogen and non-carbon groups as defined above.
• substituted cycloalkyl groups also include rings that may be substituted with straight or branched chain alkyl groups as defined above.
• Representative substituted cycloalkyl groups may be mono-substituted or substituted more than once, such as, but not limited to, 2,2-, 2,3-, 2,4-2,5- or 2,6-disubstituted cyclohexyl groups, which may be substituted with substituents such as those listed above.
• Aryl groups may be cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that do not contain heteroatoms.
• Aryl groups herein include monocyclic, bicyclic and tricyclic ring systems.
• Aryl groups include, but are not limited to, phenyl, azulenyl, heptalenyl, biphenyl, fluorenyl, phenanthrenyl, anthracenyl, indenyl, indanyl, pentalenyl, and naphthyl groups.
• aryl groups contain 6-14 carbons, and in others from 6 to 12 or even 6-10 carbon atoms in the ring portions of the groups.
• the aryl groups may be phenyl or naphthyl.
• aryl groups may include groups containing fused rings, such as fused aromatic-aliphatic ring systems (e.g., indanyl or tetrahydronaphthyl), “aryl groups” does not include aryl groups that have other groups, such as alkyl or halo groups, bonded to one of the ring members. Rather, groups such as tolyl may be referred to as substituted aryl groups. Representative substituted aryl groups may be mono-substituted or substituted more than once. For example, monosubstituted aryl groups include, but are not limited to, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, or 6-substituted phenyl or naphthyl, which may be substituted with substituents such as those above.
• Aralkyl groups may be alkyl groups as defined above in which a hydrogen or carbon bond of an alkyl group may be replaced with a bond to an aryl group as defined above.
• aralkyl groups contain 7 to 16 carbon atoms, 7 to 14 carbon atoms, or 7 to 10 carbon atoms.
• Substituted aralkyl groups may be substituted at the alkyl, the aryl or both the alkyl and aryl portions of the group.
• Representative aralkyl groups include but are not limited to benzyl and phenethyl groups and fused (cycloalkylaryl)alkyl groups such as 4-indanylethyl. Substituted aralkyls may be substituted one or more times with substituents as listed above.
• Groups described herein having two or more points of attachment may be designated by use of the suffix, “ene.”
• divalent alkyl groups may be alkylene groups
• divalent aryl groups may be arylene groups
• divalent heteroaryl groups may be heteroarylene groups, and so forth.
• certain polymers may be described by use of the suffix “ene” in conjunction with a term describing the polymer repeat unit.
• Alkoxy groups may be hydroxyl groups (—OH) in which the bond to the hydrogen atom may be replaced by a bond to a carbon atom of a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group as defined above.
• linear alkoxy groups include, but are not limited to, methoxy, ethoxy, propoxy, butoxy, pentoxy, or hexoxy.
• branched alkoxy groups include, but are not limited to, isopropoxy, sec-butoxy, tert-butoxy, isopentoxy, or isohexoxy.
• cycloalkoxy groups include, but are not limited to, cyclopropyloxy, cyclobutyloxy, cyclopentyloxy, or cyclohexyloxy.
• Representative substituted alkoxy groups may be substituted one or more times with substituents such as those listed above.

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