Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
  • C08J9/00—Working-up of macromolecular substances to porous or cellular articles or materials; After-treatment thereof
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C44/00—Shaping by internal pressure generated in the material, e.g. swelling or foaming ; Producing porous or cellular expanded plastics articles
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08J—WORKING-UP; GENERAL PROCESSES OF COMPOUNDING; AFTER-TREATMENT NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C08B, C08C, C08F, C08G or C08H
  • C08J2301/00—Characterised by the use of cellulose, modified cellulose or cellulose derivatives
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T428/00—Stock material or miscellaneous articles
  • Y10T428/29—Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
  • Y10T428/2904—Staple length fiber
  • Y10T428/2907—Staple length fiber with coating or impregnation

Definitions

• This invention relates to regenerated cellulose sponge structures having improved surface properties.
• a regenerated cellulose sponge cloth can be formed by spreading into a sheet a doughy plastic viscous mass of viscose containing Glaubers salt, reinforcing fibers and colorants which is subsequently coagulated and cellulose regenerated from the viscose. It is also known to form sponge yarn by extruding a viscose- Glaubers salt mixture onto the surface of a yarn followed by coagulation and regeneration of cellulose from the viscose.
• the viscose solution is prepared by xanthating alkali cellulose, i.e., reacting cellulose with potassium or sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide and allowing the solution to age to a critical index point, after which reinforcing fibers, colorants and Glaubers salt crystals are kneaded into the solution to form a uniform consistency. This mixture is then spread into sheet form or extruded onto a yarn. It is also possible to form the sheet by pressing the viscose composition between two plate to the desired thickness, usually about twice the ultimately desired thickness of the finished product. After the viscose-fiber-salt mixture is formed into a sheet or yarn coating, it is heated in an aqueous alkaline or acid medium to coagulate the viscose.
• the sponge structures produced as described above have a skin surface on each side which is more dense than the interior of the sponge.
• the skin surface on such a sponge is slick and clammy when wetted with water and does not readily slide over a surface to be cleaned or from which water is to be removed by absorption.
• the dense skin surface also tends to reduce the suppleness and draping qualities of the sponge and gives the product a harsh hand.
• I first produce a pasty mass by mixing together a viscose solution, staple fibers 3,%8,545 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 and crystals of Glaubers salt which is also known as sodium sulfate decahydrate.
• the crystals are relatively small, i.e., 7080% of which will pass a 20 mesh screen and be held on a 30 mesh screen.
• the viscose solution contains 5-10% cellulose and is prepared by dissolving cellulose in aqueous sodium hydroxide and carbon disulfide.
• the salt crystals are incorporated in the viscose solution to form between 50 and by weight of the total sponge forming mixture.
• the fibers are preferably vegetable fibers, such as, e.g., flax, cotton, jute or hemp and represent between 0.1% and 5.0% of the total sponge forming mixture.
• the sponge-forming mixture after being stirred and kneaded to uniform consistency is formed into a flat sheet or coated on each side of an open type fabric having interstices which allows the sponge forming mixture to permeate the fabric and form a coating on each side which is joined in the interstices.
• the wet thickness of the sheet material formed from the foam forming mixture is about /8 to thick.
• the sheet thus formed is immersed into an aqueous acid solution of Glaubers salt at about 40% concentration which is maintained at or near its boiling point to coagulate the viscose and regenerate the cellulose.
• the viscosefiber-salt mixture is extruded around a cotton yarn and then immersed in the boiling aqueous acid Glaubers salt solution to coagulate the viscose, regenerate the viscose, and dissolve out a portion of the Giaubers salt from the sponge structure.
• the manufacture of the sponge coated yarn reference is made to US. Patent 2,409,660.
• the Glaubers salt in the sponge forming mixture is melted and partially dissolved from the sponge forming composition to form cellulose sponge structure.
• the cellulose sponge is purified by washing in water and dried. In the case of the sponge cloth,
• the dried product has a thickness of approximately .05"-
• each side of the sponge coated fabric has a skin surface which is more dense than the interior of the sponge.
• the dried product has an approximate diameter of ds- A1 and a skin surface.
• Each side of the dried sponge cloth prepare-cl as described above is next passed over and around abrasive covered rolls (No. sandpaper) to remove the outer dense portion of the sponge and tease or pull the ends of a substantial portion of the reinforcing staple fibers from the sponge body.
• abrasive covered rolls No. sandpaper
• the unnapped skin side of the sponge cloth has properties similar to a chamois skin.
• a sponge cloth having an unnapped and skin surface on one side and a mapped and skin-free surface on the other side combines the properties of a chamois and cleaning fabric.
• a plurality of the continuous strands are passed between abrasive (No. 120 sandpaper) covered relatively soft rubber rolls under slight pressure and rotating in a direction counter to the movement of the yarn which tend to flatten the sponge yarn, abrade the skin surface and raise a fibrous nap on both sides of the flattened yarn.
• abrasive No. 120 sandpaper
• a Curtin-Hebert Company, Gloversville, New York, Lightning Shaving and Buffing Machine which is also referred to as a drum sueder, is particularly useful for removing the skin and napping the surface of the sponge yarn and sponge cloth of this invention.
• the Curtin- Hebert Company drum sueder comprises a sand paper (No. 40 to No. 400 grit surface) covered cylinder 41" in circumference, which operates at 300 rpm. with an oscillation (along the axis) motion of A1 at 120 cycles per minute.
• a soft rubber covered feed roll of approximately 20 in circumference presses the sponge products against the sandpaper covered cylinder.
• an idling roll runs as a nip roll on the soft rubber covered roll in front of the nip formed by the soft rubber covered roll and the sandpaper covered cylinder.
• one side of the spongle cloth or flattened sponge yarn is napped, then the other. It is also possible to nap both sides in one pass through the napper or sueder by threading the work through the machine so each side comes in contact with the sandpaper covered cylinder.
• the type of abrasive used for the sandpaper is not critical. 1': can be silicon carbide, alumina, silica, garnet, flint or emery.
• useful products can be made by incorporating other staple fibers into the sponge forming mixture, such as, e.g., those made from nylon, polyacrylonitrile, polyethylene, polyethyleneterephthalate, polyvinylidene chloride, etc.
• the preferred length of the staple fibers is about .25 to 1.5 inches; however, shorter or longer staple fibers can be used.
• the denier of the synthetic staple fibers can vary over a wide range, about .5 to 3.0 denier per filament being preferred. It is also possible to use cut yarns in place of staple fibers.
• useful products can also be made in accordance with this invention by eliminating the open weave fabric from the sponge cloth.
• the types of fabrics which may be used in making the products of this invention include leno cloths, scrims and nets made from natural or synthetic fibers.
• sponge coated yarns it is within the scope of this invention to employ any type of yarns such as those madefrom natural and synthetic fibers.
• a synthetic yarn such as e.g., one made from continuous multiple or monofilaments.
• the napped sponge surface when wet has greatly reduced resistance to sliding over a surface to be cleaned or wiped, i.e., it has reduced drag.
• the napped surface on the sponge products greatly facilitates the removal of excess water by a hand squeezing action.
• the sponge cloth products of this invention are particularly suited for use as cleaning cloths for the washing of dishes, woodwork, table tops, kitchen sinks, automobiles, glass windows, or any other surface.
• the sponge coated yarns are useful as floor mops to be used in connection with aqueous cleaning solutions. They are highly absorbent and can absorb more than their own weight of water which makes them particularly suited for removing excess Water from various surfaces, such as encountered in general cleaning operations. When only slightly damp with water, the sponge cloths of this invention will find use as a household dust removing cloth.
• the sponge products of this invention can be readily cleaned by rinsing in water or Washing in mechanical Washing machines. They can be sterilized by boiling in water.
• a regenerated cellulose sponge structure having reinforcing staple fibers distributed throughout, the ends of at least a portion of said fibers extending outside the sponge structure.
• a regenerated cellulose sponge structure which comprises dispersing reinforcing staple fibers and Glaubers salt crystals in a viscose solution, shaping the composition, regenerating cellulose from the viscose, removing said salt crystals from said structure and drying said structure, whereby a skin of regenerated cellulose is formed on said structure, the improvement which comprises mechanically abarading said skin from said structure and simutlaneously teasing the ends of a substantial portion of said fibers from the regenerated cellulose.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Cleaning Implements For Floors, Carpets, Furniture, Walls, And The Like (AREA)
• Manufacture Of Porous Articles, And Recovery And Treatment Of Waste Products (AREA)
• Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

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Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (7)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (18)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1960
  • 1960-03-03 US US12497A patent/US3068545A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1961
  • 1961-01-25 DE DEP26455A patent/DE1193237B/de active Pending
  • 1961-01-31 GB GB3618/61A patent/GB909944A/en not_active Expired
  • 1961-03-02 FR FR854387A patent/FR1284190A/fr not_active Expired
  • 1961-03-02 BE BE600823A patent/BE600823A/fr unknown

Patent Citations (18)

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