WO2001025514A1

WO2001025514A1 - Fibre and fabrics with magnetic material

Info

Publication number: WO2001025514A1
Application number: PCT/KR2000/001108
Authority: WO
Inventors: Won Bae Kim; Yun Sung Kim; Gun Jik Lee; Yong Jin Chun
Original assignee: Insung Powdertech Co., Ltd.
Priority date: 1999-10-04
Filing date: 2000-10-04
Publication date: 2001-04-12
Also published as: KR20010050841A; AU7965200A

Abstract

Disclosed are magnetic material - containing synthetic fiber and cloth. The synthetic fiber contains 0.3-10 % by weight of the magnetic materials having a mean particle size of 0.5 νm or less with a maximum particle size of 2.0 νm while 90%of the particles are smaller than 1.0 νm, and ranging in coercive force from 50 to 3000 Oe. When the magnetic materials are homogeneously dispersed in the fiber or cloth, a homogenous magnetic field has influence on the human body. Accordingly, the minute magnetic field present in the human body is less disturbed from other outer magnetic waves, so that a nervous system or an immune system controlled by the minute magnetic field in the body can be stably maintained. In addition, the magnetic materials are introduced into fiber articles so as to exhibit continous magnetic permeation effects in the human body.

Description

FIBRE AND FABRICS WITH MAGNETIC MATERIAL

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a magnetic material- containing synthetic fiber and cloth. More specifically, the present invention relates to a functional synthetic fiber and cloth which contain a magnetic material, capable of improving functioning of the human body.

PRIOR ART

Recently, various functional fibers, particularly, the functional fibers related to the health, having far infrared radiation-reflecting, antibiosis, and deodorizing functionalities, have been developed. Among these functionalities, it has been proved that the far infrared reflecting ability enables the cells of the living body to activate, thereby improving the health. Accordingly, the functional fibers having the far infrared reflecting effects have been of particular concern and their development has been under extensive study.

It has been proved that a magnetic field allows to activate the living body and to stabilize a nervous system or an immune system of the human body. Accordingly, there have been some clinical trials that have shown that diseases are treated and the health is bettered by using magnetic fields. For example, Korea Pat. No. 1993-1311 refers to a mattress for magnetic field therapy. Based on the theory that a high density of magnetism influences the human body to accelerate circulation in each portion in the body and cellular metabolism, alleviate pain of muscles and stabilize the nerves, this technique involves arrangement of permanent magnets in such a manner as to alternate N polar and S polar fields in a mattress to produce a magnetic field sufficient to permeate into the human body.

Additionally, in a commercialized technique, a permanent magnet is attached in a lumbar protector for patients suffering from discopathy to improve the therapeutic effect. In another commercialized technique, not acupuncture needles but small permanent magnets are applied on acupuncture points of the human body in order to treat various diseases.

However, the techniques as described above have treatment effects limited to only local portions of the human body. Also, the produced magnetic field has a different strength in each portion of the body, so that the minute magnetic field present in the body is disturbed, thereby the nervous system or the immune system of the body is destabilized. Further, when being applied to a magnet quilted mattress or the magnet mattress, the attached hard magnets cause a reduction in comfort in bed.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Leading to the present invention, the intensive and thorough research on magnetic material, carried out by the present inventors aiming to avoid the problems encountered in the prior arts, resulted in the finding that a minute magnetic field present in the human body is half-disturbed by other outer magnetic fields under a homogeneous magnetic field, so that a nervous system or an immune system controlled by the minute magnetic field can be stably maintained.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide the magnetic materials-containing synthetic fiber and cloth.

The object of the present invention has been achieved by introducing the magnetic materials into the fiber or the cloth, raw materials of clothing. While a person wears such a magnetic material-containing cloth, magnetic field effects able to activate the living body can be continuously offered to him or her. The synthetic fiber of the present invention is characterized in that the finely powdered magnetic materials are contained at an amount of 0.3-10 % by weight in the fiber, the magnetic material powders having a mean particle size of 0.5 μm or less with a maximum particle size of 2.0 μm while 90 % of all particles were smaller than 1.0 μm, and ranging in coercive force from 50 to 3000 Oe.

Also, the cloth of the present invention is characterized in that 0.3-10 % by weight of the finely powdered magnetic materials are applied on surfaces of yarngoods, the magnetic material powders having a mean particle size of 0.5 μm or less with a maximum particle size of 2.0 μm while 90 % of all particles were smaller than 1.0 μm, and ranging in coercive force from 50 to 3000 Oe.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Useful in the present invention are fine powders of oxide-based magnetic materials and metal-based magnetic materials. Examples of the oxide-based magnetic material powders include magnetic ferric oxide (γ-Fe₂0₃) , cobalt-added magnetic ferric oxide, chromium-added magnetic ferric oxide, synthetic magnetite (Fe₃0), magnetic chromium dioxide and vertical recording medium barium ferrite. The metal-based magnetic material powders can be exemplified by iron-based fine powder, cobalt-based fine powder and nickel-based fine powder. However, the metal-based fine powder can cause the surfaces of yarngoods to be oxidized, so the magnetic properties are considerably reduced. Accordingly, the metal- based fine powder on the surface of which an oxide film is formed, in advance, to prevent the aggravation of the surface oxidation should be used. Preferable is an oxide-based magnetic material with a

coercive force of 50 to 1000 Oe. As for the metal-based magnetic materials, their coercive force preferably ranges from 500 to 2000 Oe, or in special cases, up to 3000 Oe . For instance, if the coercive force is less than a lower specification, the magnetic permeation effects such as the activation of the living body and the stability of the nervous system are reduced. On the other hand, if the force exceeds an upper specification, disorders of the nervous system or the immune system can be caused.

Additionally, because the magnetic materials are applied to the fiber, the grain size of the materials should be strictly controlled in terms of the workability during fiber spinning processes and post-treatment processes. Accordingly, when being used for a general fiber (2 denier or less) , the magnetic material powders have a mean size of 0.5 μm or less with a maximum particle size of 2.0 μm while 90 % of all particles are smaller than 1.0 μm. Meanwhile, the powders suitable for use in a fiber of 5 denier or higher for cotton or wigs have a mean size of 2 μm or less with a maximum particle size of 10 μm while 90 % of the particles are smaller than 5 μm.

Better effects from magnetic properties can be obtained from the synthetic fibers which contain more magnetic materials. However, it is preferred that the magnetic materials are used at an amount of 0.3-10 % by weight. If the amount is less than 0.3 % by weight, the functionality

becomes insufficient. On the other hand, if the amount exceeds 10 % by weight, the fiber is excessively difficult to prepare and thus the economic benefit is reduced.

To make a fiber in which magnetic materials are homogeneously dispersed, the magnetic materials are mixed with a fiber material, such as polyester, nylon, acryl, polypropylene and so on, before a spinning process such as melt spinning or polymerization spinning. Also, when urethane resins are coated on the surface of fibers to improve surface properties after spinning, the magnetic materials may be mixed with the urethane resins before coating, thereby providing the fibers having the magnetic materials homogeneously applied onto their surface.

Generally, resins may be spun, along with magnetic materials, into fibers by three methods. First, fibers may be spun directly from a resin containing the magnetic materials. In this regard, powdered magnetic materials are added when resins are synthesized from monomers through polymerization. Then, the magnetic material-containing resins are subjected to melt spinning. This method is commonly suited for a large production scale. Thus, when this method is used in small preparations, the economic efficiency is problematic.

Second, a master batch chip containing a high content of the magnetic materials is used for the production of fibers in a small quantity. When spinning the master batch chip

into fibers, its magnetic material content is determined by the proportion used of other chips containing no magnetic materials. In addition, a slurry spinning method, which is usually used in acryl fiber-preparation, is useful in small preparations . Alternatively, when a core and a sheath are separately spun and formed together into a fiber, the magnetic materials may be added only to a desired portion.

The spun fiber prepared as described above can be controlled in magnetic properties through adjustment of coercive force or magnetic material content. Additionally, the magnetic properties of the spun fiber can be controlled by a method in which an external magnetic field is applied to align the magnetic materials in one direction. To achieve the object of this method, an external magnetic field is applied across a certain length of the magnetic material- containing yarn just spun from a spinning nozzle before the solidification process, such as quenching, so that the magnetic materials within the fiber can be aligned in the desired direction, thereby improving the magnetic properties. Cloth, if it is not made of magnetic material-containing fibers, may be allowed to have magnetic properties by additionally applying the magnetic materials onto cloth. For application to dyed yarngoods, magnetic materials are mixed with dyes after being finely powered. For example, a mixture of the finely powered magnetic materials and dye is printed

over cloth yarngoods, such as those made of polyester, nylon, acryl, polypropylene, polyurethane, cotton, silk, acetate and the like.

A better understanding of the present invention may be obtained in light of the following examples which are set forth to illustrate, but are not to be construed to limit the present invention.

PREPARATION EXAMPLE 1

Magnetic ferric oxide (γ-Fe₂0₃) powders, which had a mean particle size of 0.45 μm with a maximum particle size of 2.0 μm while 90% of the powders were smaller than 0.7 μm, and ranged in coercive force from 370 to 390 Oe, was melt-mixed at an amount of 25 % by weight with a general polyester chip to prepare a master batch chip. Then, the content of magnetic ferric oxide was reduced to 3 % by weight by mixing the master chip with a general polyester chip, following which the resulting chip was melt-spun into a fiber. The spinnability of the chip was good, and the obtained fiber was brown with a fineness of 1.2 deniers.

PREPARATION EXAMPLE 2

The magnetic material powder used in Example 1 was mixed with a polyurethane resin to prepare a coating liquid. Next,

the liquid was coated onto a fiber made of a polyester resin to give a urethane-coated polyester fiber containing 2 % by weight of the magnetic materials.

PREPARATION EXAMPLE 3

Synthetic magnetite (Fe₃0 ) powders, which had a mean particle size of 0.4 μm with a maximum particle size of 2 μm while 90 % of the powders were smaller than 0.65 μm, and a coercive force of 200 Oe, were mixed at an amount 25 % by weight with a general nylon chip to give a master batch chip. Together with a general nylon chip, the master chip was spun into a 1.5 denier nylon fiber containing 4 % by weight of the magnetic materials.

PREPARATION EXAMPLE 4

Superfine metal iron-based magnetic powders, which were 0.15 μm in mean length with a length/width ratio of 8/1, and ranged in coercive force from 1900 to 2100 Oe, were melt-mixed at an amount of 20 % by weight with a general polypropylene chip to give a master batch chip which was then mixed with a general polypropylene chip, melted and spun into a polypropylene fiber containing 2 % by weight of metal iron- based magnetic material.

PREPARATION EXAMPLE 5 The magnetic material powder of Example 1 was mixed at a ratio of 1:1 with sodium alginic acid as a binder to give a slurry for coating. Then, the slurry was coated by use of a printing method, to prepare yarngoods containing 2.5 % by weight of the magnetic material powder coated on the surface of cotton yarngoods.

EXAMPLES 1-5 AND COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE

The grey yarns obtained through the Preparation Examples 1-4 were woven to give cloths. The cloths and the cloth obtained through the Preparation Example 5 were used to make nightclothes for men. 60 male patients (6 group of ten), aged 40-50, having slight insomnia were halted for administration of a sleeping drug for 7 weeks. Then, the men were attired with the nightclothes made as described above, for 10 nights during sleeping times, and whether the insomnia symptoms were alleviated or not was investigated. In the comparative example, the men were attired with nightclothes prepared with the polyester yarn without the magnetic materials. The results are shown in Table 1, below.

TABLE 1

CHANGE IN INSOMNIA SYMPTOMS AFTER 7 WEEKS

EXAMPLE 6

A polyester staple with a fineness of 5 deniers, containing 3 % by weight of magnetic ferric oxide was prepared and used as filler for pillows. The pillows containing such polyester fillers were provided to 40 asymptomatic male patients aged 30-40 for 7 days. The results are given in Table 2, below.

TABLE 2 CHANGE IN STATES AFTER 7 DAYS

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As can be seen from the results of examples, when the

magnetic materials are introduced into the fiber or cloth, the homogeneous magnetic field has influence on the human body. As such, the minute magnetic field present in the human body is less hampered by other outer magnetic fields, so that a nervous or an immune system controlled by the minute magnetic field can be stably maintained. Additionally, the introduction of magnetic materials into fiber articles causes continuous exposure to a magnetic permeation effect in the human body.

The present invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. A magnetic material-containing synthetic fiber for cloth, wherein fine powders of the magnetic material are contained at an amount of 0.3-10 % by weight in the fiber, said fine powders of the magnetic material having a mean particle size of 0.1-0.5 μm with a maximum particle size of 10 μm while 90 % of the particles are smaller than 1.0 μm, and ranging in coercive force from 50 to 3000 Oe.

2. The fiber as defined in claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises oxide-based magnetic material fine powders and metal-based magnetic material fine powders, said oxide- based magnetic material fine powders comprising magnetic ferric oxide (γ-Fe₂0₃) , cobalt-added magnetic ferric oxide, chromium-added magnetic ferric oxide, synthetic magnetite (Fe₃0₄) , chromium oxide, and lamellar barium ferrite (BaO 6Fe₂0₃) , said metal-based magnetic material fine powders comprising iron-based fine powder, nickel-based fine powder, and cobalt-based fine powder.

3. The fiber as defined in claim 1, wherein the magnetic material comprises ferrite, magnetite and titanium-containing magnetite fine powders.

4. The fiber as defined in claim 1, wherein the fine powders of the magnetic material are coated onto surfaces of the fiber.

5. A magnetic material-containing cloth, woven with the synthetic fiber of claim 1.

6. A magnetic material-containing cloth, wherein a mixture of the finely powered magnetic materials and dye is printed over cloth yarngoods for application to dyed yarngoods.

7. A magnetic material-containing synthetic fiber for cotton batting, wherein fine powders of the magnetic material are contained at an amount of 0.3-10 % by weight in the fiber, said fine powders of the magnetic material having a mean particle size of 2 μm or less with a maximum particle size of

10 μm while 90 % of the particles are smaller than 5 μm, and ranging in coercive force from 50 to 3000 Oe.