WO2009000243A1

WO2009000243A1 - Filament fibre sizing agent and use thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2009000243A1
Application number: PCT/DE2008/001003
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sabine Ramaker-Stam; Holger Stegink
Original assignee: Emsland-Stärke GmbH
Priority date: 2007-06-26
Filing date: 2008-06-16
Publication date: 2008-12-31
Also published as: CN101711296B; EP2158353A1; CN101711296A; DE102007029419A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a filament fibre sizing agent which comprises at least 50% by weight of at least one leguminous starch with an amylose content of at least 60% by weight, and to the use thereof.

Description

Fibrous fiber sizing agent and use thereof

The present invention relates to a filament fiber sizing agent and the use thereof.

The so-called sizing of textile fibers is analogous to the other usage a smoothing process, although the smoothing is not the only and not the essential aspect. Other aspects are the bonding and solidification of the fibers.

The yarns which are used as warp yarn during weaving are treated. Since the yarns are originally open-structured, they can not withstand the varied and sometimes intense strains of weaving. They would roughen, especially due to abrasion, forming fiber suspensions that make weaving impossible. Yarn damages of this and other kind are therefore absolutely to be avoided. For this reason, the yarns are protected. This protection is achieved by the application of a curable adhesive, which, in simplified terms, forms a protective film around the yarn. The adhesive is called "sizing." For application to the fibers, the sizing is dissolved in water and applied to the warp yarn as a "sizing liquor". After the weaving process, the sizing is in most cases removed from the fabric, i. washed out as it can hinder the subsequent refining processes.

One of the general requirements of a sizing agent is that the sizing agent should form a film which also has a certain elasticity. The sizing agent must also have good adhesion to those fibers making up the yarn. The viscosity of the sizing liquor must not be too high or too low at the concentration required for technological reasons. Also, the sizing should be soluble in water or solubilized by boiling. The sizing should be shear stable. In addition, the sizing should be as easy as possible washable or removable. On the other hand, the sizing must not soften or sticky at high humidity, the two latter requirements are contradictory and a compromise must be found. Furthermore, the sizing liquor must not be retrograded. ren, do not form skin or tend to foam. She should also slightly wet the yarns. Since compounding formulations are often used, the sizing agent should be compatible with other products available on the market and should also be compatible with the necessary auxiliaries such as fats, wetting agents, etc. Overall, it is advantageous if the sizing agent as such is environmentally friendly.

In the textile industry, a distinction is made between spun fibers and filament fibers. Filament fibers are continuous filaments which are obtained by spinning out a spinning composition consisting mostly of synthetic or even natural polymers. All filaments have in common that in the spinning process, the starting material, which is present as granules, is liquefied either by melting or dissolving. Subsequently, the spinning mass is pumped through nozzles. After solidification of the fibrils, which can be effected by different methods, the filament yarns are collected on a roll.

Spun fibers are made by warping and twisting finite length fibers of mostly natural origin, such as cotton.

Both fiber types, both spun fibers and filament fibers, differ in their properties or have special requirements for the size product to be used. For example, filaments have a smoother surface, while spun yarns are often very open-structured. Therefore, depending on the fiber type different sizing agents are used. For the most part, starch-based sizing agents are used in the spun-fiber sector, whereas in the filament-fiber sector predominantly synthetic products such as polyvinyl alcohol, acrylates or polyesters are used.

Specific requirements for a Filamenfaserschlichtemittel include a low viscosity, that is a viscosity of less than 100 mPa.s (Brookfield viscosity, measured for a 10% solution in water at 5O ⁰ C). Furthermore, the filament sizing should show good adhesion to filament fibers, such as polyester and polyamide, but also on mineral filament fibers. Furthermore, high stability is achieved even at low temperatures. wishes. Mineral fiber filaments also require a low ash content. The filament sizing agent should show a very good film formation on smooth surfaces and preferably allow washing out exclusively with water.

The three most important classes of synthetic filament fibers are polyesters (for example ^Dacron® from DuPont, ^Trevira® from Hoechst and ^Diolen® from Akzo), polyamide (for example ^Perlon® from Bayer / Akzo, ^Nylon® from DuPont / Akzo and Kevlar from DuPont) and others polyacrylonitrile (for example, Dolan ^® from Hoechst, Dralon ^® from Bayer and Orion ^® from DuPont).

The basic chemical component of all synthetic fibers is derived from petroleum. The individual molecules are built up by polymerization, polycondensation or polyaddition to different polymers. Man-made fibers (synthetic fibers) have less structure than natural fibers and therefore a smoother surface.

Another important class of filament fibers consists of minerals, such as SiO ₂ (quartz). These glass lattices are characterized by particular strength and are used in various industries, such as the electronics, automotive and construction industries.

The requirements for a filament sizing agent are currently fully met only by synthetic sizing agents. Synthetic sizing agents are mainly derived from petroleum. To date, existing starch based sizing products for use with filament fibers have not shown the required affinity for the filaments, the affinity being understood to mean the adhesion, adhesion, or adhesion of the sizing agent to the fiber. On a natural basis, such as starch-based sizing products, however, unlike the synthetic products, would consist of a renewable raw material that is available and biodegradable in large quantities.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a filament fiber sizing agent which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, in particular an improved affinity to the filament fibers and is environmentally friendly, so that synthetic products can be partially or completely replaced.

It is also intended to provide use of the filament sizing agent.

The first object is achieved by a filament fiber sizing agent comprising at least 50% by weight of at least one legume starch having an amylose content of at least 60% by weight.

It is preferred that the filament fiber is selected from synthetic, natural or mineral fibers.

The filament fiber is particularly preferably selected from polyester, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile and glass.

It is also proposed that the legume starch is selected from pea, bean, lentil, soybean, peanut, lupine and mixtures thereof.

In one embodiment, the legume starch is chemically and / or physically modified.

It is preferred that the legume starch is esterified.

It is particularly preferred that the legume starch is acetylated, preferably with an acetyl content of 1 to 5%. The acetyl content here refers to the proportion of all possible acetylatable functional groups of the starch. It can also be provided that the legume starch is extruded. During extrusion, the starch is converted under the influence of high temperatures (for example about 130 ° C.), pressure and shear into a product which is soluble in cold water and very stable and low in viscosity. Extrusion is well known in the art.

The legume starch preferably has an amylose content of from 60 to 90% by weight, preferably from 65 to 90% by weight, particularly preferably from 70 to 80% by weight.

The sizing agent may be mixed with at least one other natural and / or synthetic sizing agent.

It is preferred that the mixture has a starch content of at least 50 wt .-%.

The legume starch may be genetically modified.

The sizing agent according to the invention can therefore be used for application to filament fibers. The sizing agent according to the invention is first applied to the fiber and, after the weaving of the fiber, removed from the fabric thus produced, preferably by washing only with water.

It has surprisingly been found that an excellent filament fiber sizing agent can be provided if it comprises at least 50% by weight of at least one legume starch having an amylose content of at least 60% by weight. With such a filamentary fiber sizing agent, comparable values can be obtained in terms of affinity, bond strength and elongation as for synthetically prepared filamentary fiber sizing agents, as will be understood from the example section below. It is known that the basic building block of starch consists of alpha-D-glucose. Linkage of the glucose units in the 1,4-position forms the straight-chain molecule amylose, while in the presence of a simultaneous 1,6-linkage, the amylopectin is formed. Usual strengths therefore consist of two different molecules. It has long been known that these two molecules, amylose and amylopectin, have different properties.

An essential aspect of the invention is therefore also the use of a legume starch having an amylose content of at least 60% by weight in the production of a fiber-type fiber sizing agent which then comprises at least 50% by weight of this leguminous starch.

Further features and advantages of the inventive filament fiber sizing agents will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a graph of the Brookfield viscosity of a fiber sizing agent according to the invention versus concentration.

The properties of a sizing agent are usually defined in combination with the particular substrate, ie the substrate to which the sizing agent is to be applied. Therefore, in order to be able to compare sizing directly with each other, all other parameters must be identical, which is hardly feasible in practice. However, in order to still be able to carry out comparative measurements, for example with regard to the bond strength, the rotor-ring method was used in the following, which is described in "New Investigations on the Adhesion of Sizing Agents", Textil Praxis Int., December 1989. In this method The rotor assembly and sizing liquor have a temperature of 85 ° C., which corresponds to the practical temperature, and the fiber ribbon thus produced is subjected to a tensile test, in which tensile strength and elongation are measured If several tests are carried out with different concentrations, a linear curve is created Value selected at 1% trim. The results of the rotor-ring method are fully compatible with the practice.

The exemplary embodiments shown below are in no way intended to limit the subject matter of the present invention.

example 1

Preparation of an acetylated high amylose pea starch

4.7 kg pea starch with high amylose content of about 70% by weight are suspended in 7.3 l of tap water. At room temperature, the suspension is esterified with stirring 380 ml of acetic anhydride at a pH of 8-8.3. After esterification, the product is neutralized, filtered off and dried. The acetyl content is about 2.4%. The acetylated pea starch is then extruded. The pea starch ester thus prepared corresponds to the marker pea starch ester F8125 shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1 below shows a range of starch products with different levels of amylose and amylopectin and the values for bond strength and elongation on polyester fibers determined by the rotor-ring method.

All of the following results are determined according to the article described in Textil Praxis Int., December 1998.

Table 1 - Adhesion and elongation values of different starch raw materials and modifications on polyester fibers

For the production of the Palerbsen starch ester F8124 another starch raw material was used, so that a different amylose or amylopectin content compared to the marker pea starch ester F8125 resulted. The determination of the elongation values can also be found in the article "New investigations on the bond strength of sizing agents", Textil Praxis Int. Taken December 1989.

Table 2 below shows bond values and elongation values of synthetic sizing products on polyester fibers.

Table 2 - Adhesion and elongation values of synthetic products on polyester fibers

Finally, Table 3 shows a comparison of a erfmdungsbeschäßen Filamentfaserschlich- temittels, the pea starch ester F 8125, with a Polyacrylsäureschlichtemittel in terms of adhesion and elongation on polyamide fibers. Table 3 - Adhesion and elongation values on polyamide fibers PA 6.6

As can be seen from Tables 1 to 3, the pea starch ester F 8125, a pea starch ester with a high amylose content, significantly increases the bond strength to polyester and polyamide, so that in some cases the values of the synthetic products are achieved.

However, unlike the synthetic products, the pea starch ester shows the advantages described above.

In particular, the viscosity of the pea starch ester F8125 shows excellent values, as shown for example in FIG. 1, after which a viscosity of less than 100 mPa.s is obtained in a 10% solution of the ester in water at 50 ° C.

Also, for the pea starch ester F 8125, the S rather stability was measured after 3 minutes of shear at 2,800 rpm. The values are shown in Table 4.

Table 4 - Shear stability of F 8125

As can be seen from Table 4, the viscosity of the product F 8125 does not change even after intensive shearing, since the difference of 5 mPa.s lies within the measuring accuracy.

The features of the invention disclosed in the foregoing description, in the claims and in the drawings may be essential both individually and in any combination for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.

Claims

claims

A filament fiber sizing composition comprising at least 50% by weight of at least one legume starch having an amylose content of at least 60% by weight.

2. filament fiber sizing agent according to claim 1, characterized in that the filament fiber is selected from synthetic, natural or mineral fibers.

3. filament fiber sizing agent according to claim 2, characterized in that the filament fiber is selected from polyester, polyamide, polyacrylonitrile and glass.

4. filament fiber sizing agent according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the legume starch is selected from pea, bean, lentil, soybean, peanut, lupine and mixtures thereof.

5. filament fiber sizing agent according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the legume starch is chemically and / or physically modified.

6. filament fiber sizing agent according to claim 5, characterized in that the legume starch is esterified.

7. filament fiber sizing agent according to claim 6, characterized in that the legume starch is acetylated, preferably with an acetyl content of 1 to 5%.

8. filament fiber sizing agent according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the legume starch is extruded.

9. filament fiber sizing agent according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the legume starch has an amylose content of 60 to 90% by weight, preferably 65 to 90 wt .-%, particularly preferably 70 to 80 wt .-%.

10. Füamentfaser sizing agent according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is mixed with at least one further natural and / or synthetic sizing agent.

11. filament fiber sizing agent according to claim 10, characterized in that the mixture has a starch content of at least 50 wt .-%.

12. filament fiber sizing agent according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the legume starch is genetically modified.

13. Use of a sizing agent according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 12 for application to filament fibers.