Process for Preparing Antimicrobial Elastic Fiber

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a process for preparing an antimicrobial elastic fiber. The process comprises: mixing a glass compound, as an antimicrobial agent, containing ZnO, SiO2, and an alkali metal oxide, and having an average particle size of 0.1 μm to 5 μm, with a dispersant; sand grinding or milling the mixture; and adding the ground or milled mixture to a solution of a segmented polyurethane polymer to prepare an elastic yarn. The process can provide advantageous effects that spinnability is improved and the color of yarn remains unchanged.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a process for preparing an antimicrobial elastic fiber, and more particularly to a process for preparing an antimicrobial elastic fiber comprising mixing a glass compound, as an antimicrobial agent, containing ZnO, SiO2 and an alkali metal oxide, and having an average particle size of 0.1 μm to 5 μm, with a dispersant, sand grinding or milling the mixture, and adding the ground or milled mixture to a solution of a segmented polyurethane polymer. BACKGROUND ART [0002] Polyurethane elastic fibers are superior in elasticity and elastic recovery. Due to these advantages, polyurethane elastic fibers are widely used as materials for stockings, women's underwear and flexible fabrics, and their applications continue to be extended to aerobic clothing and swimming suits. [0003] Various kinds of bacteria and mildew adhere to clothes and live on a variety of substances secreted from the human body. Of these, some bacteria and mildew adher...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an antimicrobial elastic fiber having excellent spinnability while maintaining superior antimicrobial properties and remaining unchanged in the color of yarn by using a glass metal compound, as an antimicrobial agent, containing ZnO, SiO2, an alkali metal oxide and the like, and using a dispersant during milling or sand grinding the antimicrobial agent.

[0014] It is preferred that the antimicrobial agent is non-porous. In the case where a porous antimicrobial agent having strong adsorption of water is used, an elastic fiber polymer (i.e. polyurethane) is crosslinked during preparation of an elastic fiber. This crosslinking increases the viscosity of the polymerization product and causes the formation of a gel, resulting in a sharp rise in filtration pressure and frequent occurrence of yarn breakage upon spinning.

[0022] According to the process of the present invention, a dispersant, such as a fatty acid, a fatty acid salt, a fatty acid ester or an aliphatic alcohol, is added to improve the dispersibility of the antimicrobial agent in the polar solvent, thereby shortening the milling time of the antimicrobial agent and preventing the discoloration of the antimicrobial agent. That is, the dispersant reduces the friction against the antimicrobial agent created during milling, and improves the flowability and dispersibility of the antimicrobial agent. In addition, the dispersant may be coated on the surface of the antimicrobial agent, enhancing the above effects.

[0028] It is preferred that the dispersant, selected from the fatty acids, fatty acid salts, fatty acid esters and aliphatic alcohols, and the antimicrobial agent are added in a weight ratio between 1:10 and 1:1 during the milling or sand grinding process. Since the content of the antimicrobial agent in a yarn is in the range of 0.2% to 5% by weight, the content of the dispersant in the yarn is between 0.02% and 5% by weight, in proportion to that of the antimicrobial agent. When the weight ratio is below 1:10, the dispersion effects are negligible. Meanwhile, when the weight ratio exceeds 1:1, the excess dispersant does not contribute to further improvement of dispersion effects.

Problems solved by technology

In severe cases, some bacteria and mildew directly damage the body.

Although this process has the advantage that antimicrobial properties are achieved by utilizing the physical properties inherent to the raw materials without adding an additional antimicrobial agent, it has the problem of poor antimicrobial effect.

This crosslinking increases the viscosity of the polymerization product and causes the formation of a gel, resulting in a sharp rise in filtration pressure and frequent occurrence of yarn breakage upon spinning.

However, the silver causes undesirable yellowing of the elastic fiber during spinning at a high temperature of 200° C. or more.

As a consequence of the agglomeration, an increase in discharge pressure is caused and yarn breakage frequently occurs during spinning, making it difficult to maintain stable spinning of the antimicrobial fiber for a long period of time.

To this end, extensive and time consuming milling of the antimicrobial agent is required.