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Polyamide fiber with improved comfort management, process thereof and article made therefrom

a polyamide fiber and comfort management technology, applied in the field of polyamide fiber with improved comfort management, process thereof and articles made therefrom, can solve the problems of post-chilling effect, reduced comfort, and moisture may remain after cessation of activity, so as to improve the hydrophilic behavior of hydrophobic textiles, improve the handle and softness of the fiber, and reduce the flexural rigidity

Pending Publication Date: 2018-09-06
RHODIA BRASIL SA
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is about a special polyamide fiber that absorbs water better than traditional fiber, making it more comfortable to wear. This fiber is made from a special type of polyamide that quickly dries, reducing the feeling of wetness and chill during activity. By improving the management of sweat, the fiber helps to keep the skin cool and comfortable. The invention can be used for sportswear and leisurewear applications.

Problems solved by technology

Absorption reduces skin humidity and retains relative comfort in moderate activities with limited sweating, whereas in higher metabolic activities and intensive sweating, the moisture may remain in the clothing system and may be detrimental to heat balance at a later stage as wetting of clothing reduces the effective thermal insulation, what reduces the comfort and causes the post-chilling effect after cessation of the activity.
Highly hygroscopic fibers also lead to a physiologically problematic lengthening of the drying time.
If the drying time becomes too long, the post-exercise chill is unavoidable, as the sweat wetted shirt loses its thermal insulation.
In addition, wet skin may cause skin irritations or even moisture-generated dermatoses.
Moisture absorbed in garments gradually reduces thermal insulation.
When activity drops and sweating ceases, the drying of wet clothing layers may deprive the body of more heat than is generated by metabolic rate, the results is a post-exercise chilling effect that may endanger heat balance and result in hypothermia.
If the hydrophilicity is too high, as in the case of natural fibers, the drying rate may be delayed as water is absorbed and retained inside the fiber for longer periods.
A poor wicking may also lead to saturated regions and reduced transport and drying rates.
This approach requires bi-component equipment and the drying rate and wicking speed are not provided.
Disadvantages of this approach include lack of fast drying rate, water absorption and wicking speed.
The cooling mechanism may also lead to uncomfortable sensation during active sweating, such as hypothermia due to excessive cooling.
A drawback of the use of PVP is the fact that the occurrence of pyrrolidone as a by-product tend to causes fiber yellowing, thereby affecting the desired mechanical and chemical properties for textile applications.
In addition, the fast wicking and drying behavior are not demonstrated and could cause discomfort during excessive sweating and sports activities.
For instance, the trilobal profile (also known as Y) is well known and widely used for providing luster and brightness to the article; however, it does not increase capillarity, softness and surface area, as they do not provide deep micro-channels.
JP5206640 discloses a modified cross section polyamide with radial lobes; however, water absorption, wicking and drying rate are not assessed or improved.
A disadvantage of this cross section is the fact that a flat fiber profile leads to more skin coverage, lower insulation, less entrapped air and more contact points with the skin what may reduce the skin sensorial wear comfort.
It does not offer capillarity and does not increase wicking speed and drying rate, hence not being suitable for high sweating activity.
In addition, the flat cross section evaluated in the experiments of the present invention has shown poor processing behavior, what suggests that a flat cross section may be more difficult to be processed by melt-spinning.
Hence, patent number EP 2554721 does not offer a solution for comfort management of sportswear textiles, where wicking and higher drying rates are desired.
There is still no existing fiber in the market that offers at the same time hydrophilic properties, cooling effect, and wicking.

Method used

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  • Polyamide fiber with improved comfort management, process thereof and article made therefrom
  • Polyamide fiber with improved comfort management, process thereof and article made therefrom

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

first embodiment

[0061]The invention also provides a method for obtaining the polyamide fiber with improved comfort management as described above. The polyamide fiber is obtained by melt-spinning extrusion. The “melt-spinning extrusion” is understood to mean the extrusion process of converting the polyamide into polyamide fibers. The polyamide(s) may be fed to the melt-spinning device in pellet, powder or melt form. The method includes any conventional extrusion spinning means suitable for melt-spinning extrusion of polyamides, these means being well known by a person skilled in the art, such as single-screw extruder, double-screw extruder, bi-component extruder and grid spinning head. The melt-spinning extrusion can be further defined as being LOY (low-oriented yarn), POY (partially oriented yarn), FDY (fully drawn yarn), FOY (fully oriented yarn), LDI (Low denier Industrial) or HDI (High denier Industrial).

[0062]The melt-spinning extrusion advantageously comprises the following steps:[0063]a1. Fee...

second embodiment

[0086]According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the polyamide fiber obtained from the first embodiment is then texturized to produce textured yarns with higher elasticity, volume and softness. This process comprises any technology known by those skilled in the art such as false-twist texturizing, false-twist-fixed texturizing and air-jet texturizing. Most preferably false-twist texturing.

[0087]The method can include the following steps:[0088]b1. The fiber is removed from the package and passes to the delivery rolls.[0089]b2. The fiber passes through a heater, then to a cold zone.[0090]b3. The fiber passes through a spindle containing rotating discs (friction aggregates)[0091]b4. intermingling points and coning oil are applied to the fiber.[0092]b5. The fiber is wound into bobins.[0093]Wherein a drawing ratio is given to the fiber by altering the speed ratio of the b1 and b5.

[0094]In step b1, the fiber is advantageously placed in a creel and is unwound from the bobbi...

examples

[0117]A series of polyamide articles, including comparative polyamide articles and control polyamide articles are formed and evaluated for process ability, water wicking rate, water absorption rate, water drying rate, hygroscopicity, mechanical properties, IVN (viscosity index), ATG (terminal amino groups) and CTG (carboxylic terminal groups). Table 1 summarizes the samples.

Amino Terminal Group Content (ATG)

[0118]The amino end group (ATG) content was determined by a potentiometric titration method. The quantity of 2 grams of polyamide is added to about 70 ml of phenol 90% wt. The mixture is kept under agitation and temperature of 40° C. until complete dissolution of the polyamide. The solution is then titrated by 0.1N HCl at about 25° C. The result is reported as equivalent / ton (eq / ton). In the case of analyzing fibers and articles, any residue or spin-finish must be previously removed.

Solution Viscosity (IVN)

[0119]The determination of the solution viscosity (IVN) is performed accor...

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PUM

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a polyamide fiber with improved comfort management properties. The present invention also discloses a method for obtaining such fiber and articles made therefrom. The polyamide fiber is produced from a hygroscopic polyamide in a multilobal cross section profile. The hygroscopic polyamide fiber is produced preferably from polyamide 5.X, X being an integer from 4 to 16. Most preferably polyamide 5.6, which is a biobased polyamide obtained from pentamethylenediamine and is derived from sugar-based renewable feedstocks. The present invention thus discloses a polyamide fiber and articles made therefrom for sportswear and leisurewear applications, with improved water absorption, wicking and drying properties, wherein the sweat is transported away from the skin and is quickly dried, thereby reducing the wet sensation and chill during activity. The present invention provides freshness and comfort by maintaining a pleasant skin temperature and microclimate.

Description

[0001]The present invention relates to a polyamide fiber with improved comfort management properties. The present invention also discloses a method for obtaining such fiber and articles made therefrom. The polyamide fiber is produced from a hygroscopic polyamide in a multilobal cross section profile. The hygroscopic polyamide fiber is produced preferably from polyamide 5.X, X being an integer from 4 to 16. Most preferably polyamide 5.6, which is a biobased polyamide obtained from pentamethylenediamine and is derived from sugar-based renewable feedstocks. The present invention thus discloses a polyamide fiber and articles made therefrom for sportswear and leisurewear applications, with improved water absorption, wicking and drying properties, wherein the sweat is transported away from the skin and is quickly dried, thereby reducing the wet sensation and chill during activity. The present invention provides freshness and comfort by maintaining a pleasant skin temperature and microclim...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): D01D5/253D01D5/088D01F6/60D02G1/02
CPCD01D5/253D01D5/088D01F6/60D02G1/0206D10B2501/00D10B2331/02D01D4/02
Inventor BONALDI, RENATA REDONDOPAK, PIERRE HANSUDE LACERDA, FABIO PEREIRACOSTA, NATHALIA
Owner RHODIA BRASIL SA
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