A method and system for improving the wear properties of textile materials and / or decolorizing textile materials

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for improving the performance of textile materials and / or decolorizing textile materials, comprising the following steps: drying the textile material at 95-120°C under an inert atmosphere or vacuum for approximately 0.5-3 hours, followed by further heating for approximately 3-48 hours. Textile materials treated by this method exhibit a soft luster, and their durability, style, and hand feel are all improved. Furthermore, this method can achieve complete or partial decolorization of textile materials, resulting in products with a unique style. Another aspect of this invention relates to a system for improving the performance of textile materials and / or decolorizing textile materials, comprising a reaction apparatus, a gas purifier, and a media circulation device (inert gas circulation heater or vacuum pump), all connected by pipelines. The method and system of this invention are simple and flexible to operate, have low production costs, do not use chemical auxiliaries, and do not generate wastewater, making them easy to implement industrially.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of improving the performance of textile materials and / or decolorizing textile materials, and particularly to a method and system for improving the performance of textile materials and / or decolorizing textile materials. Background Technology

[0002] As living standards improve, people's demands for clothing performance are increasing. If we can reduce textile waste by improving the performance of clothing, it would be an effective environmental protection measure to reduce raw material consumption and emissions.

[0003] Currently, physical and chemical modification, shaping, and finishing methods are commonly used to enhance the durability of clothing fabrics and optimize their performance characteristics such as style, luster, and hand feel (e.g., CN105696337A, CN104532589B, CN105200775A, CN102733168B). However, these methods all face some problems, such as negative impacts from the use of chemical reagents, or sacrificing one property of the textile to improve another, resulting in a decrease in the overall wearability of the textile. In addition, the stripping of textiles is currently mainly achieved through chemical treatment methods, such as bleaching and extraction (e.g., JP2007254904A, US7981337B2, CN1628192A, JP3232010B2, US5261925A, US20140068871A1, JP2015048570A, CN201459424U, etc.). However, due to the use of chemical reagents and the large amount of wastewater generated during the treatment process, these methods have adverse effects on the environment and may even damage textile materials.

[0004] Polyester is one of the most commonly used chemical fibers in the textile industry. Its greatest advantages are its good wrinkle resistance and shape retention, making it suitable for outerwear (especially workwear fabrics) and outdoor products. Polylactic acid (PLA) is a sustainable and eco-friendly fiber that is experiencing rapid development in the textile industry. However, both polyester and PLA fabrics are prone to aging after repeated washing with detergents, high-temperature ironing, or even direct exposure to sunlight or hot oxygen environments. Polyester and PLA fibers, especially PLA fibers, are easily decomposed by microorganisms, meaning the macromolecular chains of polyester or PLA are broken down, resulting in decreased fiber strength and discoloration, causing localized peeling that affects the overall appearance. Therefore, overcoming the performance degradation of textiles during daily use, improving their performance, and achieving their regeneration or reuse is an important and challenging issue that urgently needs to be addressed. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the problems of textiles aging or localized color fading during use, this invention provides a method and system for improving the performance of textile materials and / or for decolorizing textile materials, thereby improving the performance of textiles and enabling their reuse. This invention also provides textile materials produced by the method and / or system of this invention.

[0006] To address the problems in the prior art, a first aspect of the present invention provides a method for improving the performance of textile materials, comprising the following steps:

[0007] Drying step: The textile material is heated to approximately 80-120°C under an inert atmosphere or vacuum degree ≤ approximately 10 mbar for approximately 0.5-3 hours; and

[0008] High-temperature treatment step: Under an inert atmosphere or vacuum degree ≤ about 10 mbar, heat the textile material that has been treated in the drying step to about 130-250°C and treat for about 3-48 hours.

[0009] In some preferred embodiments, the textile material is heated to about 100-110°C during the drying step, and / or the textile material is heat-treated for about 1-2 hours during the drying step.

[0010] In some embodiments, the high-temperature treatment step includes heating the textile material to approximately 130-250°C, for example, approximately 140-230°C, preferably approximately 130-160°C, approximately 140-155°C, approximately 150-230°C, approximately 160-250°C, approximately 170-230°C, approximately 180-230°C, etc. In some embodiments, the high-temperature treatment step includes treating the textile material at high temperatures for approximately 3-48 hours, preferably approximately 6-24 hours, approximately 3-36 hours, approximately 3-24 hours, approximately 6-36 hours, etc.

[0011] In some embodiments, the method of the present invention further includes a step of cooling the high-temperature treated textile material (e.g., cooling to room temperature) after the high-temperature treatment step.

[0012] In some embodiments, during the drying and / or high-temperature treatment steps, the inert atmosphere is selected from nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, or any combination thereof, preferably high-purity (e.g., purity ≥ about 99.9%) nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, or any combination thereof, and more preferably high-purity (e.g., purity ≥ about 99.9%) nitrogen. In some embodiments, the drying and / or high-temperature treatment steps of the method described in this invention are performed under vacuum conditions, wherein the vacuum level is ≤ about 10 mbar, preferably ≤ about 5 mbar, and more preferably ≤ about 1 mbar.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method of the present invention further includes:

[0014] Material preparation step: Provide and pre-treat the textile material to make it suitable for the drying step.

[0015] In some embodiments, the material preparation step is performed before the drying step. In some embodiments, the pretreatment includes: removing non-textile materials from the textile material, processing the textile material into small pieces (e.g., strips, pieces, short fibers, etc.), washing the textile material, or any combination thereof.

[0016] In some embodiments of the method of the present invention, removing non-textile items from the textile material includes, but is not limited to, separating non-textile decorations, buttons, zippers, etc., from the textile material so that these separated non-textile decorations, buttons, zippers, etc., will not be processed by the method of the present invention. Processing the textile material into small pieces includes, but is not limited to, cutting the textile material into small strips, fragments, or short fibers (e.g., approximately 1 cm to 10 cm in length) using a fabric shredder, fiber cutter, etc., to facilitate subsequent processing steps or enhance the processing effect of subsequent steps. Washing the textile material aims to remove contaminants from the textile material. Conventional washing methods in the art can be used to wash the textile material.

[0017] In some embodiments of the invention, the textile material includes garments and fabrics made entirely of polyester or polylactic acid, as well as textile waste intended for recycling. For example, the textile material can be any textile material dyeable with disperse dyes, including but not limited to polyester (PET) (e.g., all-polyester), polylactic acid (PLA) (e.g., polylactic acid), nylon, acrylic textiles / textiles, or any combination thereof. Preferably, the textile material is a polyester and / or polylactic acid textile material.

[0018] In some embodiments of the method of the present invention, the textile material is a polyester textile material, and the high-temperature treatment step includes heating the polyester textile material to about 160-250°C, preferably about 180-230°C; and / or treating the polyester textile material for about 3-48 hours, preferably about 3-24 hours.

[0019] In some embodiments of the method of the present invention, the textile material is a polylactic acid textile material, and the high-temperature treatment step includes heating the polylactic acid textile material to about 130-160°C, preferably about 140-155°C; and / or treating the polylactic acid textile material for about 3-48 hours, preferably 6-36 hours.

[0020] In some embodiments of the method of the present invention, the drying step and the high-temperature treatment step are carried out in a reaction apparatus (e.g., a glass container). Preferably, the drying step and the high-temperature treatment step further include adding glass beads to the glass container and bringing them into full contact with the textile material (e.g., by stirring or rotating). After cooling, the high-temperature treated textile material can be removed from the reaction apparatus for further processing or application.

[0021] In some embodiments, the method of the present invention further includes applying tension to the textile material to give it better stiffness.

[0022] In some embodiments, "wearability" refers to properties such as abrasion resistance, tensile strength, gloss, stiffness / crispness, and dyeability / evenness of textile materials / fabrics / products. Therefore, "improving the wearability of textile materials" means that, after treatment by the method of the present invention, the textile material / fabric / product possesses improved abrasion resistance, tensile strength, gloss, stiffness / crispness, and / or dyeability / evenness. For example, "improving the wearability of textile materials" also includes partially decolorizing the textile material to give it a special coloring style (e.g., producing a halo effect), or completely decolorizing the textile material so that its original color can be changed by re-dyeing. Therefore, in some specific embodiments, the method of the present invention can also be used to decolorize textile materials.

[0023] Therefore, a second aspect of the invention also relates to a method for decolorizing textile materials, comprising the steps defined for the method of the first aspect of the invention. In some embodiments, the term "decolorizing textile materials" includes partial decolorization of the textile material (e.g., to produce a bleed or transitional color effect) or overall decolorization.

[0024] In some specific embodiments, the method of the present invention for decolorizing textile materials includes:

[0025] Preparation steps: Provide and pre-treat the textile material to make it suitable for the subsequent drying step. For example, the pre-treatment includes: removing non-textile materials from the textile material, processing the textile material into small pieces (e.g., strips, pieces, short fibers, etc.), washing the textile material or any combination thereof (e.g., performing the pre-treatment as defined in the first aspect of the invention).

[0026] Drying step: The textile material is heated to about 80-120°C (preferably about 100-110°C) under an inert atmosphere (preferably pure nitrogen atmosphere) or a vacuum degree ≤ about 10 mbar (preferably ≤ about 5 mbar, more preferably ≤ about 1 mbar) for about 0.5-3 hours (preferably about 1-2 hours); and

[0027] High-temperature treatment step: Under an inert atmosphere (preferably pure nitrogen atmosphere) or a vacuum of ≤10 mbar (preferably ≤5 mbar, more preferably ≤1 mbar), the textile material treated in the drying step is heated to approximately 130-250°C (e.g., approximately 140-230°C, preferably approximately 140-155°C, approximately 130-160°C, approximately 150-230°C, approximately 160-250°C, approximately 170-230°C, approximately 180-230°C) for approximately 3-48 hours (e.g., approximately 6-24 hours, approximately 3-36 hours, approximately 3-24 hours, approximately 6-36 hours). In some embodiments of the method of the second aspect, the method further includes a step of cooling the high-temperature treated textile material (e.g., cooling to room temperature) after the high-temperature treatment step. In some embodiments, the inert atmosphere is as defined in the first aspect of the invention.

[0028] In some specific embodiments of the method in the second aspect, the drying step and the high-temperature treatment step are performed in a glass container. In some embodiments, the drying step further includes adding glass beads to the glass container and ensuring they are in full contact with the textile material during the heat treatment (e.g., by stirring or rotating). In some embodiments, the high-temperature treatment step further includes treating the textile material at high temperatures in the presence of the glass beads. After cooling, the high-temperature treated textile material can be removed from the reaction apparatus for further processing (e.g., dyeing) or application.

[0029] In some embodiments of the second aspect, the textile material is any textile material dyeable with disperse dyes, including but not limited to polyester (e.g., all polyester), polylactic acid (e.g., polylactic acid), nylon, acrylic textiles / textiles, or any combination thereof, and other textile waste for recycling purposes. For example, the textile material may be clothing or fabric. Preferably, the textile material is a polyester and / or polylactic acid textile material.

[0030] In some embodiments, the textile material is a polyester textile material, and the high-temperature treatment step includes heating the polyester textile material to about 160-250°C, preferably about 180-230°C, in the presence of glass beads; and / or treating the polyester textile material for about 3-48 hours, preferably about 3-24 hours.

[0031] In some embodiments, the textile material is a polylactic acid textile material, and the high-temperature treatment step includes heating the polylactic acid textile material to about 130-160°C, preferably about 140-155°C, in the presence of glass beads; and / or treating the polylactic acid textile material for about 3-48 hours, preferably about 6-36 hours.

[0032] In some specific embodiments, the pretreatment further includes arranging the textile material, such as by hanging, laying flat, layering, or any combination thereof, and / or binding portions of the textile material (e.g., one or more ends and / or middle portions of the textile material), thereby subjecting the textile material to treatment in a specific manner to achieve specific treatment effects, such as overall or partial color peeling, or special effects styles such as blending or transitional colors (e.g., through layering). Preferably, the layer thickness does not exceed about 15 cm, and more preferably about 5-10 cm.

[0033] A third aspect of the present invention provides a system for improving the wearing performance of textile materials and / or for decolorizing textile materials, the system comprising:

[0034] A heatable reaction apparatus, for example, for treating the textile material;

[0035] A medium circulation device, for example, for providing a vacuum environment or inert atmosphere for the heatable reaction apparatus; and

[0036] A gas purifier, for example, for purifying the gas, fine particles, dust, etc. of the system, wherein the heatable reaction device, the medium circulation device, and the gas purifier are connected by pipes.

[0037] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the heatable reaction device is configured to dry and treat textile materials at high temperatures, the medium circulation device is configured to provide an inert atmosphere or vacuum for the heatable reaction device, and / or the gas purifier is configured to purify gases, dust, particulate matter, etc. in the system.

[0038] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the heatable reaction apparatus includes a glass container (for example, for loading materials, such as the textile material), a heater, and optionally a stirrer. For example, the glass container may be a beaker, and / or the heater may be a water bath heater or an oil bath heater, preferably an oil bath heater. In a preferred embodiment, the heatable reaction apparatus is a rotary evaporator, such as the N-1300 rotary evaporator from EYELA.

[0039] In some preferred embodiments, the heatable reaction apparatus is configured to dry the textile material at a temperature of about 80-120°C, preferably about 100-110°C (e.g., for about 0.5-3 hours, preferably about 1-2 hours); and / or, the heatable reaction apparatus is configured to treat the textile material at a high temperature of about 130-250°C (preferably about 140-230°C, about 140-155°C, about 160-250°C, about 170-230°C, or about 180-230°C) (for example, for about 3-48 hours, for example, about 6-24 hours, about 3-36 hours, about 3-24 hours, or about 6-36 hours). In some preferred embodiments, the glass container is also configured to contain glass beads and thoroughly mix the glass beads with the textile material.

[0040] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the medium circulation device is an inert gas circulation heater or a vacuum pump. In some embodiments, the inert gas circulation heater includes an inert gas generator, a heater, an automatic temperature controller, and a blower circulation system.

[0041] In some embodiments, the heatable reaction apparatus is configured to operate under inert atmosphere or vacuum conditions. When the heatable reaction apparatus is used under vacuum conditions, the medium circulation device is a vacuum pump. The vacuum pump may be configured to provide a vacuum level of ≤10 mbar, preferably ≤5 mbar, and more preferably ≤1 mbar for the heatable reaction apparatus. When the heatable reaction apparatus is used under an inert atmosphere, the medium circulation device is an inert gas circulation heater. The inert gas circulation heater is configured to provide the heatable reaction apparatus with high-purity (e.g., purity ≥99.9%) nitrogen, helium, carbon dioxide, or any combination thereof, preferably high-purity nitrogen (e.g., purity ≥99.9%).

[0042] In some embodiments of the system of the present invention, the gas purifier includes a filter, a dehumidifier, and a dust monitor.

[0043] The system of the present invention is applicable to garments and fabrics made of pure polyester or polylactic acid, as well as textile waste intended for recycling. For example, the system of the present invention is applicable to any textile material that can be dyed with disperse dyes, including but not limited to polyester (e.g., pure polyester), polylactic acid (e.g., polylactic acid), nylon, acrylic textiles / textiles, or any combination thereof.

[0044] In some embodiments, the system of the present invention is adapted to perform the methods described in the first and second aspects of the present invention.

[0045] A fourth aspect of the present invention also provides a textile material treated by the method described in the first or second aspects of the present invention or the system described in the third aspect of the present invention, and articles formed from the treated textile material.

[0046] Compared with existing technologies, the methods and systems of this invention are simple and flexible to operate. Furthermore, by selectively combining special processes or equipment during the processing, special styles of textile materials can be manufactured. For example, applying specific tension to the textile material can improve its stiffness, or locally tightening the textile can achieve a partial color-peeling effect, or layering textiles of different colors can create textiles with transitional colors, and so on. In particular, the methods and systems of this invention are low-cost, require no chemical auxiliaries, generate no wastewater, and are easily implemented industrially. Attached Figure Description

[0047] The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the following description of the invention.

[0048] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a system according to certain embodiments of the present invention is shown.

[0049] Figure 2 The photographs show a comparison of the stripping rates of polyester fabric sheets (left and middle) and polylactic acid fabric sheets (right) before and after treatment using methods according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 3 The photograph shows a polyester fabric sheet before it has been treated using a method according to certain embodiments of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 4 The photograph shows a polyester fabric sheet with a special dyeing effect, treated by a method according to certain embodiments of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0052] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments; these examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the present invention in any way.

[0053] Now combined Figure 1The method and system of the present invention are further explained below. First, textile materials such as PET or PLA are pretreated to remove attached buttons, chains, non-textile decorations, etc., and cut into appropriately sized pieces. Then, the pretreated textile material is placed into a glass container of an N-1300 rotary evaporator, along with a certain amount of glass beads. The circulating heater is turned on to introduce heated pure nitrogen gas into the reaction apparatus (or a vacuum pump is used to provide a vacuum of ≤10 mbar to the reaction apparatus). The glass container is heated to a temperature of approximately 80-120°C using the oil bath of the N-1300 rotary evaporator. During this process, the reaction apparatus is rotated to ensure that the textile material is heated evenly and thoroughly mixed with the glass beads. The treatment lasts for approximately 0.5-3 hours. After the drying process, pure nitrogen gas is continuously supplied to the reaction apparatus via a circulating heater (or a vacuum pump is used to provide a vacuum of ≤10 mbar to the reaction apparatus), raising the temperature of the reaction apparatus to approximately 130-250°C. The reaction apparatus is then continuously rotated to thoroughly mix the glass beads and textile material for approximately 3-48 hours. During the process, a gas purifier is activated to remove gases, small particles, or dust such as dye molecules from the system. After the process is completed, the material in the reaction apparatus is allowed to cool to room temperature. At this point, it can be observed that dye molecules on the textile material are adsorbed onto the glass container or glass beads, resulting in a decolorized textile material with improved luster, stiffness, and abrasion resistance.

[0054] In some implementations, the methods described in this invention or the systems described in this invention can be performed without the use of glass beads.

[0055] In some embodiments, the method of the invention or the system of the invention can be carried out using a reaction apparatus that does not or does not contain a glass container, when it is not necessary to decolorize the textile material.

[0056] This method is simple, flexible, and has low production costs. It does not use chemical auxiliaries or generate wastewater. It can improve the performance of textiles and achieve overall color removal (with a color removal rate of over 95%) or partial color removal, thereby creating textiles with special styles.

[0057] Unless otherwise specified, the terminology used in this invention has the meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art. The invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments.

[0058] Example 1

[0059] A partially faded red polyester uniform fabric was placed in a glass container within an N-1300 rotary evaporator under an inert atmosphere. Heated pure nitrogen gas was introduced into the reaction apparatus via the circulating heater, raising the system temperature to 100°C and maintaining this temperature for 2 hours. The temperature was then raised to 215°C and maintained for 3 hours, while the gas purifier was activated. The apparatus was then cooled after the reaction was complete.

[0060] A polyester uniform fabric sheet with improved stiffness and abrasion resistance was obtained (see...) Figure 2 Its stripping rate is 94.7%, and it can be re-dyed and reused.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] Polyester yarn-dyed trench coat fabric pieces (see...) Figure 3 The two cloth pieces (top) are placed in the glass container of an N-1300 rotary evaporator under vacuum. The system is evacuated to a vacuum level ≤10 mbar and heated to 105°C for 1.5 hours. Then, with a vacuum level ≤1 mbar, the temperature is increased to 230°C and maintained for 2.5 hours, while the gas purifier is activated. After the reaction is complete, the apparatus is cooled.

[0063] A polyester trench coat fabric sheet with a soft luster, improved stiffness, and improved hand feel was obtained (see...). Figure 4 The two pieces of fabric at the top, and the yarns of different colors are processed to achieve random transfer of some dyes, resulting in a product with a special color transition style.

[0064] Example 3

[0065] Take a piece of dark blue polylactic acid apron fabric (see...) Figure 3 The cloth sheet (lower left) is placed in the glass container of an N-1300 rotary evaporator under vacuum. The system is evacuated to a vacuum level ≤5 mbar and heated to 105°C for 2 hours. Then, with a vacuum level ≤1 mbar, the temperature is increased to 150°C and maintained for 10 hours, while the gas purifier is activated. The apparatus is then cooled after the reaction is complete.

[0066] A polylactic acid sweatshirt fabric sheet with a soft sheen, improved stiffness, and improved feel was obtained (see...). Figure 4 The lower left fabric piece changes the overall color of the garment from dark blue to a soft light blue.

[0067] The above description of the embodiments is provided to enable those skilled in the art to understand and apply the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications can be easily made to these embodiments, and the general principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without inventive effort. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein, and any improvements and modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention should be within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for improving the wearability of a textile material and / or decolorizing a textile material, the method comprising the steps of: a drying step: heating the textile material to a temperature of 80-120 °C under an inert atmosphere or a vacuum of < 10 mbar for a period of 0.5-3 hours; and a high temperature treatment step: heating the textile material treated in the drying step to a temperature of 130-250 °C under an inert atmosphere or a vacuum of < 10 mbar for a period of 3-48 hours; wherein the textile material is a disperse dyeable textile material comprising polyester (PET), polylactic acid (PLA), nylon, acrylic textile material or any combination thereof.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of: a preparation step: providing and pre-treating the textile material to make it suitable for the drying step, wherein the pre-treating comprises removing non-textile items from the textile material, processing the textile material into small pieces, washing the textile material or any combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises a step of cooling the high temperature treated textile material after the high temperature treatment step.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein in the drying and / or high temperature treatment step, the inert atmosphere is helium.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the textile material is a polyester textile material and the high temperature treatment step comprises heating the textile material treated in the drying step to a temperature of 180-230 °C for a period of 3-24 hours.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the textile material is a polylactic acid textile material and the high temperature treatment step comprises heating the textile material treated in the drying step to a temperature of 140-155 °C for a period of 3-24 hours.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the drying step and high temperature treatment step are performed in a glass container, the drying step further comprises adding glass beads to the glass container and allowing them to come into sufficient contact with the textile material during the heating treatment, and the high temperature treatment step further comprises high temperature treating the textile material in the presence of the glass beads, thereby decolorizing the textile material.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein decolorizing the textile material comprises bulk decolorizing or partial decolorizing the textile material.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the pre-processing further comprises: arranging the textile material, wherein the arranging comprises hanging, laying flat, layering or any combination thereof the textile material, and / or partially bundling the textile material.

10. A treated textile material produced by the method of any one of claims 1-9 or an article formed therefrom.

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