Functional filament, ultra-fine functional fiber, and applications

Abstract

To provide a functional filament capable of realizing softness and texture, and capable of realizing a fabric especially suitable for use in clothing or underwear for infants.SOLUTION: A functional filament includes a polymer matrix and functional nanoparticles dispersed within the polymer matrix. The cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament ranges from 1 μm to 30 μm, and the functional nanoparticles include elements selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Ti, Ge, Zn, Al, Mg, Si, Cu, Ca, Fe, Ba, K, Na, Mn, Ni, Ga, Pt, and combinations thereof.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention provides a functional filament, particularly a functional filament having a cross-sectional diameter of only 1 μm to 30 μm and containing functional nanoparticles. The present invention also provides an ultra-fine functional fiber containing the functional filament, and a functional fabric containing the functional filament.

Background Art

[0002] In the fiber industry, a fiber refers to a yarn formed by twisting a plurality of filaments. With the development of fiber technology, the diameter of the filaments constituting the fiber has been refined to several micrometers, enabling the production of fabrics made from ultra-fine filaments with a soft texture and high-quality feel, particularly suitable for the production of underwear.

[0003] Due to the awareness of maintaining health, functional fibers containing functional nanoparticles with special functions have emerged. Among them, far-infrared fibers containing far-infrared radiation particles have achieved remarkable growth. Far-infrared fibers can promote blood circulation and metabolism.

[0004] Generally, functional fibers are prepared by adding functional particles (for example, metal particles capable of emitting far-infrared rays) to a masterbatch for filament production, and then twisting filaments containing the functional particles to produce functional fibers. However, due to the limitation of the size of functional particles, currently, the diameter of filaments containing functional particles cannot reach the micrometer scale. As a result, fabrics produced from fibers twisted from such filaments cannot achieve a satisfactory level of softness and texture.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention provides a new functional filament. The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is that in the prior art, generally, functional particles are ground to reduce the size of the functional material. However, this method has a technical bottleneck, making it impossible to produce functional filaments with micrometer dimensions. After continuous research, the inventor of the present invention has successfully overcome the technical bottleneck of the prior art and succeeded in producing functional filaments with micrometer dimensions. By twisting these functional filaments, ultrafine functional fibers can be formed, and the fabric made from this fiber can achieve a satisfactory level of softness and texture, and is particularly suitable for use in infant clothing or underwear.

Means for Solving the Problem

[0006] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a functional filament including a polymer matrix and functional nanoparticles dispersed in the polymer matrix, wherein the cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament ranges from 1 μm to 30 μm, and the functional nanoparticles include elements selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Ti, Ge, Zn, Al, Mg, Si, Cu, Ca, Fe, Ba, K, Na, Mn, Ni, Ga, Pt, and combinations thereof.

[0007] In some embodiments of the present invention, the cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament ranges from 5 μm to 20 μm.

[0008] In some embodiments of the present invention, the average particle diameter of the functional nanoparticles ranges from 1 nm to 300 nm.

[0009] In some embodiments of the present invention, the functional nanoparticles include Fe, Ti, and Ca.

[0010] In some embodiments of the present invention, the functional nanoparticles further contain elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mg, Ni, Zn, Mn, and combinations thereof.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the polymer matrix is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyurethane (PU), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), amino-containing polymers, silicone, and mixtures thereof.

[0012] In some embodiments of the present invention, the polymer matrix contains polyester.

[0013] Another object of the present invention is to provide an ultra-fine functional fiber containing the above-described functional filament.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the fiber fineness of the ultra-fine functional fiber is less than 0.7 denier.

[0015] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a functional fabric made of a fiber material, wherein the fiber material contains the above-described ultra-fine functional fiber.

[0016] In order to make the above objects, technical features, and advantages of the present invention more clear, the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to several embodiments.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, some embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. However, the present invention can be embodied in various embodiments and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

[0019] Unless otherwise specified, expressions such as "a", "the", etc. described in this specification and the claims are intended to include both the singular and the plural.

[0020] Unless otherwise specified, expressions such as "first", "second", etc. described in this specification and the claims are merely for distinguishing the recited elements or components and do not imply any special meaning or specific order.

[0021] As used herein, "ultrafine functional fiber" refers to a fiber having a fiber fineness of less than 0.7 denier.

[0022] The present invention provides a functional filament having a cross-sectional diameter of 30 μm or less. By using this functional filament, an ultrafine functional fiber with a soft and high-quality texture can be prepared, and the functional nanoparticles contained therein can provide a desired specific function (for example, far-infrared radiation). Hereinafter, the functional filament of the present invention and its uses will be described in detail.

[0023] 1. Functional Filament

[0024] The functional filament of the present invention includes a polymer matrix and functional nanoparticles dispersed in the polymer matrix. The cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament of the present invention can be reduced to 30 μm or less. Specifically, the cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament can be in the range of 1 μm to 30 μm. For example, the cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament can be 1 μm, 1.5 μm, 2 μm, 2.5 μm, 3 μm, 3.5 μm, 4 μm, 4.5 μm, 5 μm, 5.5 μm, 6 μm, 6.5 μm, 7 μm, 7.5 μm, 8 μm, 8.5 μm, 9 μm, 9.5 μm, 10 μm, 10.5 μm, 11 μm, 11.5 μm, 12 μm, 12.5 μm, 13 μm, 13.5 μm, 14 μm, 14.5 μm, 15 μm, 15.5 μm, 16 μm, 16.5 μm, 17 μm, 17.5 μm, 18 μm, 18.5 μm, 19 μm, 19.5 μm, 20 μm, 20.5 μm, 21 μm, 21.5 μm, 22 μm, 22.5 μm, 23 μm, 23.5 μm, 24 μm, 24.5 μm, 25 μm, 25.5 μm, 26 μm, 26.5 μm, 27 μm, 27.5 μm, 28 μm, 28.5 μm, 29 μm, 29.5 μm or 30 μm, or within the range between any two of the values described herein. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament is in the range of 1 μm to 20 μm, and more specifically, in the range of 5 μm to 20 μm.

[0025] 1.1. Functional Nanoparticles

[0026] The functional filament of the present invention contains functional nanoparticles to provide a specific desired function. Specifically, the functional nanoparticles contain elements selected from the following group: Au, Ag, Ti, Ge, Zn, Al, Mg, Si, Cu, Ca, Fe, Ba, K, Na, Mn, Ni, Pt, and Ga for providing a far-infrared radiation function. The above elements can be used alone or in combination of two or more. For example, the functional nanoparticles may contain the following elements: Ti; Ti and Au; Au and Pt; Au, Pt, and Na; Ti, Au, Pt, and Na; Ti, Au, Ge, and Zn; or Au, Ti, Ge, Zn, Al, Mg, and Na. In some embodiments of the present invention, the functional nanoparticles contain Ti, Fe, and Ca. In some embodiments of the present invention, the functional nanoparticles contain Ti, Fe, Ca, and one or more selected from Al, Ba, Cu, Fe, Mg, Ni, Zn, and Mn. In the attached examples, the functional nanoparticles contain Ti, Fe, Ca, Al, Zn, Ba, Cu, Mg, and Ni. The functional filament of the present invention can emit far-infrared rays in a wavelength range particularly favorable for the human body, specifically, in the wavelength range from 2 μm to 22 μm, particularly in the wavelength range from 4 μm to 14 μm, and especially includes far-infrared rays in the wavelength range from 6 μm to 6.5 μm. Therefore, the fabric made from the functional filament of the present invention can increase the blood flow and blood circulation speed of the user while safely maintaining the normal body surface temperature, blood pressure, and pulse rate.

[0027] The average particle diameter of the functional nanoparticles is controlled within a specific range so that the functional filament of the present invention has a cross-sectional diameter of 30 μm or less while providing the desired function. In some embodiments of the present invention, the average particle diameter of the functional nanoparticles ranges from 1 nm to 300 nm. For example, the average particle diameter of the functional nanoparticles is 1 nm, 5 nm, 10 nm, 15 nm, 20 nm, 25 nm, 30 nm, 35 nm, 40 nm, 45 nm, 50 nm, 55 nm, 60 nm, 65 nm, 70 nm, 75 nm, 80 nm, 85 nm, 90 nm, 95 nm, 100 nm, 105 nm, 110 nm, 115 nm, 120 nm, 125 nm, 130 nm, 135 nm, 140 nm, 145 nm, 150 nm, 155 nm, 160 nm, 165 nm, 170 nm, 175 nm, 180 nm, 185 nm, 190 nm, 195 nm, 200 nm, 205 nm, 210 nm, 215 nm, 220 nm, 225 nm, 230 nm, 235 nm, 240 nm, 245 nm, 250 nm, 255 nm, 260 nm, 265 nm, 270 nm, 275 nm, 280 nm, 285 nm, 290 nm, 295 nm or 300 nm, or within the range between any two of the values described herein.

[0028] Also, the far-infrared emissivity of the functional nanoparticles is at least 90%. For example, the far-infrared emissivity of the functional nanoparticles is 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%, or within the range between any two of the values described herein.

[0029] Generally, the preparation methods of nanoparticles can be roughly classified into gas condensation method, liquid phase reduction method, and mechanical alloying method. Examples of the liquid phase reduction method include, but are not limited to, coprecipitation method, sol-gel method, microemulsion method, hydrothermal / solvothermal synthesis, template method, and biomimetic synthesis. In order to form formulations and masterbatches for preparing functional filaments, and to facilitate the dispersion of functional nanoparticles in the functional filaments, the raw materials of the functional nanoparticles in the functional filaments can be functional nanoparticles having a core-shell structure. In some embodiments of the present invention, the raw materials of the functional nanoparticles can be functional nanoparticles having a core-shell structure, and the shell material thereof contains silicon, thereby improving the compatibility with the polymer matrix and the stability of the functional nanoparticles during the preparation of the functional filaments.

[0030] The above-mentioned functional nanoparticles having a core-shell structure can be prepared by the sol-gel method. First, a metal precursor containing the above-mentioned elements and deionized water are placed in a triangular flask, and while continuously stirring, this mixture is heated to boiling, and during boiling, an aqueous sodium citrate solution is dropped into the triangular flask. Then, after continuing boiling for 15 to 25 minutes, the mixed solution in the triangular flask is allowed to cool naturally to room temperature. Subsequently, a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solution is added to the triangular flask, and while continuously stirring, the mixed solution is heated again to 60°C to 80°C and held for 20 to 40 minutes to obtain a solution containing a metal nanoparticle core coated with PVP. Next, sodium citrate and a silicon-containing material are added to the solution containing the PVP-coated metal nanoparticle core, and the pH of the solution is adjusted to 5 to 7 with sodium bicarbonate and allowed to react to obtain functional nanoparticles having a core-shell structure.

[0031] Examples of the above-mentioned metal precursors include, but are not limited to, chloroauric acid (HAuCl4), titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), titanium tetrapropoxide, titanium n-butoxide, platinum tetrachloride, platinum(II) bis(acetylacetonate), silver nitrate, zinc chloride, zinc nitrate, etc.

[0032] Examples of the silicon-containing materials described above include, but are not limited to, silane, siloxane, silyl ether, silanol, siloxide, silicon chloride, and silazole. Examples of silane include, but are not limited to, methylsilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethylsilane, propyltrimethoxysilane, isobutyltrimethoxysilane, isobutyltriethoxysilane, n-octyltriethoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, tetramethoxysilane, tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), ethyltriacetoxysilane, cyclohexylmethyldimethoxysilane, and dicyclopentyldimethoxysilane. Examples of siloxane include, but are not limited to, polydimethylsiloxane, polymethylhydrosiloxane (PMHS), polydiethylsiloxane, polymethyl(3-glycidyloxypropyl)siloxane (PMGS), hexamethyldisiloxane, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, and decamethyltetrasiloxane. Examples of silyl ether include, but are not limited to, trimethylsilyl ether, triethylsilyl ether, tert-butyldimethylsilyl ether, and triisopropylsilyl ether. Examples of silanol include, but are not limited to, trimethylsilanol, triethylsilanol, and tri-tert-butylsilanol. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the material forming the shell structure of the functional nanoparticles includes silane, siloxane, or a combination thereof.Therefore, preferred examples of the silicon-containing material used for the preparation of the functional nanoparticles include, but are not limited to, methylsilane, methyltrimethoxysilane, methyltriethylsilane, propyltrimethoxysilane, isobutyltrimethoxysilane, isobutyltriethoxysilane, n-octyltriethoxysilane, vinyltrimethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, dimethyldimethoxysilane, tetramethoxysilane, tetraethoxysilane, ethyltriacetoxysilane, cyclohexylmethyldimethoxysilane, dicyclopentyldimethoxysilane, polydimethylsiloxane, PMHS, polydiethylsiloxane, PMGS, hexamethyldisiloxane, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane, octamethyltrisiloxane, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane, and decamethyltetrasiloxane.

[0033] 1.2. Polymer Matrix

[0034] In the functional filament of the present invention, the polymer matrix forms the main body of the filament, and the functional nanoparticles are dispersed therein. In some embodiments of the present invention, the polymer matrix is selected from the group consisting of polyester, PU, PVC, PP, PA, amino-containing polymers, and silicone. The above polymer matrix can be used alone or in combination of two or more. Examples of the polyester include, but are not limited to, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), and combinations thereof. In the attached examples, the polymer matrix is polyester.

[0035] In addition to the above-described functional nanoparticles, the functional filament of the present invention can optionally contain other conventional substances in order to provide additional desired functions. Examples of the additional desired functions include, but are not limited to, antibacterial function, antistatic function, ultraviolet protection function, flame retardant function, deodorizing function, and sterilizing function. The selection of the relevant conventional substances can be made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of this specification as needed, and will not be elaborated further here.

[0036] 1.3. Preparation of Functional Filament

[0037] The functional filament of the present invention can be prepared by a full pelletizing method, a masterbatch method, or an injection method, but the masterbatch method is preferred. For example, using the masterbatch method, a functional masterbatch and, if necessary, a diluent polymer are mixed at a specific ratio, for example, the weight ratio of the functional masterbatch to the non-functional masterbatch is 0.5:9.5, 1:9, 1.5:8.5, 2:8, 2.5:7.5, 3:7, 3.5:6.5, 1:3, 2:3, or 1:1 to obtain a mixture. Next, this mixture is subjected to a spinning procedure at a high temperature (depending on the type of polymer) to obtain a functional filament. The functional masterbatch refers to a masterbatch containing functional nanoparticles, and the non-functional masterbatch refers to a masterbatch not containing functional nanoparticles. The temperature of the spinning procedure must be such that the functional nanoparticles can be made to have fluidity in the polymer matrix of the masterbatch and the diluent polymer matrix so that they are uniformly distributed in the functional filament. In some embodiments of the present invention, the functional masterbatch and the non-functional masterbatch are mixed at a weight ratio of 3.3:6.7.

[0038] The above-described functional masterbatch can be prepared as follows. First, functional nanoparticles are dispersed in a solvent to form a solution. This solution, a polymer (for example, PBT), and a dispersant are completely mixed using a high-speed mixer, and then the mixed formulation, polymer, and dispersant are melt-extruded at a high temperature using an extruder to obtain a functional masterbatch. Examples of the solvent include, but are not limited to, water, isopropanol, or a combination thereof.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present invention, the functional filament is formed as a core-sheath type filament including a first polymer core layer and a second polymer sheath layer, where the first polymer core layer includes a first polymer and the second polymer sheath layer includes a second polymer. The first polymer and the second polymer together constitute the polymer matrix of the functional filament, and at least one of the first polymer core layer and the second polymer sheath layer contains functional nanoparticles. The first polymer and the second can be the same or different from each other and can be independently selected from the group consisting of polyester, PU, PVC, PP, PA, silicone, and combinations thereof.

[0040] The functional filament of the present invention can be manufactured as filaments having various cross-sectional shapes, for example, circular, elliptical, triangular, quadrangular or other polygonal, X-shaped, Y-shaped, or cross-shaped cross-sections, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Further, in order to achieve light weight and good elasticity, the functional filament of the present invention can also be manufactured as a hollow filament. Such modifications can be made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of this specification, but will not be described in further detail here.

[0041] 2. Ultra-fine functional fibers

[0042] The functional filament of the present invention has an extremely small cross-sectional diameter and can be reduced to 30 μm or less. Therefore, using the functional filament of the present invention, it is possible to form ultra-fine functional fibers with a low denier (D) and a high filament number (F). Thus, the present invention also provides ultra-fine functional fibers containing the above-described functional filaments. The ultra-fine functional fibers of the present invention can be formed by bundling the above-described functional filaments into strands. Alternatively, the ultra-fine functional fibers of the present invention can be formed by bundling the above-described functional filaments and other non-functional filaments into strands. Non-functional filaments include, but are not limited to, natural filaments and artificial filaments. Examples of natural filaments include, but are not limited to, silk filaments and cotton filaments. Examples of artificial filaments include, but are not limited to, polyester filaments and nylon filaments. The selection of non-functional filaments can be made by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of this specification as needed, but will not be described in further detail here. The bundling method can also be carried out by those skilled in the art based on the disclosure of this specification as needed, but will not be described in further detail here.

[0043] In some embodiments of the present invention, the ultra-fine functional fiber contains polyester as a matrix and has a fiber fineness of less than 0.7 denier. For example, the fiber fineness of the ultra-fine functional fiber can be 0.7 denier, 0.65 denier, 0.6 denier, 0.55 denier, 0.5 denier, 0.45 denier, 0.4 denier, 0.35 denier, 0.3 denier, 0.25 denier, 0.2 denier, 0.1 denier, or 0.05 denier. The specifications of the yarn formed from the ultra-fine functional fiber of the present invention include 20D / 36F, 20D / 48F, 30D / 48F, 30D / 72F, 40D / 72F, 40D / 96F, 50D / 96F, 50D / 108F, 50D / 144F, 75D / 108F, 75D / 144F, 75D / 156F, 80D / 144F, 80D / 156F, 100D / 144F, 100D / 156F, 100D / 192F, 105D / 156F, 105D / 192F, 150D / 216F, 150D / 228F, 150D / 288F, 175D / 262F, 175D / 288F, 200D / 288F, 200D / 300F, or a D / F value less than 0.7.

[0044] The ultra-fine functional fiber of the present invention can have a tensile strength of at least 2.5 g / D (gram / denier). More specifically, the tensile strength of the ultra-fine functional fiber of the present invention can be in the range of 2.5 g / D to 5 g / D. For example, the tensile strength of the ultra-fine functional fiber of the present invention can be 2.6 g / D, 2.7 g / D, 2.8 g / D, 2.9 g / D, 3 g / D, 3.1 g / D, 3.2 g / D, 3.3 g / D, 3.4 g / D, 3.5 g / D, 3.6 g / D, 3.7 g / D, 3.8 g / D, 3.9 g / D, 4 g / D, 4.1 g / D, 4.2 g / D, 4.3 g / D, 4.4 g / D, 4.5 g / D, 4.6 g / D, 4.7 g / D, 4.8 g / D, 4.9 g / D or 5 g / D, or within the range between any two of the values described herein. The above tensile strength is measured in accordance with ASTM D2256-2002.

[0045] 3. Functional fabric

[0046] The ultrafine functional fibers of the present invention can be used alone or in combination with other fibers to produce various functional fabrics. Thus, the present invention also provides a functional fabric made from a fiber material containing the ultrafine functional fibers of the present invention and, if necessary, other fibers. The functional fabrics include, but are not limited to, bedding (blankets, mattresses, sheets, etc.), clothing (tops, bottoms, underwear, etc.), chair cushions, eye masks, waist belts, neck protectors, elbow protectors, shawls, and external patches.

[0047] The functional fabric of the present invention has the advantages of a soft texture, gentleness to the skin, and good breathability, and is particularly suitable as clothing or underwear for babies. Furthermore, the functional nanoparticles contained therein emit far-infrared rays to promote blood circulation, which is beneficial to the metabolism of infants and is useful, for example, in reducing neonatal jaundice. Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the functional fabric is a baby sleeping bag, a baby bellyband, a reusable diaper, clothing that directly touches the skin, underwear, menstrual panties, etc.

[0048] The softness of the functional fabric of the present invention can be represented by "stiffness". The stiffness can be evaluated by a cantilever test in accordance with ASTM D1388-14. Generally, if the drape length of the fabric does not exceed 15 mm, the fabric is evaluated as soft. In some embodiments of the present invention, the drape length of the functional fabric is 5.3 mm in the length direction and 6.2 mm in the width direction, indicating excellent softness.

[0049] Also, the far-infrared emissivity of the functional fabric of the present invention is at least 90%. For example, the far-infrared emissivity of the functional fabric of the present invention is 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%, or within the range between any two of the values described herein.

[0050] 4. Examples

[0051] 4.1. Preparation of Functional Nanoparticles

[0052] [Preparation Example 1]

[0053] TiCl4 and deionized water were placed in an Erlenmeyer flask, heated with continuous stirring until boiling, and while boiling, an aqueous sodium citrate solution was dropped into the Erlenmeyer flask to obtain a mixed solution. Next, the mixed solution in the Erlenmeyer flask was boiled for 15 to 25 minutes and then naturally cooled to room temperature. Subsequently, a PVP solution was added to the Erlenmeyer flask, and the mixed solution was heated again to 60°C to 80°C for 20 to 40 minutes with continuous stirring to obtain a solution containing PVP-coated titanium nanocores. In the second stage, a shell structure formed from tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) was prepared to encapsulate the PVP-coated titanium nanocores. First, sodium citrate and a silicon-containing material were added to the solution containing PVP-coated titanium nanocores, and the pH value of the solution was adjusted to 5 to 7 using sodium hydrogen carbonate to form functional nanoparticles having a core-shell structure. Here, the shell material is tetraethoxysilane (TEOS), and the core material is titanium nanoparticles. Figure 1 is a scanning electron microscope image of the functional nanoparticles of Preparation Example 1. The average particle size of the functional nanoparticles of Preparation Example 1 is 49.96 nm, and the far-infrared emissivity is 95%.

[0054] 4.2. Preparation of Functional Filaments and Ultra-Fine Functional Fibers

[0055] The functional nanoparticles, dispersant, and PBT of Preparation Example 1 were thoroughly mixed using a mixer. The mixed functional nanoparticles, dispersant, and PBT were extruded at a temperature of 230°C to 295°C using an extruder to obtain a functional masterbatch.

[0056] The obtained functional masterbatch and PET excluding functional nanoparticles were mixed at a weight ratio of 3.3:6.7 (functional masterbatch: PET excluding functional nanoparticles) to obtain a mixture. Next, this mixture was extruded at 265°C using an extruder, and then processed in a screw spinning process, a winding process, and a post-treatment process to obtain functional filaments. The cross-sectional diameter of the functional filaments ranges from 5 μm to 20 μm.

[0057] The functional filaments produced in Preparation Example 1 were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The results are shown in Figure 2. The calculated cross-sectional diameter of the functional filaments was about 13.5 μm. Furthermore, for the functional masterbatch, a filter pressure rise test was conducted in accordance with BS EN 13900-5:2005. The results are shown in Figure 3. As can be seen from Figure 3, under the test conditions of 285°C and a filter pore size of 20 μm, the pressure before adding the functional masterbatch was 35 bar, and the pressure after adding the functional masterbatch was 52 bar, and it was stable between 52 bar and 55 bar. These results indicate that the functional masterbatch has good dispersibility, does not cause excessive pressure leading to shutdown problems during extrusion, and can be extruded stably, thus avoiding problems such as filament breakage or filament floating, and having the advantage of production stability.

[0058] Next, the functional filaments were collected to produce ultra-fine functional fibers. The denier of the obtained ultra-fine functional fibers is 75D / 144F. Furthermore, the tensile strength of the obtained ultra-ultra-fine functional fibers measured in accordance with ASTM D2256-2002 ranges from 2.6 g / D to 3.1 g / D.

[0059] 4.3. ICP-OES Analysis

[0060] The elements contained in the ultra-fine functional fiber were analyzed using an inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). The results of the analysis are as follows. The ultra-fine functional fiber contains approximately 1450 ppm of Ti, approximately 276 ppm of Fe, approximately 157 ppm of Ca, approximately 43 ppm of Al, approximately 51 ppm of Zn, and less than 30 ppm of Ba, Cu, Mg, and Ni. It was confirmed that the ultra-fine functional fiber contains 1000 ppm or more of Ti and has a far-infrared radiation function.

[0061] 4.4. Test for softness (firmness)

[0062] A test sample with a length of 75 mm and a width of 25 mm was woven from the ultra-fine functional fiber of Preparation Example 1. For this test sample, a cantilever test was performed in accordance with ASTM D1388-14, and the drape length was measured. The results show that the drape length is 5.3 mm in the length direction and 6.2 mm in the width direction. This result indicates that the functional fiber of the present invention has excellent softness and is particularly suitable for baby clothes or underwear.

[0063] The above-described embodiments merely exemplarily explain the principles and effects of the present invention, and are intended to explain the inventive features of the present invention, and do not limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any changes or modifications that can be easily achieved by those skilled in the art are included within the scope claimed by the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A functional filament comprising a polymer matrix and functional nanoparticles dispersed within the polymer matrix, wherein the cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament ranges from 1 μm to 30 μm, and the functional nanoparticles include elements selected from the group consisting of Au, Ag, Ti, Ge, Zn, Al, Mg, Si, Cu, Ca, Fe, Ba, K, Na, Mn, Ni, Ga, Pt, and combinations thereof.

2. The functional filament according to Claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional diameter of the functional filament ranges from 5 μm to 20 μm.

3. The functional filament according to Claim 1, wherein the average particle diameter of the functional nanoparticles ranges from 1 nm to 300 nm.

4. The functional filament according to Claim 1, wherein the functional nanoparticles include Fe, Ti, and Ca.

5. The functional filament according to Claim 4, wherein the functional nanoparticles further include elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Ba, Cu, Mg, Ni, Zn, Mn, and combinations thereof.

6. The functional filament according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the polymer matrix is selected from the group consisting of polyester, polyurethane (PU), poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC), polypropylene (PP), polyamide (PA), amino-containing polymers, silicone, and mixtures thereof.

7. The functional filament according to Claim 6, wherein the polymer matrix includes polyester.

8. An ultrafine functional fiber comprising the functional filament according to any one of Claims 1 to 5.

9. The ultrafine functional fiber according to Claim 8, wherein the fiber fineness of the ultrafine functional fiber is less than 0.7 denier.

10. A functional fabric made from a fiber material, wherein the fiber material includes the ultrafine functional fiber according to Claim 8.

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