Long fiber and fabric therefrom

Abstract

A long fiber includes a body extending along a length direction, and the material of the body includes pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose. The disclosure also provides a fabric. Because the pineapple cellulose of the creation is modified pineapple cellulose, the colors of the long fibers and fabrics therefrom are not limited, and there is no need to use a large amount of additives to change the colors of the long fibers and fabrics therefrom.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fiber and a fabric including the same, and more particularly to a long fiber and a fabric including the long fiber.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In recent years, the frequency of abnormal climate phenomena has increased, drawing public attention to issues related to environmental sustainability and associated technologies. Since cellulose is a primary component of plant cell walls and represents the most abundant biopolymer material in nature, and because cellulose can be regenerated from natural sources and is capable of natural decomposition, it has attracted considerable attention amid the current trends toward environmental protection and sustainability. Cellulose has been widely applied in various fields, including in the production of composite materials formed by mixing cellulose with resins. The aforementioned composite materials may be used for manufacturing long fibers and fabrics.

[0003] In order to enhance the mixing effect of cellulose and resins, conventional technologies typically subject the cellulose to a pretreatment process. However, such pretreatment generally alters the color of the cellulose, changing it from its original light (yellow) color to a darker (black) color. As a result, the color of the composite material is limited, or a large amount of additives must be employed to modify the color. Accordingly, the production of cellulose that exhibits good dispersibility in the resin while maintaining a light color is an issue that urgently requires resolutions by those skilled in the relevant art.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present disclosure provides long fibers that are not limited in color and do not require the use of a large amount of additives to modify the color of the long fibers.

[0005] The present disclosure further provides fabrics that are not limited in color and do not require the use of a large amount if additives to modify the color of the fabrics.

[0006] In order to achieve one, parts, or all of the above objects or other objects, an embodiment of the disclosure provides a long fiber including a body extending along a length direction. The body includes pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose.

[0007] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the pineapple cellulose is nanocellulose.

[0008] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the pineapple cellulose is not subjected to carbonization treatment.

[0009] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the body has a fineness between 70 D and 150 D.

[0010] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the thermoplastic resin comprises nylon, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof.

[0011] In an embodiment of the disclosure, a cross-section of the body perpendicular to the length direction is circular.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a fabric including a fabric body. The fabric body has a sheet-like structure and includes a plurality of long fibers. Each of the long fibers includes a body extending along a length direction. Each of the bodies includes pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin, and the pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose.

[0013] Since the present disclosure employs modified pineapple cellulose, the color of the long fibers and fabrics is not limited, and the use of a large amount of additives to modify the color of the long fibers and fabrics is not required.

[0014] Other objectives, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be further understood from the further technological features disclosed by the embodiments of the present disclosure wherein there are shown and described preferred embodiments of this disclosure, simply by way of illustration of modes best suited to carry out the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a long fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the long fiber taken along line A-A in FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a fabric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of region B in FIG. 3.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a long fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to FIG. 1. In the embodiment, a long fiber 100 includes a body 110 extending along a length direction C. The body 110 includes pineapple cellulose and a thermos plastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose. In the embodiment, the pineapple cellulose is nanocellulose. Specifically, by disintegrating the pineapple cellulose into individual cellulose nanofibers having a single dimension at the nanoscale (i.e. a single dimension less than 100 nm), the physical properties of the pineapple cellulose can be altered, thereby providing excellent characteristics such as high strength, low thermal expansion coefficient, and low density. As a result, the long fiber 100 can exhibit properties such as high strength and high elasticity.

[0020] In the present embodiment, the thermoplastic resin may be, for example, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or a combination thereof. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, other types of polyester fibers may also be employed. Typically, the surface of pineapple cellulose includes, for example, hydroxyl groups and is, for example, hydrophilic while the thermoplastic resin is hydrophobic. In the embodiment, the pineapple cellulose is subjected to a modification treatment to enhance the hydrophobicity of the pineapple cellulose, thereby enabling the pineapple cellulose to be uniformly dispersed within the thermoplastic resin. Accordingly, when the pineapple cellulose and the thermoplastic resin are melt-blended and spun (i.e., during the spinning process for forming the long fibers 100), clogging of the spinneret due to uneven dispersion of the pineapple cellulose can be avoided. In other words, the modified pineapple cellulose improves the dispersibility of the pineapple cellulose in the thermoplastic resin. The modification treatment used in the embodiment of the disclosure may include, for example, grafting treatment, alkali treatment, coupling agent treatment, or a combination thereof. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the modified pineapple cellulose in the present embodiment may also exhibit improved thermal stability to prevent thermal decomposition of the pineapple cellulose during melt-blending with the thermoplastic resin.

[0021] It is noted that, in the embodiment, since the pineapple cellulose is subjected to a modification treatment, carbonization treatment is not required. As a result, the pineapple cellulose can maintain a light color, and the long fibers 100 are not subject to color change due to the addition of the pineapple cellulose. For example, in one embodiment of the disclosure, the modified pineapple cellulose may be light yellow or off-white, and the base color of the long fibers 100 (i.e., the color of the long fibers 100 without added pigments) may also be light yellow or off-white. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In continuation of the foregoing, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the base color of the long fibers 100 may be a light color, thereby facilitating adjustment of the color of the long fibers 100 by pigments, for example, to red, green, or other colors. By contrast, in conventional technologies, the color of cellulose subjected to treatment typically turns dark (black), causing the base color of conventional long fibers to become dark (black) as well, thereby necessitating the use of a large amount of additives to alter the color of the conventional long fibers. In summary, the pineapple cellulose of the present embodiment does not limit the color of the long fibers 100, and the long fibers 100, as compared to conventional technologies, can avoid the need for a large amount of additives to modify color, thereby providing enhanced environmental friendliness.

[0022] On the other hand, pineapple is an important economic crop in Taiwan, with an annual production of over 400,000 metric tons of pineapples, which simultaneously generates as much as 700,000 metric tons of pineapple leaves. Conventionally, after harvesting the pineapple fruit, the remaining plant parts (including the pineapple leaves and pineapple stems) are regarded as agricultural waste and are either crushed and buried on site or incinerated as garbage. The pineapple cellulose of the present embodiment may be extracted from pineapple leaves or pineapple stems, thereby enabling the recycling and reuse of pineapple plants to reduce the burden associated with the disposal of agricultural waste, while further imparting new value to the pineapple plant. In addition, because the pineapple cellulose is a by-product of fresh pineapple production, it does not require the deliberate cultivation of additional crops or the consumption of additional resources, and its abundant availability facilitates local sourcing. The use of such pineapple cellulose also offers the advantage of reduced carbon emissions.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the long fiber taken along line A-A in FIG. 1. Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In the embodiment, a cross-section of the body 110 of the long fiber 100 perpendicular to the length direction C is, for example, circular. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the long fiber 100 may be drawn to a very fine diameter. Specifically, the fineness of the body 100 may be, for example, between 70 D and 150 D, such as 75 D, 80 D, 100 D, or 120 D. The disclosure is not limited thereto. Here, the symbol “D” represents a unit of the fiber fineness, also known as denier. Denier is a fixed-length fineness unit defined as a weight in grams of 9,000 meters of yarn, wherein a weight of 1 gram corresponds to 1 denier.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a fabric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of region B in FIG. 3. Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. In an embodiment of the disclosure, a fabric 200 is provided. The fabric 200 includes a fabric body 210. The fabric body 210 has a sheet-like structure and includes the plurality of long fibers 100. Each of the long fibers 100 includes the body 110 extending along the length direction C (as shown in FIG. 1). The body 110 includes pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose. In other words, the long fiber 100 may be used to produce the fabric 200. In addition, the fabric 200 may be further used in applications such as the manufacture of garments, home furnishing products (e.g., pillowcases, curtains), shoe uppers, based fabrics for artificial leather, and interior decoration of vehicles (e.g. seat cover). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the fabric 200 may include other fibers in addition to the long fibers 100. The disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0025] It is noted that the fabric 200 in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is, for example, made by weaving the long fibers 100 in a plain weave. However, the disclosure does not specifically limit the manner in which the long fibers are formed into the fabric 200. In another embodiment, the fabric 200 may be a knitted fabric formed from the long fibers 100, or a non-woven fabric.

[0026] While the disclosure has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0019]FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a long fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to FIG. 1. In the embodiment, a long fiber 100 includes a body 110 extending along a length direction C. The body 110 includes pineapple cellulose and a thermos plastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose. In the embodiment, the pineapple cellulose is nanocellulose. Specifically, by disintegrating the pineapple cellulose into individual cellulose nanofibers having a single dimension at the nanoscale (i.e. a single dimension less than 100 nm), the physical properties of the pineapple cellulose can be altered, thereby providing excellent characteristics such as high strength, low thermal expansion coefficient, and low density. As a result, the long fiber 100 can exhibit properties such as high strength and high elasticity.

[0020]In the present embodiment, the thermoplastic resin may be, for example, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), o...

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a fiber and a fabric including the same, and more particularly to a long fiber and a fabric including the long fiber.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] In recent years, the frequency of abnormal climate phenomena has increased, drawing public attention to issues related to environmental sustainability and associated technologies. Since cellulose is a primary component of plant cell walls and represents the most abundant biopolymer material in nature, and because cellulose can be regenerated from natural sources and is capable of natural decomposition, it has attracted considerable attention amid the current trends toward environmental protection and sustainability. Cellulose has been widely applied in various fields, including in the production of composite materials formed by mixing cellulose with resins. The aforementioned composite materials may be used for manufacturing long fibers and fabrics.

[0003] In order to enhance the mixing effect of cellulose and resins, conventional technologies typically subject the cellulose to a pretreatment process. However, such pretreatment generally alters the color of the cellulose, changing it from its original light (yellow) color to a darker (black) color. As a result, the color of the composite material is limited, or a large amount of additives must be employed to modify the color. Accordingly, the production of cellulose that exhibits good dispersibility in the resin while maintaining a light color is an issue that urgently requires resolutions by those skilled in the relevant art.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present disclosure provides long fibers that are not limited in color and do not require the use of a large amount of additives to modify the color of the long fibers.

[0005] The present disclosure further provides fabrics that are not limited in color and do not require the use of a large amount if additives to modify the color of the fabrics.

[0006] In order to achieve one, parts, or all of the above objects or other objects, an embodiment of the disclosure provides a long fiber including a body extending along a length direction. The body includes pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose.

[0007] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the pineapple cellulose is nanocellulose.

[0008] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the pineapple cellulose is not subjected to carbonization treatment.

[0009] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the body has a fineness between 70 D and 150 D.

[0010] In an embodiment of the disclosure, the thermoplastic resin comprises nylon, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof.

[0011] In an embodiment of the disclosure, a cross-section of the body perpendicular to the length direction is circular.

[0012] According to an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a fabric including a fabric body. The fabric body has a sheet-like structure and includes a plurality of long fibers. Each of the long fibers includes a body extending along a length direction. Each of the bodies includes pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin, and the pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose.

[0013] Since the present disclosure employs modified pineapple cellulose, the color of the long fibers and fabrics is not limited, and the use of a large amount of additives to modify the color of the long fibers and fabrics is not required.

[0014] Other objectives, features and advantages of the present disclosure will be further understood from the further technological features disclosed by the embodiments of the present disclosure wherein there are shown and described preferred embodiments of this disclosure, simply by way of illustration of modes best suited to carry out the disclosure.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a long fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the long fiber taken along line A-A in FIG. 1.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a fabric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of region B in FIG. 3.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a long fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to FIG. 1. In the embodiment, a long fiber 100 includes a body 110 extending along a length direction C. The body 110 includes pineapple cellulose and a thermos plastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose. In the embodiment, the pineapple cellulose is nanocellulose. Specifically, by disintegrating the pineapple cellulose into individual cellulose nanofibers having a single dimension at the nanoscale (i.e. a single dimension less than 100 nm), the physical properties of the pineapple cellulose can be altered, thereby providing excellent characteristics such as high strength, low thermal expansion coefficient, and low density. As a result, the long fiber 100 can exhibit properties such as high strength and high elasticity.

[0020] In the present embodiment, the thermoplastic resin may be, for example, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), or a combination thereof. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, other types of polyester fibers may also be employed. Typically, the surface of pineapple cellulose includes, for example, hydroxyl groups and is, for example, hydrophilic while the thermoplastic resin is hydrophobic. In the embodiment, the pineapple cellulose is subjected to a modification treatment to enhance the hydrophobicity of the pineapple cellulose, thereby enabling the pineapple cellulose to be uniformly dispersed within the thermoplastic resin. Accordingly, when the pineapple cellulose and the thermoplastic resin are melt-blended and spun (i.e., during the spinning process for forming the long fibers 100), clogging of the spinneret due to uneven dispersion of the pineapple cellulose can be avoided. In other words, the modified pineapple cellulose improves the dispersibility of the pineapple cellulose in the thermoplastic resin. The modification treatment used in the embodiment of the disclosure may include, for example, grafting treatment, alkali treatment, coupling agent treatment, or a combination thereof. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto. Furthermore, the modified pineapple cellulose in the present embodiment may also exhibit improved thermal stability to prevent thermal decomposition of the pineapple cellulose during melt-blending with the thermoplastic resin.

[0021] It is noted that, in the embodiment, since the pineapple cellulose is subjected to a modification treatment, carbonization treatment is not required. As a result, the pineapple cellulose can maintain a light color, and the long fibers 100 are not subject to color change due to the addition of the pineapple cellulose. For example, in one embodiment of the disclosure, the modified pineapple cellulose may be light yellow or off-white, and the base color of the long fibers 100 (i.e., the color of the long fibers 100 without added pigments) may also be light yellow or off-white. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In continuation of the foregoing, in one embodiment of the present disclosure, the base color of the long fibers 100 may be a light color, thereby facilitating adjustment of the color of the long fibers 100 by pigments, for example, to red, green, or other colors. By contrast, in conventional technologies, the color of cellulose subjected to treatment typically turns dark (black), causing the base color of conventional long fibers to become dark (black) as well, thereby necessitating the use of a large amount of additives to alter the color of the conventional long fibers. In summary, the pineapple cellulose of the present embodiment does not limit the color of the long fibers 100, and the long fibers 100, as compared to conventional technologies, can avoid the need for a large amount of additives to modify color, thereby providing enhanced environmental friendliness.

[0022] On the other hand, pineapple is an important economic crop in Taiwan, with an annual production of over 400,000 metric tons of pineapples, which simultaneously generates as much as 700,000 metric tons of pineapple leaves. Conventionally, after harvesting the pineapple fruit, the remaining plant parts (including the pineapple leaves and pineapple stems) are regarded as agricultural waste and are either crushed and buried on site or incinerated as garbage. The pineapple cellulose of the present embodiment may be extracted from pineapple leaves or pineapple stems, thereby enabling the recycling and reuse of pineapple plants to reduce the burden associated with the disposal of agricultural waste, while further imparting new value to the pineapple plant. In addition, because the pineapple cellulose is a by-product of fresh pineapple production, it does not require the deliberate cultivation of additional crops or the consumption of additional resources, and its abundant availability facilitates local sourcing. The use of such pineapple cellulose also offers the advantage of reduced carbon emissions.

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the long fiber taken along line A-A in FIG. 1. Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. In the embodiment, a cross-section of the body 110 of the long fiber 100 perpendicular to the length direction C is, for example, circular. However, the disclosure is not limited thereto. In one embodiment of the disclosure, the long fiber 100 may be drawn to a very fine diameter. Specifically, the fineness of the body 100 may be, for example, between 70 D and 150 D, such as 75 D, 80 D, 100 D, or 120 D. The disclosure is not limited thereto. Here, the symbol “D” represents a unit of the fiber fineness, also known as denier. Denier is a fixed-length fineness unit defined as a weight in grams of 9,000 meters of yarn, wherein a weight of 1 gram corresponds to 1 denier.

[0024] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a fabric according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic diagram of region B in FIG. 3. Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. In an embodiment of the disclosure, a fabric 200 is provided. The fabric 200 includes a fabric body 210. The fabric body 210 has a sheet-like structure and includes the plurality of long fibers 100. Each of the long fibers 100 includes the body 110 extending along the length direction C (as shown in FIG. 1). The body 110 includes pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose. In other words, the long fiber 100 may be used to produce the fabric 200. In addition, the fabric 200 may be further used in applications such as the manufacture of garments, home furnishing products (e.g., pillowcases, curtains), shoe uppers, based fabrics for artificial leather, and interior decoration of vehicles (e.g. seat cover). However, the disclosure is not limited thereto. In another embodiment, the fabric 200 may include other fibers in addition to the long fibers 100. The disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0025] It is noted that the fabric 200 in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is, for example, made by weaving the long fibers 100 in a plain weave. However, the disclosure does not specifically limit the manner in which the long fibers are formed into the fabric 200. In another embodiment, the fabric 200 may be a knitted fabric formed from the long fibers 100, or a non-woven fabric.

[0026] While the disclosure has been described in terms of what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the disclosure needs not be limited to the disclosed embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which are to be accorded with the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar structures.

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0019]FIG. 1 is a schematic top view of a long fiber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Please refer to FIG. 1. In the embodiment, a long fiber 100 includes a body 110 extending along a length direction C. The body 110 includes pineapple cellulose and a thermos plastic resin. The pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose. In the embodiment, the pineapple cellulose is nanocellulose. Specifically, by disintegrating the pineapple cellulose into individual cellulose nanofibers having a single dimension at the nanoscale (i.e. a single dimension less than 100 nm), the physical properties of the pineapple cellulose can be altered, thereby providing excellent characteristics such as high strength, low thermal expansion coefficient, and low density. As a result, the long fiber 100 can exhibit properties such as high strength and high elasticity.

[0020]In the present embodiment, the thermoplastic resin may be, for example, nylon, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), o...

Claims

1. A long fiber, comprising:a body, extending along a length direction;wherein the body comprises pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin, and the pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose.

2. The long fiber according to claim 1, wherein the pineapple cellulose is nanocellulose.

3. The long fiber according to claim 1, wherein the pineapple cellulose is not subjected to carbonization treatment.

4. The long fiber according to claim 1, wherein the body has a fineness between 70 D and 150 D.

5. The long fiber according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic resin comprises nylon, polybutylene terephthalate, or a combination thereof.

6. The long fiber according to claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the body perpendicular to the length direction is circular.

7. A fabric, comprising:a fabric body, having a sheet-like structure, wherein the fabric body comprises a plurality of long fibers, each of the long fibers comprises a body extending along a length direction, each of the bodies comprises pineapple cellulose and a thermoplastic resin, and the pineapple cellulose is modified pineapple cellulose.

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