Fiber used for fabric product for blood circulation promotion or far-infrared radiation, yarn, knitted fabric, and fabric product

Abstract

The purpose of the present technology is to impart the function of a porous carbon material to fibers in a matrix without using amorphous Bincho charcoal fine particles having irregularities generated by pulverizing hard Bincho charcoal.　As a result of intensive studies, the present inventors have found that, by kneading a specific porous carbon material into a matrix of fibers, a deodorizing function can be suitably imparted to the fibers in the matrix even when the surface of the porous carbon material is covered with the fibers in the matrix. Furthermore, it was found that far-infrared radiation performance of the fibers in the matrix can be improved by kneading the specific porous carbon material into the matrix of the fibers.

Description

Fibers, yarns, knitted fabrics, and textile products used in fabric products for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared radiation.

[0001] This disclosure relates to fibers, yarns, knitted fabrics, and textile products. More specifically, it relates to fibers suitable for use in textile products that have excellent blood circulation promoting or far-infrared radiation effects, and products using such fibers.

[0002] Fibers manufactured by incorporating functional materials into the raw materials have been known for some time.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 below discloses a deodorizing rayon fiber characterized by having a large number of binchotan charcoal fine particles, which are made by crushing binchotan charcoal, embedded in a rayon fiber base.

[0004] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2001-98412

[0005] As described in the prior art of Patent Document 1, if a porous carbon material such as activated carbon fine particles is included in the rayon fiber matrix, the fine pores of the activated carbon fine particles become covered with cellulose, and the adsorption capacity of odor molecules is almost eliminated, which may prevent the matrix fiber from being given a deodorizing function.

[0006] On the other hand, when using irregularly shaped binchotan charcoal microparticles with uneven surfaces, such as the deodorizing rayon fiber disclosed in Patent Document 1, the protrusions are exposed on the outside of the fiber, and these exposed parts take in odor components into the binchotan charcoal microparticles, thereby exhibiting a deodorizing function, the protruding shapes resulting from the crushing of hard binchotan charcoal are exposed on the fiber surface, which can limit the uses of the fiber.

[0007] The primary objective of this technology is to impart the functionality of porous carbon materials to the base fibers without using irregularly shaped binchotan charcoal microparticles with uneven surfaces, which are produced by crushing hard binchotan charcoal.

[0008] As a result of diligent research, the inventors have discovered that by incorporating a specific porous carbon material into the fiber matrix, a deodorizing function can be suitably imparted to the matrix fiber. Furthermore, they have discovered that incorporating the above-mentioned specific porous carbon material into the fiber matrix can improve the far-infrared radiation performance of the matrix fiber.

[0009] That is, in the present technology, the value of the pore volume based on the BJH method is 0.1 cm ３ per 1 cm of the solidified porous carbon material ３ or more, and provides a fiber for use in a fabric product for promoting blood circulation or far-infrared radiation, in which a porous carbon material having a particle diameter of 3.0 μm or less is kneaded into chemical fiber. In the fiber of the present technology, the particle diameter of the porous carbon material may be 0.6 μm or less. Also, the particle diameter of the porous carbon material may be 0.05 μm or more. In the fiber of the present technology, the porous carbon material may not substantially expose from the surface of the fiber. In the fiber of the present technology, the value of the specific surface area of the porous carbon material by the nitrogen BET method is 2 × 10 3 to 3 × 10 2 m 2 per 1 cm 2 m 2 It may be. In the fiber of the present technology, the pores of the porous carbon material may include mesopores having a pore diameter of 2 nm to 50 nm and micropores having a pore diameter of 2 nm or less formed on the surface of the mesopores. In the fiber of the present technology, the bulk density of the porous carbon material may be 0.2 g / cm ３ to 0.4 g / cm ３ It may be. In the fiber of the present technology, the porous carbon material may be a porous carbon material from which the silicon component has been removed by acid treatment or alkali treatment. In the fiber of the present technology, the content of the porous carbon material may be 3% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less. In the fiber of the present technology, the chemical fiber may be a regenerated fiber, and the regenerated fiber may be rayon.

[0010] Next, this technology provides yarn for use in fabric products for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, which includes the fibers of this technology. Furthermore, this technology provides a knitted fabric for use in fabric products for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, which is knitted using two or more types of yarn, including at least the yarn of this technology, and which has multiple layers with different yarn compositions depending on the knitting structure, with a layer on one side in which the yarn described in claim 12 is exposed. In the knitted fabric of this technology, the layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed may have the largest proportion among the multiple layers. The knitted fabric of this technology may consist of two layers. In the knitted fabric of this technology, the two or more types of yarn may include yarn that does not contain the fibers of this technology, and the two or more types of yarn may include yarn that contains polyester fibers. In the knitted fabric of this technology, the knitting structure may be a circular knitting structure. In this case, the circular knitting structure may be a double knitting structure or a plating knitting structure. Furthermore, this technology provides a fabric product for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, in which the knitted fabric of this technology is used, with the side where the layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed is arranged as the surface that comes into contact with the user.

[0011] This is an illustrative diagram showing the fibers of this technology. This is an illustrative diagram showing the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology. This is an illustrative diagram showing the porous carbon material related to ordinary activated carbon nanoparticles. This is data showing the emissivity of light in the far-infrared region of fibers containing the porous carbon material of this technology and fibers containing the porous carbon material related to ordinary activated carbon nanoparticles (binchotan charcoal), measured using a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). This is an illustrative diagram showing a fabric product using the knitted fabric of this technology. This is a photograph of the fibers of this technology observed with an electron microscope. This is a photograph of the fibers of this technology observed with an optical microscope. This is a photograph of a modified example of the fibers of this technology observed with an optical microscope. This is an illustrative diagram of an eye mask using the knitted fabric of this technology.

[0012] Preferred embodiments of the present technology are described below. However, the embodiments shown below are merely examples of typical embodiments of the present technology, and the present technology is not limited to these preferred embodiments, but can be freely modified within the scope of the present technology.

[0013] [Fibers] The fibers of this technology have a structure in which a specific porous carbon material is blended into chemical fibers. The elements that make up the fibers of this technology will be explained in more detail below.

[0014] <Porous Carbon Material> The porous carbon material contained in the chemical fiber that forms the base of the fibers of this technology has a pore volume value based on the BJH method, which is equal to 1 cm³ of solidified porous carbon material. ３ 0.1 cm ３ The above is complete. The porous carbon material is suitably prepared by removing the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) during the manufacturing process.

[0015] The pore volume calculated using the BJH method is first determined by adsorbing and desorbing nitrogen as an adsorbed molecule onto a porous carbon material, thereby obtaining the desorption isotherm. Then, based on the obtained desorption isotherm, the thickness of the adsorbed layer when the adsorbed molecules (e.g., nitrogen) are gradually adsorbed and desorbed from a state where the pores are filled with adsorbed molecules, and the inner diameter of the pores created at that time (twice the core radius) are determined, and the pore radius r is calculated using equation (1). p The following is calculated, and the pore volume is calculated based on formula (2).

[0016] r p = t + r k (1) V pn = R n dV n -R n dt n ・c・ΣA pj (2) However, R n = r pn 2 / (rkn-1+dt n ) 2 (3)

[0017] Here, r p : Pore radius r k : Core radius (inner diameter / 2) when an adsorbent layer of thickness t is adsorbed on the inner wall of a pore with pore radius rp at that pressure V pn : Pore volume dV when the nth nitrogen attachment / detachment occurs n : The amount of change at that time dt n: The thickness t of the adsorbed layer when the nth nitrogen attachment / desorption occurs. n The change in r kn : Core radius at that time c: Fixed value r pn : This is the pore radius when the nth nitrogen deposition / desorption occurs. Also, ΣA pj This represents the cumulative area of ​​the pore walls from j=1 to j=n-1.

[0018] Furthermore, as the porous carbon material, a material prepared by removing the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) during the manufacturing process may be used, such that the upper limit of the ignition residue value measured in accordance with JIS K 1474:2014 "Activated Carbon Test Method" is, for example, 20% by mass or less, more preferably 15% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2% by mass or less. In this case, the upper limit of the ignition residue value is not particularly limited, but a material prepared in a range such as 1% by mass or more can be suitably used.

[0019] Furthermore, since the porous carbon material can be expected to have even better functionality as its specific surface area increases, by removing the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) during the manufacturing process, the specific surface area value obtained by the nitrogen BET method is 1 cm². 3 Winning combination: 2 x 10 2 I understand 2 More than 5 x 10 2 I understand 2 More preferably 1 x 10 3 I understand 2 Materials prepared within the above range may also be used. In this case, the upper limit of the specific surface area value by the nitrogen BET method can be any range that can be prepared. Therefore, the upper limit is not particularly limited, but for example, 3 × 10 2 I understand 2 Products prepared within the ranges described above can be suitably used.

[0020] Here, the nitrogen BET method is a method in which nitrogen is adsorbed and desorbed as an adsorbed molecule onto a porous carbon material, and the adsorption isotherm is measured. The measured data is then analyzed based on the BET formula shown in equation (4) below, and specific surface area, pore volume, etc. can be calculated based on this method.

[0021] Specifically, when calculating the specific surface area using the nitrogen BET method, first, the adsorption isotherm is determined by adsorbing and desorbing nitrogen as an adsorbed molecule onto a porous carbon material. Then, from the obtained adsorption isotherm, the specific surface area is calculated based on equation (4) or equation (4'), which is a modified version of equation (4): [p / {V a Calculate (p0 - p) and plot it against the equilibrium relative pressure (p / p0). Then, treat this plot as a straight line and, based on the least squares method, determine the slope s = [(C - 1) / (C・V]. m ) )]) and intercept i (= [1 / (C・V m ) ) is calculated. Then, V is calculated from the obtained slope s and intercept i based on equations (5-1) and (5-2). m And calculate C. Furthermore, V m Therefore, based on equation (6), the specific surface area a sBET Calculate the value (see pages 62-66 of the manual for BELSORP-mini and BELSORP analysis software manufactured by Bell Japan Ltd.).

[0022] This nitrogen BET method is a measurement method that conforms to JIS R 1626-1996 "Method for measuring the specific surface area of ​​fine ceramic powder by gas adsorption BET method".

[0023] V a = (V m ・C・p) / [(p0−p){1+(C−1)(p / p0)}] (4) [p / {V a (p0-p)}]=[(C-1) / (C・V m )](p / p0)+[1 / (C・V m ) ] (4') V m =1 / (s+i) (5-1) C =(s / i)+1 (5-2) a sBET = (V m ・L・σ) / 22414 (6)

[0024] However, V a : Adsorption amount V m : Adsorption amount of monolayer p: Pressure of nitrogen at equilibrium p0: Saturated vapor pressure of nitrogen L: Avogadro's number σ: Adsorption cross-sectional area of ​​nitrogen.

[0025] Furthermore, the pore volume V of the porous carbon material p When calculating using the nitrogen BET method, for example, the adsorption data of the obtained adsorption isotherm is linearly interpolated to determine the adsorption amount V at the relative pressure set in the relative pressure for pore volume calculation. From this adsorption amount V, the pore volume V is calculated based on equation (7). p This can be calculated (see pages 62-65 of the manual for BELSORP-mini and BELSORP analysis software manufactured by BELSORP Japan Ltd.). Note that the pore volume based on the nitrogen BET method may be simply referred to as "pore volume" below.

[0026] V p =(V / 22414)×(M g / ρ g ) (7)

[0027] However, V: amount of adsorption at relative pressure M g : Molecular weight of nitrogen ρ g This is the density of nitrogen.

[0028] Furthermore, in the manufacturing process of the porous carbon material, the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) is removed to reduce the bulk density to 0.2 grams / cm³. ３ up to 0.4 grams / cm³ ３ Preferably 0.3 grams / cm³ ３ up to 0.4 grams / cm³ ３ Products prepared within the range of these may also be used.

[0029] The aforementioned bulk density can be determined based on the packing density measurement method described in JIS K1474:2014 "Test Methods for Activated Carbon".

[0030] Figure 2 is an illustrative diagram showing the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology. In the manufacturing process, the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) is removed, and as shown in the magnified surface image in Figure 2, the porous carbon material can have mesopores with a diameter of 2 nm to 50 nm and micropores with a diameter of 2 nm or less formed on the surface of the mesopores.

[0031] It is known that the penetration depth of light into living organisms such as the human body is wavelength-dependent. In particular, within the far-infrared region, in the wavelength range of 3 μm to 6 μm, the penetration depth of light into living organisms reaches 200 μm. This depth corresponds to the depth at which the dermis layer exists in the human body. Therefore, if light in the wavelength range of 3 μm to 6 μm can be radiated into the human body, the energy of this light can be transmitted to the dermis layer of the body, and it is expected that blood circulation can be efficiently promoted.

[0032] Generally, porous carbon materials have higher far-infrared emissivity compared to ceramics, titanium oxide, zirconia, etc. However, these compounds and ordinary porous carbon materials have lower emissivity for light in the 3-6 μm wavelength range, which has a high penetration depth into living organisms, compared to light in other wavelength ranges.

[0033] In contrast, the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology has a shape in which micropores are provided on the surface of mesopores, as described above. As a result, the surface area can be increased as the pore volume increases, and in addition, the porous carbon material can convert the thermal energy it absorbs into the emission spectrum of light in the wavelength range that has a high penetration depth into living organisms and radiate it. The thermal energy transmitted by absorption and contact of far-infrared rays emitted by blackbody radiation of the body temperature can be smoothly re-radiated across the entire wavelength range of the far-infrared region. In particular, among the light with wavelengths in the far-infrared region, there is a difference in the emissivity of light in the 3-6 μm wavelength range that has a high penetration depth into living organisms. The comparative data in Figure 4, which will be described later, is data on the emissivity of light in the far-infrared region of fibers containing the porous carbon material of this technology, measured using a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). From this data as well, it can be confirmed that the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology can smoothly re-radiate across the entire wavelength range of the far-infrared region.

[0034] Therefore, by incorporating the above-mentioned porous carbon material into chemical fibers, the far-infrared radiation performance of the base fiber can be improved. Furthermore, when this fiber is used in a fabric product, by using the fabric product so that it comes into direct or indirect contact with the user's skin, the above-mentioned far-infrared radiation performance allows for smooth re-radiation across the entire wavelength range of the far-infrared region. In particular, it can radiate light in the wavelength range of 3 μm to 6 μm, which has a high penetration depth into living organisms, to the human body. This is expected to transmit the energy of the light to the dermis layer of the human body and promote blood circulation in the user. Moreover, fabric products using this fiber can be expected to have various effects due to their far-infrared radiation performance. In addition to the blood circulation promotion effect mentioned above, such effects include, for example, cell activation, immune activation, and autonomic nervous system regulation. Taking advantage of these effects, it may be considered for use in applications such as skin beautification and anti-aging.

[0035] Furthermore, the porous carbon material, with its shape, allows odor components to reach the micropores quickly. This enables a rapid deodorizing effect. In addition, the porous carbon material, with its shape, is considered to retain its odor component adsorption capacity even when it is kneaded into chemical fibers and its surface is covered with chemical fibers. As shown in Figure 2, the porous carbon material may also have macropores (pore size 50 nm to 100 nm) with a pore size exceeding 50 nm, in addition to the pores described above.

[0036] On the other hand, Figure 3 shows an image diagram of a porous carbon material relating to ordinary activated carbon nanoparticles, in which no process is performed to remove silicon components present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) during the manufacturing process, for comparison with the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology. As shown in Figure 3, the pores of such ordinary porous carbon material relating to activated carbon nanoparticles are mainly composed of micropores with a diameter of 2 nm or less and macropores with a diameter of 50 nm or more, and the proportion of mesopores with a diameter of 2 nm to 50 nm in the pores of ordinary porous carbon material relating to activated carbon nanoparticles is low.

[0037] The volume of pores in the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology, as identified by the BJH method and the MP method described later, is 0.1 cm³. 3 Preferably 0.15 cm or more per gram. 3 More preferably 0.2 cm or more per gram. 3 A value of 1 / gram or more is even more preferable. The larger the pore volume obtained by the BJH method and MP method of the porous carbon material, the better the functionality can be expected. Note that the above pore volume refers to the pore volume of the porous carbon material itself, and does not refer to the pore volume when the porous carbon material has adsorbed harmful organic compounds or other adsorbent compounds.

[0038] Here, the pore diameter of porous carbon material can be calculated as a pore distribution from the rate of change of pore volume with respect to the pore diameter, for example, based on the BJH method. The BJH method is a widely used method for analyzing pore distribution.

[0039] The pore size of porous carbon materials is determined by the pore radius r calculated based on the aforementioned BJH method. p and pore volume V pn From pore diameter (2r p ) (percentage change in pore volume (dV) p / dr p A pore size distribution curve can be obtained by plotting the pore size (see pages 85-88 of the manual for BELSORP-mini and BELSORP analysis software manufactured by BEL Japan Ltd.).

[0040] Based on the BJH method, the volume of pores in the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology is 0.3 cm³ per gram of porous carbon material. 3 Preferably 0.5 cm 3 It is desirable that the above be the case.

[0041] Furthermore, the pore diameter of porous carbon materials can be calculated as a pore distribution from the rate of change of pore volume relative to the pore diameter, for example, based on the MP method. When performing pore distribution analysis using the MP method, first, nitrogen is adsorbed onto the porous carbon material to obtain the adsorption isotherm. Then, this adsorption isotherm is converted into pore volume as a function of the thickness t of the adsorption layer (t plot). Then, a pore distribution curve can be obtained based on the curvature of this plot (the change in pore volume as a function of the change in the thickness t of the adsorption layer) (see pages 72-73 and 82 of the manual for BELSORP-mini and BELSORP analysis software manufactured by Nippon Bell Co., Ltd.).

[0042] Based on the MP method, the volume of pores in the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology is 0.1 cm³ per gram of porous carbon material. 3 Preferably 0.2 cm 3 More preferably 0.3 cm 3 It is desirable that the above be the case.

[0043] The cumulative pore volume of the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology, measured by mercury intrusion, is preferably 0.4 cc / g or more, more preferably 0.5 cc / g or more, and particularly preferably 0.7 cc / g or more. The larger the pore volume, the better the functionality that can be expected. This mercury intrusion method can be suitably measured in accordance with JIS R 1655:2003.

[0044] The raw materials for the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology are not particularly limited, but for example, plant-derived materials can be suitably used. Here, examples of plant-derived materials include rice husks and straw from rice, barley, wheat, rye, millet, foxtail millet, etc., coffee beans, tea leaves (e.g., green tea and black tea leaves), sugarcane (more specifically, sugarcane residue), corn (more specifically, corn cobs), fruit peels (e.g., orange peels, grapefruit peels, mandarin orange peels, and banana peels), or reeds and wakame seaweed stems, but are not limited to these. Other examples include vascular plants that grow on land, ferns, mosses, algae, and seaweed. These materials may be used individually as raw materials, or multiple types may be used in combination.

[0045] Furthermore, plant-derived materials (referred to as "Material A" for convenience) may be mixed with other materials such as seed shells (e.g., coconut shells, walnut shells) or woody sawdust (referred to as "Material B" for convenience) and solidified. In this case, the mixing ratio of Material A to Material B is preferably such that, by mass, 0.1 ≤ (Material B) / (Material A) ≤ 10, but is not limited to such a mass ratio.

[0046] Furthermore, there are no particular limitations on the shape or form of such plant-derived materials; for example, they can be rice husks or straw themselves, or dried products. Moreover, materials that have undergone various processes such as fermentation, roasting, and extraction in the processing of food and beverages such as beer and spirits can also be used. In particular, from the perspective of resource recovery from industrial waste, it is preferable to use straw or rice husks after processing such as threshing. These processed straw and rice husks can be obtained in large quantities and easily from, for example, agricultural cooperatives, alcoholic beverage manufacturers, food companies, and food processing companies.

[0047] Furthermore, before solidification, the plant-derived material may be crushed to a desired particle size or classified as desired. The plant-derived material may be pre-washed. The porous carbon material precursor may be coarsely crushed to a desired particle size or classified. The solidified porous carbon material of this disclosure may be crushed to a desired particle size or classified, and such crushed or classified products can be applied to various products.

[0048] The porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology can be prepared as a porous carbon material that satisfies the above requirements by removing the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) during the manufacturing process. The method for removing the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) is not particularly limited, and for example, the silicon component can be suitably removed by acid treatment or alkali treatment. This treatment may, in some cases, be carried out based on a dry etching method.

[0049] Specific methods for treating the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) with acid or alkali include, for example, immersing the porous carbon material precursor in an aqueous solution of acid or alkali, or reacting the porous carbon material precursor with acid or alkali in the gas phase.

[0050] More specifically, in the case of acid treatment, examples of acidic fluorine compounds include hydrogen fluoride, hydrofluoric acid, ammonium fluoride, calcium fluoride, and sodium fluoride. When using a fluorine compound, the amount of fluorine should be four times the amount of silicon in the silicon component contained in the porous carbon material precursor, and the concentration of the aqueous solution of the fluorine compound is preferably 10% by mass or more. When removing the silicon component (e.g., silicon dioxide) contained in the porous carbon material precursor with hydrofluoric acid, the silicon dioxide reacts with hydrofluoric acid as shown in chemical formula (A) or chemical formula (B), and is removed as hexafluorosilicic acid (H2SiF6) or silicon tetrafluoride (SiF4), thereby obtaining a porous carbon material. After that, washing and drying can be performed.

[0051] SiO2+6HF → H2SiF6+2H2O (A) SiO2+4HF → SiF4+2H2O (B)

[0052] Furthermore, in the case of alkaline treatment using an alkali (base), sodium hydroxide can be used as the alkali, for example. When using an aqueous solution of alkali, the pH of the aqueous solution should be 11 or higher. When removing silicon components (e.g., silicon dioxide) contained in porous carbon material precursors with an aqueous sodium hydroxide solution, heating the aqueous sodium hydroxide solution causes the silicon dioxide to react as shown in chemical formula (C), and is removed as sodium silicate (Na2SiO3), thereby obtaining the porous carbon material. Alternatively, when treating with sodium hydroxide in the gas phase, heating the solid sodium hydroxide causes it to react as shown in chemical formula (C), and is removed as sodium silicate (Na2SiO3), thereby obtaining the porous carbon material. After that, washing and drying can be performed.

[0053] SiO2+2NaOH → Na2SiO3+H2O (C)

[0054] The porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology can have pores with a shape that includes micropores on the surface of mesopores, as described above, by removing the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) during the manufacturing process. It is believed that having these various pore shapes results in high light absorption across all wavelengths of the porous carbon material. In particular, given the low L value, which is an indicator of black, this is also expected to be true in the 3-6 μm wavelength range, where light has a high penetration depth into living organisms, within the far-infrared region. Therefore, it is believed that the thermal energy absorbed by the porous carbon material can be converted into a radiation spectrum in the far-infrared region, which is easily absorbed by living organisms, and effectively radiated.

[0055] Furthermore, the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology, by removing the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) during the manufacturing process, can suitably impart functions of the porous carbon material, such as deodorizing function, to the fibers even when the porous carbon material is kneaded into the chemical fibers described later to form the fibers, even if it is not exposed from the surface of the base fiber. For this reason, the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology does not need to be made into an irregular shape with irregularities by crushing or the like in order to expose a portion of it from the outer edge of the fiber.

[0056] The porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology can be suitably prepared by performing any treatment used to obtain porous carbon material, other than removing the silicon component present in the raw material (porous carbon material precursor) during the manufacturing process.

[0057] For the carbonization process to prepare porous carbon materials, the raw materials are carbonized at 400°C to 1400°C. Here, carbonization generally means converting organic substances (in the case of preparing porous carbon materials, raw materials such as solidified plant-derived materials) into carbonaceous substances through heat treatment (see, for example, JIS M0104-1984).

[0058] Furthermore, suitable atmospheres for carbonization include oxygen-free atmospheres, specifically vacuum atmospheres, inert gas atmospheres such as nitrogen gas or argon gas, and atmospheres that create a kind of baking state for raw materials such as plant-derived materials.

[0059] The heating rate to reach the carbonization temperature is not limited, but can be 1°C / min or more, preferably 3°C / min or more, and more preferably 5°C / min or more, under the atmosphere. The upper limit of the carbonization time can be 10 hours, preferably 7 hours, and more preferably 5 hours, but is not limited thereto. The lower limit of the carbonization time should be the time required to ensure that the raw materials, such as plant-derived materials, are reliably carbonized.

[0060] The resulting porous carbon material may be subjected to sterilization treatment. There are no restrictions on the type, configuration, or structure of the furnace used for carbonization; it can be a continuous furnace or a batch furnace.

[0061] The porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology may include a further activation treatment step during its manufacturing process. By applying the activation treatment, the number of micropores with a diameter smaller than 2 nm can be increased. The activation treatment may be performed before or after the treatment to remove the silicon component. That is, if the treatment to remove the silicon component is performed by acid treatment or alkali treatment, the activation treatment step may be included after the acid treatment or alkali treatment, or the acid treatment or alkali treatment may be performed after the activation treatment.

[0062] Examples of activation methods include gas activation and chemical activation. Here, gas activation is a method in which a porous carbon material is heated for several tens of minutes to several hours in a gas atmosphere using oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, air, etc., at 700°C to 1400°C, preferably 700°C to 1000°C, more preferably 800°C to 1000°C, by volatile components and carbon molecules in the porous carbon material. More specifically, the heating temperature can be appropriately selected based on the type of raw material such as plant-derived material, the type and concentration of the gas, etc., but it is even more preferably 800°C to 950°C. Chemical activation is a method in which sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, zinc chloride, iron chloride, calcium phosphate, calcium hydroxide, magnesium carbonate, potassium carbonate, sulfuric acid, etc. are used instead of oxygen or water vapor used in gas activation, the material is washed with hydrochloric acid, the pH is adjusted with an alkaline aqueous solution, and then dried.

[0063] Furthermore, in the manufacturing process of the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology, depending on the raw materials such as plant-derived materials used, the plant-derived materials may be subjected to a heat treatment (pre-carbonization treatment) at a temperature lower than the carbonization temperature (for example, 400°C to 700°C) while oxygen is blocked, before carbonizing the solidified plant-derived materials. This allows for the extraction of tar components that would otherwise be generated during the carbonization process, thereby reducing or removing them. The oxygen-blocked state can be achieved, for example, by creating an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen gas or argon gas, or by creating a vacuum atmosphere, or by subjecting the plant-derived materials to a kind of steaming state.

[0064] Furthermore, the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology may, depending on the raw materials such as plant-derived materials used in its manufacturing process, be immersed in an acid or alkali, or in alcohol (e.g., methyl alcohol, ethyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol), in order to reduce the mineral components and moisture contained in the raw materials such as plant-derived materials, and to prevent the generation of off-odors during the carbonization process. In addition, when treated with an acid, for example, treatment with an inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, or sulfuric acid can remove the mineral components contained in the porous carbon material precursor.

[0065] Furthermore, the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology may undergo a preliminary carbonization treatment during the manufacturing process. Examples of materials that are preferably subjected to heat treatment in an inert gas include plants that produce a large amount of wood vinegar (tar and light oils). Examples of materials that are preferably subjected to pretreatment with alcohol or the like include seaweed that contains a large amount of iodine and various minerals.

[0066] The porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology may be subjected to chemical treatment or molecular modification on its surface. Chemical treatments include, for example, treatment with nitric acid to generate carboxyl groups on the surface. Furthermore, various functional groups such as hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, ketone groups, and ester groups can be generated on the surface of the porous carbon material by performing treatments similar to activation treatments using water vapor, oxygen, alkali, etc. Molecular modification is also possible by chemically reacting the porous carbon material with chemical species or proteins that have reactive hydroxyl groups, carboxyl groups, amino groups, etc.

[0067] The porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology may have a functional material attached to it. Specifically, after acid treatment or alkali treatment (or after activation treatment if activation treatment is performed thereafter), the functional material can be attached to the porous carbon material. Examples of functional materials include agents that more effectively adsorb the above-mentioned substances present in the air (specifically, for example, ethylene urea, phosphoric acid, and copper nitrate), or the functional material can be in a form that exhibits photocatalytic properties or in a form that enhances far-infrared radiation performance. When imparting photocatalytic properties to the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology, the functional material can be composed of, for example, titanium dioxide (TiO2) or zinc oxide (ZnO). Furthermore, when enhancing the far-infrared radiation performance of the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology, the functional material can be composed of, for example, ceramics or zirconium oxide (zirconia). As a result, the porous carbon material is given far-infrared radiation properties, and by adding it to the original porous carbon material of this technology, the far-infrared radiation performance can be enhanced. Furthermore, by using ethylene urea, formaldehyde and acetaldehyde can be effectively removed; by using phosphoric acid, ammonia can be effectively removed; and by using copper nitrate, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, etc., can be effectively deodorized. As a result, catalytic properties are imparted to the porous carbon material, and through the photocatalytic effect, it can be applied as a semi-permanently usable hazardous substance decomposition agent and hazardous substance remover. For the decomposition and removal of hazardous substances, the porous carbon material can be irradiated with energy rays or electromagnetic waves (e.g., ultraviolet rays, sunlight, visible light, etc.). Examples of hazardous substances include those present in the air, specifically various viruses, allergens, and carcinogenic substances contained in cigarette smoke (e.g., benzopyrene).

[0068] Depending on the type, composition, structure, and form of the functional material, the forms of adhesion of functional materials to porous carbon materials can include adhesion as fine particles on the surface of the porous carbon material (including within the pores), adhesion as a thin film, and adhesion in a sea / island pattern (where the surface of the porous carbon material is considered the "sea" and the functional material corresponds to the "islands").

[0069] Adhesion refers to the phenomenon of adhesion between dissimilar materials. Methods for adhering a functional material to a porous carbon material include: immersing the porous carbon material in a solution containing the functional material to precipitate the functional material on the surface of the porous carbon material; precipitation of the functional material on the surface of the porous carbon material by electroless plating (chemical plating) or chemical reduction reaction; precipitation of the functional material on the surface of the porous carbon material by immersing the porous carbon material in a solution containing a precursor of the functional material and performing heat treatment; precipitation of the functional material on the surface of the porous carbon material by immersing the porous carbon material in a solution containing a precursor of the functional material and performing ultrasonic treatment; and precipitation of the functional material on the surface of the porous carbon material by immersing the porous carbon material in a solution containing a precursor of the functional material and performing a sol-gel reaction.

[0070] The porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology can be suitably kneaded into the raw materials of the chemical fibers described later by adjusting the particle size to 3.0 μm or less. Furthermore, by extruding the raw materials into which the porous carbon material has been kneaded through the pores, the porous carbon material can be suitably formed into fibers into which it has been kneaded.

[0071] As described above, the particle size of the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology is preferably 3.0 μm or less. However, from the viewpoint of suppressing clogging of the pores of the nozzle used for molding the fibers, it is more preferably 1.0 μm or less, even more preferably 0.6 μm or less, and particularly preferably 0.3 μm or less. Furthermore, the lower limit of the particle size of the porous carbon material may be adjusted to, for example, 0.05 μm or more, which is the particle size at which the aforementioned mesopores are maintained in the porous carbon material.

[0072] The method for preparing the particle size of porous carbon material is not particularly limited and can be done by any method. The preparation of the particle size of porous carbon material should be carried out until the majority of the porous carbon material has reached the desired particle size. That is, when preparing porous carbon material with a particle size of 3.0 μm or less, the preparation should be carried out until the majority of the porous carbon material has reached a particle size of 3.0 μm or less. This guideline, for example, means that 95% or more of the porous carbon material has reached the desired particle size. Similarly, the lower limit of the particle size of porous carbon material should be prepared so that the majority of the porous carbon material does not fall below the desired particle size.

[0073] <Chemical Fibers> The chemical fibers into which the porous carbon material is kneaded are not particularly limited, as long as they can be molded by kneading the porous carbon material. Such chemical fibers can be suitably molded as fibers by extruding the raw material kneaded with the porous carbon material through pores (also called spinnerets).

[0074] The shape and diameter of the pores through which the raw material is extruded are not particularly limited and can be designed to any shape and diameter. For example, the diameter of the pores can be designed to be 0.1 μm or larger. The upper limit of the pore diameter can be set within any range depending on the physical properties of the chemical fibers used. For example, it can be designed to be 500 μm or less, 150 μm or less, 80 μm or less, etc.

[0075] Examples of such chemical fibers include regenerated fibers such as rayon, viscose rayon, polynosic, cupro, Tencel, and lyocell; semi-synthetic fibers such as acetate, triacetate, acetate oxide, and Promix; nylon, aramid fibers, vinylon, vinylidene, polyvinyl chloride, polyester, acrylic (polyacrylonitrile fiber), modacrylic fiber, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyurethane, polyclar, polylactic acid, polyamide, fluorine fiber, Novoroid, Lexe, Success, and other synthetic fibers; and polymeric elastomers and other polymeric elastic fibers. These may be composed of a single type or a combination of multiple types.

[0076] Further, by using the chemical fiber whose moisture permeability is adjusted to a certain level or more through stretching or surface treatment, the functions of the porous carbon material can be more preferably exhibited. As the range of moisture permeability, for example, 10,000 CC (STP) / cm ２ / mm / sec / cm·Hgx10 １０ or more, 14,000 CC (STP) / cm ２ / mm / sec / cm·Hgx10 １０ , 15,000 CC (STP) / cm ２ / mm / sec / cm·Hgx10 １０ . Also, the upper limit of the moisture permeability range is not particularly limited, and any moisture permeability can be taken within the range that can be prepared. For example, 130,000 CC (STP) / cm ２ / mm / sec / cm·Hgx10 １０ or less, 106,000 CC (STP) / cm ２ / mm / sec / cm·Hgx10 １０ or less.

[0077] Among the above chemical fibers, from the perspective of ease of adjusting the above moisture permeability, when forming the raw material mixed with the porous carbon material into a fiber by extruding it from pores, rayon among regenerated fibers and polyethylene or silicone elastomer among synthetic fibers are preferable. Among these, rayon is particularly preferable.

[0078] Figure 1 is an image diagram showing the fiber of the present technology. As shown in Figure 1, the fiber of the present technology is constituted by kneading the aforementioned porous carbon material into the chemical fiber. Further, in the fiber of the present technology, by using a porous carbon material from which the silicon component present in the raw material (precursor of the porous carbon material) during its manufacturing process has been removed as the porous carbon material, even when the porous carbon material does not expose from the surface of the fiber, the functions of the matrix fiber can be preferably imparted to the matrix fiber. Also, in the present technology, there is no need for the porous carbon material to have an irregular shape with unevenness, and since the porous carbon material does not expose from the surface of the fiber serving as the matrix, the use of the fiber is not easily restricted.

[0079] Here, "not exposed from the surface of the fiber" means not being substantially exposed from the surface of the fiber. Specifically, it means not being exposed to the extent that the shape of the outer edge of the porous carbon material does not deform the shape of the outer edge of the fiber surface formed by the chemical fiber, and does not exclude cases where a part of the surface of the porous carbon material unintentionally comes into contact with the outer edge of the fiber surface and is exposed to the fiber surface.

[0080] More specifically, as shown in the enlarged view of the fiber 100 of this technology in Figure 1 and the cross-sectional view of the A-A section of the enlarged view (the A-A cross-sectional view in Figure 1), in the fiber 100 of this technology, the porous carbon material 102 is not provided with protrusions intended to be exposed to the outside of the fiber. Therefore, the porous carbon material 102 is not exposed from the surface of the fiber 100, and it can be confirmed that the surface of the porous carbon material 102 is covered by the chemical fiber 101. As can be seen from the A-A cross-sectional view in Figure 1, although there is no intention to expose the porous carbon material 102, a part of the surface of the porous carbon material 102 may come into contact with the outer edge of the fiber 100, and the fiber of this technology does not eliminate such cases.

[0081] Furthermore, since the far-infrared radiation properties mentioned above can be imparted to the base fibers, when these fibers are used in fabric products, by using the fabric product in a way that it comes into direct or indirect contact with the user's skin, the far-infrared radiation properties can effectively radiate light in a wavelength range that is easily absorbed by living organisms to the human body. This is expected to transmit the energy of the light to the dermis layer of the human body, thereby promoting blood circulation in the user. Moreover, in addition to the blood circulation-promoting effect, various other effects can be expected due to the aforementioned far-infrared radiation properties.

[0082] In addition to the far-infrared radiation performance and deodorizing function, other functions that can be imparted to the base fiber of the porous carbon material include, for example, static electricity suppression ability. As mentioned above, in this technology, the porous carbon material does not need to have an irregular shape with irregularities, and the porous carbon material does not expose itself from the surface of the base fiber. Based on these characteristics, the fibers of this technology can be used in any application where static electricity suppression ability is required.

[0083] In the fibers of this technology, the content of porous carbon material in the fibers can be arbitrarily adjusted within the range that can be kneaded into the chemical fibers. For example, by adjusting the content to 3% by mass or more, 5% by mass or more, or 7% by mass or more, the fibers can be suitably imparted with the functions of porous carbon material, such as deodorizing function. Furthermore, by adjusting the upper limit of the content of porous carbon material in the fibers to, for example, 10% by mass or less, 7% by mass or less, or 4% by mass or less, the tensile strength of the resulting fibers can be kept within a range that is not problematic for practical use.

[0084] <Other Components> The fibers of this technology may contain components other than porous carbon material, as long as they do not significantly impair the desired effect. Examples of such components include dyes used to color the fibers. In addition to the porous carbon material, the far-infrared radiation performance imparted to the fibers by this technology may be enhanced by incorporating components such as ceramics, titanium dioxide, zirconium oxide (zirconia), and carbon black. As mentioned above, these components may be incorporated into the fibers after being attached to the porous carbon material, or they may be incorporated into the fibers independently of the porous carbon material, or both components attached to the porous carbon material and components independent of the porous carbon material may be incorporated into the fibers.

[0085] [Yarn] Yarn can be suitably formed using the fibers of the present technology described above. Since the yarn is formed from the yarn of the present technology, the functions of the porous carbon material described above are suitably imparted to it. In particular, the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of the present technology has a shape in which micropores are provided on the surface of mesopores as described above. As described above, the surface area can be increased as the pore volume increases, and the thermal energy absorbed by the porous carbon material can be smoothly re-radiated across the entire wavelength range of the far-infrared region, which is the thermal energy absorbed and transmitted by the absorption and contact of far-infrared rays emitted by blackbody radiation of the body temperature of living organisms. For this reason, when the porous carbon material is kneaded into chemical fibers, the far-infrared radiation performance of the base fiber is improved.

[0086] Figure 4 shows comparative data of the far-infrared light emissivity of fibers containing the porous carbon material of this technology and fibers containing porous carbon material related to conventional activated carbon nanoparticles (binchotan charcoal), measured using a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). From this data, it can be confirmed that the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology exhibits higher emissivity across the entire wavelength range shown in Figure 4 compared to the porous carbon material related to conventional activated carbon nanoparticles. In particular, within this wavelength range, it can be confirmed that the emissivity of the porous carbon material contained in the fibers of this technology in the 4-6 μm range, which has high transmittance to living organisms, does not decrease as much as that of the porous carbon material related to conventional activated carbon nanoparticles, but is maintained at a level comparable to other wavelength ranges. Therefore, by incorporating the above-mentioned porous carbon material into chemical fibers, the far-infrared radiation performance of the base fiber can be improved.

[0087] Furthermore, when this fiber is used in fabric products, by using the fabric product so that it comes into direct or indirect contact with the user's skin, the far-infrared radiation performance described above can effectively radiate light in a wavelength range that is easily absorbed by living organisms to the human body. This is expected to transmit the energy of the light to the dermis layer of the body, thereby promoting blood circulation in the user. Moreover, fabric products using this fiber can be expected to have various effects due to their far-infrared radiation performance. In addition to the blood circulation promoting effect mentioned above, such effects include, for example, cell activation, immune activation, and autonomic nervous system regulation. Taking advantage of these effects, it may be possible to consider using them for purposes such as skin beautification and anti-aging.

[0088] The use of this yarn is not particularly limited, as long as it can be used for any purpose. For example, it can be suitably used to manufacture knitted fabrics, woven fabrics, nonwoven fabrics, or fabric products using these materials. Furthermore, when using this yarn in knitted fabrics, if this yarn is combined with other yarns, the knitting structure can be adjusted to control the amount of yarn used, thereby forming multiple layers in which the effects of the yarn can be suitably exerted, according to the intended use of the knitted fabric.

[0089] [Knitted Fabric] When forming a knitted fabric using the yarn of this technology, the form of the knitted fabric is not particularly limited. However, as mentioned above, since the yarn of this technology is endowed with functions derived from porous carbon material, it is preferable to design the knitted fabric so that the yarn is positioned in a location that allows these functions to be effectively exhibited. In particular, when manufacturing a knitted fabric using two or more types of yarn, including the yarn of this technology, it is preferable to adjust the knitting structure and arrange the yarns so that the functions of the yarns used are exhibited.

[0090] For example, in a knitted fabric made using two or more types of yarn, including at least the yarn of this technology, multiple layers with different yarn compositions are formed depending on the knitting structure, and a layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed is placed on one side. This allows the far-infrared radiation performance due to the porous carbon material contained in the yarn of this technology to be more effectively exerted on that side, and far-infrared rays can be effectively radiated onto the skin surface of the user. As a result, when the knitted fabric of this technology is used in a fabric product, by using the fabric product so that it is in direct or indirect contact with the user's skin, the above-mentioned far-infrared radiation performance can effectively radiate light in a wavelength range that is easily absorbed by living organisms to the human body, and it is expected that the energy of this light will be transmitted to the dermis layer of the human body, promoting blood circulation in the user. Furthermore, in addition to the blood circulation promoting effect, various other effects due to the aforementioned far-infrared radiation performance can be expected.

[0091] Furthermore, in the above-described knitted fabric configuration, the functions derived from the porous carbon material are effectively exhibited on one of the surfaces. Therefore, not only are the far-infrared radiation capabilities derived from the porous carbon material effectively exhibited, but deodorizing and antistatic properties can also be effectively utilized. For this reason, for example, by using the aforementioned surface of the knitted fabric as the surface that comes into contact with the user, the deodorizing function can be effectively utilized. Also, by using the aforementioned surface of the knitted fabric as the surface that comes into contact with the user, the generation of static electricity can be effectively suppressed.

[0092] In a knitted fabric made using two or more types of yarn, including at least the yarn of this technology, if multiple layers with different yarn compositions are formed by the knitting structure, and a layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed is arranged on one side, then the layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed has the largest proportion among the multiple layers, thereby more effectively enhancing the functions on that side that are caused by the porous carbon material contained in the yarn of this technology, such as deodorizing function. Hereinafter, "proportion of layers" means the proportion of the total thickness of the knitted fabric in the thickness direction of the knitted fabric that a particular layer occupies.

[0093] The knitted fabric described above is composed of two or more types of yarn, including at least one yarn of the present technology. These two or more types of yarn may be a combination of the yarn of the present technology and a yarn that does not contain the fibers of the present technology, or a combination of two or more types of yarn of the present technology, or a combination of the yarn of the present technology and two or more yarns that do not contain the fibers of the present technology. In this case, by adjusting the knitting structure and the mixing ratio of the yarn of the present technology and the yarn that does not contain the fibers of the present technology, it is possible to reduce the amount of yarn used in the target yarn and reduce the manufacturing cost of the knitted fabric while ensuring the effects of the target yarn.

[0094] The fiber-free yarns used in this technology are not particularly limited, and any fibers can be used. For example, in addition to yarns formed from the chemical fibers listed herein, natural fibers such as cotton, flax, and other plant fibers, as well as animal fibers such as silk, wool, mohair, cashmere, alpaca, camel hair, angora, llama hair, horsehair, and down can also be used. The yarns used in this technology can be combined with these other yarns to produce knitted fabrics using this technology.

[0095] The combination of two or more yarns that make up the knitted fabric using this technology can be arbitrarily combined depending on the intended use of the knitted fabric. For example, yarn containing natural fibers, such as cotton, which is a common natural fiber, may be combined with yarn using this technology. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of improving deodorizing properties, the two or more yarns that make up the knitted fabric using this technology may be combined with yarn containing low-hygroscopic fibers, such as polyester fibers as described later, in addition to yarn using this technology. In this case, depending on the function required for the knitted fabric, yarn using this technology may be made from low-hygroscopic fibers, and yarn that does not contain yarn using this technology may be combined with yarn containing low-hygroscopic fibers or other yarns.

[0096] The knitted fabric described above can have any number of layers depending on the intended use of the fabric. For example, if the knitted fabric is made using yarn containing the fibers of this technology and yarn not containing the fibers of this technology, two layers may be formed: one in which the yarn containing the fibers of this technology is mainly exposed, and another in which the yarn not containing the fibers of this technology is mainly exposed or predominantly blended.

[0097] If the knitted fabric described above has at least two layers, one in which yarns mainly containing the fibers of this technology are exposed, and another in which yarns not containing the fibers of this technology are mainly exposed or largely incorporated, then, depending on the intended use of the knitted fabric, the layer in which yarns containing the fibers of this technology are exposed can be positioned on the side where functions resulting from the porous carbon material contained in the yarns of this technology, such as deodorizing function, are required. In such a knitted fabric, the layer other than the layer in which yarns containing the fibers of this technology are exposed (the layer with a large amount of yarns not containing the fibers of this technology) can, for example, be made to contain a large amount of yarns with low hygroscopicity. This allows the layer in which yarns containing the fibers of this technology are exposed to capture odor components contained in sweat, etc., while the layer other than the layer in which yarns containing the fibers of this technology are exposed allows moisture contained in sweat, etc. to evaporate quickly, thereby maintaining the breathability of the knitted fabric appropriately.

[0098] Examples of yarns containing fibers with low moisture absorption include yarns containing synthetic fibers such as polyester fibers and nylon fibers. The above-described knitted fabric configuration is an example of a configuration that efficiently utilizes the deodorizing function of the porous carbon material contained in the yarn of this technology. Depending on the function derived from the porous carbon material, the yarns used in the knitted fabric and the layer configuration can be arbitrarily combined to make the most of that function.

[0099] The knitting structure of a fabric knitted using the yarn of this technology can be any knitting structure, depending on the intended use of the fabric and the combination of yarns used. For example, a circular knitting structure can be adopted as the knitting structure of the fabric, from the viewpoint of preparing the fabric so that the desired yarn is placed in the desired position.

[0100] Furthermore, by adopting, for example, a double knit structure or a plating knit structure within the circular knitting structure, it becomes easier to prepare the fabric by arranging a layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed on one side of the knitted fabric.

[0101] [Textile Products] Knitted fabrics produced using the yarn of this technology can be used as materials for textile products suited to any purpose. Here, "textile products" refers to all products manufactured from fabric, such as knitted fabrics and woven cloths. Examples of textile products include clothing, bedding, healthcare products such as supports used in direct or indirect contact with the user, and pet products (including clothing, bedding, and healthcare products for pets).

[0102] Furthermore, since the knitted fabric produced using the yarn of this technology is formed from the yarn of this technology, which contains fibers that suitably possess the functionality of a porous carbon material, the knitted fabric may be prepared as a cloth product in which the side with the layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed is the side that comes into contact with the user.

[0103] Figure 5 is an illustrative diagram showing an example of a fabric product using the knitted fabric of this technology, in which the surface with the layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed is used as the surface that comes into contact with the user. In the fabric product 200 shown in Figure 5, two layers are formed using yarn 301 containing the fibers of this technology, in which porous carbon material 102 is kneaded into chemical fibers 101, and yarn 401 that does not contain the fibers of this technology, with different mixing ratios of yarn 301 and yarn 401.

[0104] In the example shown in Figure 5, the two layers of the knitted fabric of the cloth product 200 are used as a surface 300 that comes into contact with the user's skin U and a surface 400 that does not come into direct contact with the user. In the cloth product 200, the surface 300 that comes into contact with the user's skin U has a layer in which yarn 301 containing the fibers of the present technology is exposed, and the surface 400 that does not come into direct contact with the user has a layer mainly containing yarn 401 that does not contain the fibers of the present technology.

[0105] Sweat secreted from the user's skin surface U contains odor components C and moisture H. When the user uses the fabric product 200, as shown in Figure 5, a layer containing yarn 301 with the fibers of this technology is placed on the surface 300 of the fabric product 200 that comes into contact with the user's skin surface U. As a result, the odor components C contained in the sweat secreted from the user's skin surface U are efficiently adsorbed by the yarn 301 containing the fibers of this technology. This eliminates the odor derived from the odor components C.

[0106] Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 5, a layer containing a large amount of the fiber-free yarn 401 of this technology is placed on the surface 400 of the fabric product 200 that does not directly come into contact with the user. In this case, by using yarn containing low-hygroscopic fibers such as polyester fibers as the fiber-free yarn 401 of this technology, as shown in Figure 5, the moisture H contained in sweat secreted from the user's skin surface U can be quickly evaporated, thereby maintaining the breathability of the fabric product 200.

[0107] Figure 5 shows an example of a fabric product consisting of two layers with different blends of yarns, using yarn 301 containing the fibers of this technology and yarn containing low-hygroscopic fibers. However, the fabric products of this technology are not limited to the yarn combinations and layer configurations shown in this example. Depending on the intended use of the fabric product, the yarns used in the knit and the layer configurations can be arbitrarily combined to take advantage of the functions derived from the porous carbon material, and the fabric product can be designed accordingly.

[0108] Here, "contact with the user" is not limited to cases where the fabric product comes into direct contact with the user's skin, but also includes cases where the fabric product comes into indirect contact with the user's skin through other fabric products, etc.

[0109] Thus, in order to take advantage of the functionality of porous carbon materials, fabric products that use the surface on which the yarn of this knitting technology is exposed as the surface that comes into contact with the user include, for example, clothing such as eye masks, socks, gloves, supporters, and belly warmers, as well as bedding such as sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers.

[0110] <Eye Mask> Figure 9 shows an image of an eye mask made using knitted fabric produced with the yarn of this technology.

[0111] It is generally known that prolonged periods of tension and concentration, such as during gaming or desk work, reduce the frequency of blinking. In such states, the sympathetic nervous system becomes dominant, and blood flow in the capillaries of the extremities may temporarily decrease. Promoting blood flow around the eyes and fingers in such cases can be expected to alleviate eye strain, improve cold extremities, and promote restful sleep through relaxation. Therefore, the fibers of this technology, which are suitable for promoting blood circulation, can be suitably used as raw materials for eye masks, socks, gloves, and other products. The following describes in more detail the construction of an eye mask made using knitted fabric produced with yarn from this technology.

[0112] The eye mask 500 shown in the example in Figure 9 is composed of a total of four regions, which are stacked in the following order from the side that contacts the user P's skin outwards (along the direction indicated by the dashed arrow in Figure 9): skin-side surface region 501, nonwoven fabric region 502, porous region 503, and outer surface region 504. Note that each region constituting the eye mask in this embodiment may be composed of multiple layers, as is the case with the skin-side surface region 501 which will be described later.

[0113] The skin-facing surface area 501 of the eye mask 500 shown in the example in Figure 9 is knitted using two or more types of yarn, including at least the yarn of the present technology. Multiple layers with different yarn compositions are formed by the knitting structure, and one side has a layer on which the yarn of the present technology is exposed. The layer on which the yarn of the present technology is exposed is positioned to be in contact with the user's skin. As a result, the far-infrared radiation performance of the fibers of the present technology allows light in a wavelength range that is easily absorbed by living organisms to be effectively radiated to the human body, and it is expected that the energy of this light will be transmitted to the dermis layer of the human body, effectively promoting blood circulation in the user.

[0114] In the example shown in Figure 9, by using, for example, rayon as the chemical fiber of the yarn constituting the knitted fabric in the skin-facing surface area 501 of the eye mask 500, the comfort of wearing the eye mask is improved due to the moisturizing properties and smoothness derived from rayon. Furthermore, due to its flexibility and smoothness, rayon adheres easily to the skin surface, thereby allowing the far-infrared radiation from the fibers of this technology to act effectively on the skin surface and enhance the effect of promoting blood flow around the eyes.

[0115] As shown in the example in Figure 9, the combination of two or more yarns that constitute the knitted fabric of the skin-facing surface area 501 of the eye mask 500 is not particularly limited, as described above, and any combination can be used according to the purpose of the eye mask being manufactured. However, from the viewpoint of comfort and adhesion to the skin surface, yarns other than those of this technology may also contain rayon.

[0116] The eye mask 500 shown in the example in Figure 9 has a nonwoven fabric region 502 adjacent to the skin-facing surface region 501, which is made of a single or multiple layers of nonwoven fabric. In addition to improving light-blocking performance, the nonwoven fabric region 502 allows the eye mask 500 to more effectively conform to the contours of the user P's face when worn, further improving the adhesion between the skin-facing surface region 501 and the user P's skin. This increases the far-infrared radiation to the skin surface caused by the fibers of this technology, further enhancing the effect of promoting blood flow around the eyes.

[0117] The yarns constituting the nonwoven fabric region 502 are not particularly limited, but for example, by using rayon at least, the adhesion between the skin-side surface region 501 and the user P's skin and the comfort of wearing the eye mask can be further improved. Furthermore, by using the yarn of this technology (including those using rayon as a chemical fiber) in part or all of the yarns, the far-infrared radiation performance can be further enhanced.

[0118] The eye mask 500 shown in the example in Figure 9 has a porous region 503 adjacent to the nonwoven fabric region 502, which is composed of a porous structure consisting of one or more layers. In addition to improving light shielding performance, the porous region 503 provides cushioning, heat insulation, and breathability due to the fine voids in the porous structure, which can improve the comfort and warmth when wearing the eye mask.

[0119] Here, a "porous structure" refers to a structure that has numerous fine voids (pores) inside the material. The material of the porous structure is not particularly limited, and any porous structure material that can be used as a raw material for an eye mask can be used. Examples of such porous structure materials include polyurethane.

[0120] The outer surface area 504 of the eye mask 500 shown in the example in Figure 9 is the area that is visible from the outside when the eye mask 500 is worn. The material of the outer surface area 504 is not particularly limited, and any fabric that can be used as a raw material for an eye mask can be used. In addition, the design may be enhanced by applying patterns or colors to the outer surface area 504.

[0121] In addition, in FIG. 9, an example of an eye mask composed of four regions was shown. However, as long as the knitted fabric of the present technology is used as the skin-side surface region 501, any region may be added or omitted as necessary for the eye mask.

[0122] In the present technology, the following configurations can be adopted. [1] The value of the pore volume based on the BJH method is 0.1 cm ３ or more per 1 cm of the solidified porous carbon material, and the porous carbon material having a particle diameter of 3.0 μm or less is kneaded into chemical fibers, and is used for a fiber for a blood circulation promoting or far-infrared radiation fabric product. [2] The fiber according to [1], wherein the particle diameter of the porous carbon material is 0.6 μm or less. [3] The fiber according to [1] or [2], wherein the particle diameter of the porous carbon material is 0.05 μm or more. [4] The fiber according to any one of [1] to [3], wherein the porous carbon material is not substantially exposed from the surface of the fiber. [5] The fiber according to any one of [1] to [4], wherein the value of the fixed carbon content measured in accordance with JIS K 1474:2014 of the porous carbon material is 0.1% by mass or more and 20% by mass or less. [6] The value of the specific surface area of the porous carbon material by the nitrogen BET method is 2 × 10 3 to 3 × 10 2 m 2 per 1 cm 2 of the fiber according to any one of [1] to [5]. [7] The fiber according to any one of [1] to [6], wherein the pores of the porous carbon material include mesopores having a pore diameter of 2 nm to 50 nm and micropores having a pore diameter of 2 nm or less formed on the surface of the mesopores. [8] The bulk density of the porous carbon material is 0.2 g / cm ３ to 0.4 g / cm ３ ​​​​[1] to [7] is a fiber according to any one of the following: [9] The porous carbon material is a porous carbon material from which silicon components have been removed by acid treatment or alkali treatment, according to any one of the following:

[10] The porous carbon material content is 3% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less, according to any one of the following:

[11] The chemical fiber is a fiber that can be formed by extruding raw materials through pores of 0.1 μm or more, according to any one of the following:

[12] The chemical fiber is a regenerated fiber, according to any one of the following:

[13] The regenerated fiber is rayon, according to the following:

[14] A yarn used in fabric products for promoting blood circulation or far-infrared radiation, comprising the fiber according to any one of the following: [1] to

[13] .

[15] A knitted fabric for use in fabric products for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, wherein the fabric is knitted using two or more types of yarn, including at least the yarn described in

[14] , and a plurality of layers with different yarn compositions are formed depending on the knitting structure, and a layer in which the yarn described in

[14] is exposed is arranged on one side.

[16] The knitted fabric according to

[15] , wherein the layer in which the yarn described in

[14] is exposed accounts for the largest proportion of the plurality of layers.

[17] The knitted fabric according to

[15] or

[16] , wherein the plurality of layers consists of two layers.

[18] The knitted fabric according to any one of

[15] to

[17] , wherein the two or more types of yarn include yarn that does not contain the fibers described in any one of [1] to

[13] .

[19] The knitted fabric according to any one of

[15] to

[18] , wherein the two or more types of yarn include yarn containing polyester fibers.

[20] The knitted fabric according to any one of

[15] to

[19] , wherein the knitting structure is a circular knitting structure.

[21] The knitted fabric according to

[20] , wherein the circular knitting structure is a double knitting structure or a plating knitting structure.

[22] A fabric product for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, wherein the knitted fabric described in any of

[15] to

[21] , and the side on which the layer in which the yarn described in

[14] is exposed is arranged is used as the side that comes into contact with the user.

[23] An eye mask for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, having at least a skin-facing surface area made of a knitted fabric as described in any of

[15] to

[21] , wherein a layer in which the yarn described in

[14] is exposed is arranged on the surface of the skin-facing surface area that comes into contact with the user's skin.

[24] The eye mask according to

[23] , having a nonwoven fabric area adjacent to the skin-facing surface area, which is made of a nonwoven fabric consisting of one or more layers.

[25] The eye mask according to

[24] , wherein some or all of the yarns constituting the nonwoven fabric are the yarn described in

[14] .

[26] A fabric used in a cloth product for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, using the yarn described in

[14] .

[0123] The technology will be described in detail below based on specific examples. However, this technology is not limited in any way to the examples shown below.

[0124] [Preparation of Porous Carbon Material] Rice husks were used as the raw material for the porous carbon material used in the examples, as a plant-derived material. The rice husks, a plant-derived material, were solidified using a pellet machine to obtain solidified plant-derived material in the form of roughly cylindrical pellets with an average diameter of 6 mm and an average length of 30 mm. No binder was used during solidification. The bulk density of the solidified plant-derived material was 0.70 grams / cm³. 3 That was the case.

[0125] Next, the solidified raw material was carbonized using a mantle heater under a nitrogen atmosphere at 500°C for 3 hours. The bulk density of the obtained raw material (porous carbon material precursor) was 0.50 g / cm³. 3 Furthermore, the ignition residue of the carbonized material in its solidified state was 42%, and the bulk density of the ignition residue was 0.50 grams / cm³. 3 × 0.42 = 0.21 grams / cm³ 3The fracture hardness was measured using a Kiya hardness tester and was found to be 73 N. Subsequently, the carbonized material in its solidified state was immersed in a 1 mol / liter sodium hydroxide aqueous solution at 80°C and stirred for 24 hours to remove the silicon component. Next, it was washed until neutral, and the resulting solidified porous carbon material was filtered and dried at 120°C for 24 hours.

[0126] The obtained porous carbon material was subjected to an activation treatment based on the gas activation method, specifically, an activation treatment using steam at 900°C for 2 hours. The ignition residue of the activated porous carbon material was 9.3% by mass. The fracture hardness of the porous carbon material was 35 N.

[0127] The pore volume values ​​obtained for the porous carbon material based on the BJH method are as follows: 1 cm³ of solidified porous carbon material ３ Hit: 0.169 cm ３ Therefore, the pore volume value based on the MP method is given for solidified porous carbon material 1 cm ３ 0.070 cm ３ Furthermore, the ignition residue value measured in accordance with JIS K 1474:2014 for the porous carbon material was 15.0% by mass, and the ignition residue bulk density was 0.0390 grams / cm³. ３ Furthermore, the specific surface area of ​​the porous carbon material obtained by the nitrogen BET method was 1 cm². 3 Hit, 2.51 x 10 2 I understand 2 The bulk density is 0.26 grams / cm³. ３ That was the case.

[0128] The porous carbon material obtained above was prepared using a wet pulverizer so that more than 95% of the porous carbon material had a particle size of 0.57 μm (hereinafter referred to as "porous carbon material 1"). Furthermore, in order to confirm that the fibers of this technology can be suitably prepared even when the porous carbon material has a different particle size, a porous material was prepared from the porous carbon material obtained above using the same wet pulverizer so that the average particle size was 2.64 μm (hereinafter referred to as "porous carbon material 2").

[0129] [Preparation of fiber-containing yarn] The raw pulp was immersed in an 18% sodium hydroxide aqueous solution, and alkali cellulose was obtained by pressing and grinding. After aging, this was reacted with carbon disulfide to obtain cellulose xantate. Next, it was dissolved in a diluted caustic soda aqueous solution to prepare viscose, which is the raw material for rayon fibers. This viscose had a cellulose content of 8.7%, a sodium hydroxide concentration of 5.0%, and a carbon disulfide concentration of 2.7% by mass.

[0130] The prepared porous carbon material 1 was added to the viscose in an amount of 7% by mass, and the porous carbon material was kneaded into the rayon fibers. The viscose containing the porous carbon material 1 was extruded at a spinning speed of 48 m / min from a spinneret with a nozzle diameter of 0.045 mm (45 μm) and 10,000 pores in the acidic solution shown below to obtain fibers in which the porous carbon material 1 was kneaded into the rayon fibers.

[0131] As a reference example, binchotan charcoal (manufactured by Omi Kenshi Co., Ltd.), whose particle size was prepared under the same conditions as the porous carbon material 1 described above, was also molded under the same conditions as the fibers described above to obtain fibers in which the binchotan charcoal was kneaded into rayon fibers.

[0132] <Composition of acidic solution> Sulfuric acid 100-120 g / L Zinc sulfate 10 g / L Sodium sulfate 350 g / L *Müller bath temperature 45°C

[0133] Each fiber obtained under the above conditions was subjected to stretching, cutting, and crimping based on the conventional two-bath tension spinning method, followed by scouring in the following order: washing, desulfurization, bleaching, acid neutralization, washing, and finishing. After that, it was dried to obtain yarn containing fibers in which porous carbon material was kneaded into the rayon fibers.

[0134] The measured values ​​for the yarn containing the porous carbon material kneaded into the rayon fibers are shown below. Based on the measured values ​​below, the obtained yarn was judged to be practically acceptable. Fineness: 1.2 dtex Fiber length: 40.8 mm Porous carbon material content: 7% by mass Dry strength: 0.49 CN / dtex Dry elongation: 24.10%

[0135] Figure 6 is a photograph of the fiber obtained above, observed with an electron microscope, and Figure 7 is a photograph of the same fiber, observed with an optical microscope. From the photographs in Figures 6 and 7, it can be confirmed that in the fiber obtained using this technology, the surface of the porous carbon material is covered with cellulose from the rayon fiber, and the porous carbon material is not substantially exposed from the fiber surface.

[0136] In addition to the fiber preparation described above, we confirmed that even when using porous carbon material 2 with a larger particle size than porous carbon material 1, it can be suitably kneaded into chemical fibers, and the fibers of this technology can be suitably prepared. In this confirmation, polyester, a fiber with low hygroscopicity, was used as the chemical fiber from the viewpoint of improving deodorizing properties. Figure 8 is a photograph of polyester fibers kneaded with porous carbon material 2 observed with an optical microscope. In this case as well, it can be confirmed that much of the particle surface of porous carbon material 2 is covered by the base polyester fibers, and that the fibers have been suitably prepared.

[0137] [Preparation of Knitted Fabric] Using 25% yarn containing fibers in which the porous carbon material 1 obtained above is kneaded into rayon fibers (yarn of this technology) and 75% yarn containing cotton fibers (manufactured by Kajinit Co., Ltd.) as yarn that does not contain the fibers of this technology, a knitted fabric (knitted fabric according to the example) was prepared using a double knit structure, such that one side is a layer in which the yarn of this technology is exposed and the other side is a layer with a large proportion of the cotton fiber yarn. The total weight of this knitted fabric was 2.12 g / 100 cm ２ That was the case.

[0138] Furthermore, using a yarn containing 30% fibers in which binchotan charcoal was kneaded into rayon fibers, and 70% of the aforementioned cotton fiber yarn, a knitted fabric (the knitted fabric according to the reference example) was prepared under the same conditions as the knitted fabric described above, such that one side was a layer in which the yarn containing binchotan charcoal kneaded into rayon fibers was exposed, and the other side was a layer with a higher proportion of cotton fiber yarn. The total weight of this knitted fabric was 2.00 g / 100 cm. ２ That was the case.

[0139] [Confirmation of Far-Infrared Emissivity of Knitted Fabric] The emissivity of the knitted fabric obtained in the above example was measured using a Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). As shown in Figure 4, it was confirmed that the emissivity did not decrease even in the 3-6 μm range, where the transmittance to living organisms is high, and was maintained at a level equivalent to other wavelength ranges.

[0140] Based on these results, it is considered that the knitted fabric of the present technology described in the examples can be suitably used as a knitted fabric for far-infrared radiation textile products. Furthermore, by using the knitted fabric of the present technology described in the examples so that it is in direct or indirect contact with the user's skin, the above-mentioned far-infrared radiation performance can radiate light in the wavelength range of 3 μm to 6 μm to the human body. Therefore, it is expected that the energy of this light will be transmitted to the dermis layer of the human body, thereby promoting blood circulation in the user.

[0141] [Evaluation of the deodorizing effect of knitted fabrics] For each of the knitted fabrics obtained above, the deodorizing effect against odor components (ammonia) was confirmed in accordance with the instrumental analysis test, as shown below, as part of the SEK Mark Textile Product Certification Standards (Deodorizing Test) of the Japan Textile Evaluation Technology Council (abbreviated as "Japan Textile Technology Council").

[0142] Each knitted fabric (100cm) is placed in the sampling bag. ２ ) was added. In addition to the above, a blank sample without knitted fabric was prepared. Then, 3 L of ammonia (odor component) was added to each sampling bag of the example, reference example, and blank so that the initial concentration was 1000 ppm. The component concentration (b) after 30 minutes was measured using a Kitagawa gas detector tube (manufactured by Komei Rikagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd.). The component concentration of the blank sample at that time was taken as the initial concentration (a). The room temperature at the time of measurement was 19.4°C and the relative humidity was 40%. From the measurement results obtained, the reduction rate (deodorization rate) of the odor component was calculated based on the following formula (8). The results are shown in Table 1. Reduction rate (%) = {(a - b) / a} × 100 (8)

[0143]

[0144] From the results above, it can be confirmed that in the fibers of this technology, the porous carbon material is not substantially exposed from the surface of the fiber, and the surface of the porous carbon material is covered with cellulose of rayon fibers. Furthermore, knitted fabrics made using yarn of this technology containing these fibers do not lose their odor component adsorption capacity due to the porous carbon material, and are suitably provided with deodorizing function.

[0145] 100 Fibers 101 Chemical fibers 102 Porous carbon materials 200 Fabric products (knitted fabrics) 300 Surface in contact with the user 301 Yarn containing the fibers of this technology 400 Surface not in direct contact with the user 401 Yarn not containing the fibers of this technology 500 Eye mask 501 Skin-side surface area (surface in contact with the user) 502 Nonwoven fabric area 503 Porous area 504 Outer surface area (surface not in direct contact with the user) U User's skin surface C Odor components H Moisture P User

Claims

1. The pore volume value based on the BJH method is calculated per 1 cm of solidified porous carbon material. ３ 0.1 cm ３ The above describes a fiber used in fabric products for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared radiation, in which a porous carbon material with a particle size of 3.0 μm or less is kneaded into a chemical fiber.

2. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the particle size of the porous carbon material is 0.6 μm or less.

3. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the particle size of the porous carbon material is 0.05 μm or larger.

4. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the porous carbon material is substantially not exposed from the surface of the fiber.

5. The specific surface area of ​​the porous carbon material obtained by the nitrogen BET method is 1 cm². 3 Winning combination: 2 x 10 2 I understand 2 ~3×10 2 I understand 2 The fiber according to claim 1.

6. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the pores of the porous carbon material include mesopores with a pore diameter of 2 nm to 50 nm and micropores with a pore diameter of 2 nm or less formed on the surface of the mesopores.

7. The bulk density of the porous carbon material is 0.2 g / cm ３ to 0.4 g / cm ３ The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the fiber has a bulk density of 0.2 g / cm to 0.4 g / cm.

8. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the porous carbon material is a porous carbon material from which the silicon component has been removed by acid treatment or alkali treatment.

9. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the content of the porous carbon material is 3% by mass or more and 10% by mass or less.

10. The fiber according to claim 1, wherein the chemical fiber is a regenerated fiber.

11. The fiber according to claim 10, wherein the regenerated fiber is rayon.

12. A yarn used in fabric products for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, comprising the fiber described in claim 1.

13. A knitted fabric for use in a fabric product for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, wherein the fabric is knitted using two or more types of yarn, each containing at least the yarn described in claim 12, and the knitting structure forms multiple layers with different yarn compositions, and one side of the fabric has a layer on which the yarn described in claim 12 is exposed.

14. The knitted fabric according to claim 13, wherein, among the plurality of layers, the layer in which the yarn described in claim 12 is exposed has the largest proportion.

15. The knitted fabric according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of layers are composed of two layers.

16. The knitted fabric according to claim 13, wherein the two or more types of yarn include yarn that does not contain the fiber described in claim 1.

17. The knitted fabric according to claim 13, wherein the two or more types of yarn include yarn containing polyester fibers.

18. The knitted fabric according to claim 13, wherein the knitting structure is a circular knitting structure.

19. The knitted fabric according to claim 18, wherein the circular knitting structure is a double knitting structure or a plating knitting structure.

20. A fabric product for promoting blood circulation or emitting far-infrared rays, wherein the knitted fabric according to claim 13 is used, and the surface on which the layer in which the yarn according to claim 12 is exposed is arranged is used as the surface in contact with the user.

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