Dye-capturing non-woven fabric and method for producing the same
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing dye-capturing non-woven fabrics face issues with incomplete functionalization, mechanical strength, and health and safety concerns due to the use of conventional chemical bonding methods, and the need for a safer, faster, and more efficient production process.
Innovation Solution
A composition with binding and dye-capturing functionalities is applied to a non-woven substrate, allowing for non-covalent bonding and embedding dye-capturing agents within the substrate, enhancing dye pick-up capacity and mechanical strength, and eliminating the need for hazardous alkaline conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If covalent bonding of color catching substances to base sheet is used, then dye capture capability is improved, but base sheet strength is weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a binder as an intermediary substance that forms a polymer matrix to attach color catching substances to the base sheet. This binder mediates between the base sheet and the color catching substance, providing mechanical support while enabling dye capture functionality without direct covalent bonding that would weaken the base sheet.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure consisting of the base sheet, binder polymer matrix, and color catching substances. This composite material approach allows combining the structural integrity of the base sheet with the dye capture functionality of the color catching substances through the binder matrix, avoiding the strength reduction associated with covalent bonding.
2Reliability
If GMAC chemistry is used for color capture functionalization, then dye capture capability is improved, but health and safety risks increase due to carcinogen release
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the harmful GMAC chemistry and associated carcinogen release from the color catchers. By removing this hazardous component entirely and replacing it with a binder-based attachment system, the patent maintains dye capture functionality while eliminating the health and safety risks associated with GMAC processing.
3Reliability
If GMAC grafting is used for color capture functionalization, then dye capture capability is improved, but manufacturing time increases to 24-36 hours
Solution Approach 1:
The binder and color catching substances are applied to the base sheet in advance during the manufacturing process, allowing the color catchers to be pre-functionalized before use. This preliminary action eliminates the need for time-consuming post-manufacturing GMAC grafting steps, reducing manufacturing time from 24-36 hours to a fraction of that time.
4Reliability
If only cellulosic components are functionalized with GMAC, then dye capture capability is improved, but binder does not contribute to color catching
Solution Approach 1:
The binder serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical attachment of color catching substances to the base sheet, contributes to the structural integrity of the color catcher, and also participates in dye capture functionality. This multi-functional binder allows any component containing OH groups, not just cellulosic fibers, to contribute to color catching.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves a dye pick-up increase of over 20% and maintains or improves mechanical strength, while reducing health risks and manufacturing time, and costs.
Implementation Method 1
upon causing a polymerization reaction of a binder (or a wet-strength agent), which may be triggered for instance by an acid (i.e. in an acidic environment, rather than in a hazardous alkaline environment), at least a part of the dye-capturing functionalities or a dye-capturing agent blended into a binding composition may be enclosed or embedded in a forming polymer (matrix) and thus bonded or attached
Implementation Method 2
dye-capturing functionalities, in particular cationic functionalities
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for producing a dye-capturing non-woven fabric, the method comprising the steps of providing a non-woven substrate and applying a composition to the non-woven substrate, the composition having binding and dye-capturing functionalities. The present invention further relates to a dye-capturing non-woven fabric obtainable by such a method and a dye-capturing non-woven fabric comprising a non-woven substrate comprising cellulose fibers and a dye-capturing agent adhering to the non-woven substrate by means of a binder and/or a dye-capturing agent being absorbed in the non-woven substrate.