Hydrophilic surface - modified polyolefin structures
AssigneeKimberly-Clark Corporation
InventorsRonald S. Nohr, Vincent D. McGinniss
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Abstract
A shaped polyolefin structure, such as a polyolefin fiber or a nonwoven web containing polyolefin fibers, is rendered hydrophilic by contacting the structure with a gaseous mixture of chlorine, sulfur dioxide, and oxygen or carbon monoxide or a mixture thereof, in the presence of a free radical-producing means. Such treatment results in the formation of hydrogen sulfato groups at the structure surface. Preferably, the hydrogen sulfato groups are converted to ammonium sulfato groups by subsequent treatment with ammonia or a sufficiently basic amine.
Claims64
A hydrophilic shaped polyolefin structure having a surface modified by the presence of hydrogen sulfato groups at a concentration sufficient to render the structure hydrophilic.
A hydrophilic shaped polyolefin structure having a surface modified by the presence of ammonium sulfato groups at a concentration sufficient to render the structure hydrophilic.
A hydrophilic polyolefin fiber having a surface modified by the presence of hydrogen sulfato groups at a concentration sufficient to render the fiber hydrophilic.
A hydrophilic polyolefin fiber having a surface modified by the presence of ammonium sulfato groups at a concentration sufficient to render the fiber hydrophilic.
A nonwoven web comprising hydrophilic polyolefin fibers having surfaces modified by the presence of hydrogen sulfato groups at a concentration sufficient to render the fibers hydrophilic.
A nonwoven web comprising hydrophilic polyolefin fibers having surfaces modified by the presence of ammonium sulfato groups at a concentration sufficient to render the fibers hydrophilic.
A method of imparting a hydrophilic character to a surface of a shaped polyolefin structure which comprises contacting the surface with a gaseous mixture comprising chlorine, sulfur dioxide, and oxygen or carbon monoxide or a mixture thereof in the presence of a free radical producing means under conditions sufficient to introduce hydrogen sulfato groups at the structure surface.
A method of imparting a hydrophilic character to a surface of a shaped polyolefin structure which comprises the steps of:
- A. contacting the surface with a gaseous mixture comprising chlorine, sulfur dioxide, and oxygen or carbon monoxide or a mixture thereof in the presence of a free radical-producing means under conditions sufficient to introduce hydrogen sulfato groups at the structure surface;
- and
- B. converting the hydrogen sulfato groups to ammonium sulfato groups by treating the surface obtained from step A with ammonia or an amine having a sufficiently low pK.sub.B under conditions sufficient to cause such conversion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.