Individualized crosslinked fibers and process for making said fibers

A process for making individualized, twisted and curled, crosslinked cellulosic fibers, said process comprising the steps of:

• a. providing cellulosic fibers;
• b. contacting said fibers with a solution containing a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of C.sub.2 -C.sub.8 dialdehydes, acid analogues of said dialdehydes derived by having one aldehyde group of each of said dialdehydes replaced by a carboxyl group, and oligomers of said dialdehydes and said acid analogues;
• c. mechanically separating said fibers into substantially individual form;
• and
• d. drying said fibers and reacting said crosslinking agent with said fibers to form crosslink bonds while said fibers are in substantially individual form, to form intrafiber crosslink bonds:
• said fibers contacted with a sufficient amount of crosslinking agent such that between about 0.5 mole % and about 3.5 mole % crosslinking agent, calculated on a cellulose anhydroglucose molar basis, reacts with said fibers to form said intrafiber crosslink bonds and causes said fibers, subsequent to crosslinking, to have water retention values of from about 28 to about 45.

A process for making individualized, twisted and curled, crosslinked, cellulosic fibers, said process comprising the steps of:

• a. providing cellulosic fibers;
• b. contacting said fibers with a solution containing a crosslinking agent selected from the group consisting of glutaraldehyde, glyoxal, and glyoxylic acid;
• c. mechanically separating said fibers into substantially individual form;
• and
• d. drying said fibers and reacting said crosslinking agent with said fibers to form crosslink bonds while said fibers are in substantially individual form, to form intrafiber crosslink bonds;
• said fibers being contacted with a sufficient amount of crosslinking agent such that between about 0.5 mole % and about 3.5 mole % crosslinking agent, calculated on a cellulose anhydroglucose molar basis, reacts with said fibers to form said intrafiber crosslink bonds, and causes said fibers, subsequent to crosslinking, to have water retention values of from about 28 to about 45.