Methods for modifying monofilaments, bundles of monofilaments, and fibrous structural material

A method of modifying elongated monofilaments and bundles of monofilament comprising:

• providing a treatment apparatus chamber having a passageway passing entirely therethrough, said passageway comprising a first region, a second region, and a constricted medial region between said first region and said second region;
• passing either a monofilament or a bundle of monofilaments through said passageway so that said monofilament or said bundle of monofilaments moves continuously therethrough;
• flowing a chemical treatment mixture through said constricted medial region of said passageway during movement of said monofilament or said bundle of monofilaments through said passageway, said chemical treatment mixture comprising a modifying composition in a carrier medium, said carrier medium being selected from the group consisting of a supercritical fluid, a near-critical fluid, a superheated fluid, a superheated liquid, and a liquified gas, and wherein said modifying composition separates from said carrier medium upon a pressure drop when said chemical treatment mixture is flowed through said constricted region of said passageway applying said modifying composition to said monofilament or said bundle of monofilaments to produce a modified monofilament or a modified bundle of monofilaments by expanding said monofilament or said bundle of monofilaments with said modifying composition.

A method of modifying elongated fibrous structural material, said method comprising:

• providing a treatment apparatus chamber having a passageway passing entirely therethrough, said passageway comprising a first region, a second region, and a constricted medial region between said first region and said second region;
• passing a fibrous structural material through said passageway so that said fibrous structural material moves continuously therethrough;
• flowing a chemical treatment mixture through said constricted medial region of said passageway during movement of said fibrous structural material through said passageway, said chemical treatment mixture comprising a modifying composition in a carrier medium, said carrier medium being selected from the group consisting of a supercritical fluid, a near-critical fluid, a superheated fluid, a superheated liquid, and a liquified gas, and wherein said modifying composition separates from said carrier medium upon a pressure drop when said chemical treatment mixture is flowed through said constricted region of said passageway applying said modifying composition to said fibrous structural material to produce a modified fibrous structural material by extracting a component of said fibrous structural material with said modifying composition.

A method of modifying elongated fibrous structural material, said method comprising:

• providing a treatment apparatus chamber having a passageway passing entirely therethrough, said passageway comprising a first region, a second region, and a constricted medial region between said first region and said second region;
• passing a fibrous structural material through said passageway so that said fibrous structural material moves continuously therethrough;
• flowing a chemical treatment mixture through said constricted medial region of said passageway during movement of said fibrous structural material through said passageway, said chemical treatment mixture comprising a modifying composition in a carrier medium, said carrier medium being selected from the group consisting of a supercritical fluid, a near-critical fluid, a superheated fluid, a superheated liquid, and a liquified gas, and wherein said modifying composition separates from said carrier medium upon a pressure drop when said chemical treatment mixture is flowed through said constricted region of said passageway applying said modifying composition to said fibrous structural material to produce a modified fibrous structural material by expanding said fibrous structural material with said modifying composition.

A method of combining two or more materials to form composite material comprising:

• providing a treatment apparatus chamber having a passageway passing entirely therethrough, said passageway comprising a first region, a second region, and a constricted medial region between said first region and said second region;
• introducing a chemical treatment mixture into said constricted region of said passageway, said chemical treatment mixture comprising at least two compositions which are in a carrier medium, said carrier medium being selected from the group consisting of a supercritical fluid, a near-critical fluid, a superheated fluid, a superheated liquid, and a liquified gas, and wherein said at least two compositions separate from said carrier medium upon a pressure drop when said chemical treatment mixture is flowed through said constricted region of said passageway, said at least two compositions combining to form a composite structure.