Surface treated yarn and fabric with enhanced physical and adhesion properties and the process of making
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsThomas Yiu-Tai Tam, Ralf Klein, Henry Gerard Ardiff, John Armstrong Young, Mark Tallent
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods for modifying high tenacity fibers without reducing the physical strength properties of the fibers. More particularly, methods for modifying fibers with a plasma treatment or a corona treatment without reducing the physical strength properties of the fibers.
Claims20
A process for producing a modified, high tenacity fiber which has been modified by a plasma treatment or modified by a corona treatment, said modified, high tenacity fiber having a tenacity of at least about 33 g/denier at ambient room temperature, said process comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a high tenacity fiber having a tenacity of at least about 33 g/denier at ambient room temperature, wherein said fiber has fiber surfaces and wherein said surfaces are at least partially covered by a fiber surface finish;
- b) washing the fibers to remove only a portion of the fiber surface finish from the fiber surfaces wherein a residual finish remains on the fiber surfaces;
- and
- c) subjecting the high tenacity fiber to a plasma treatment or to a corona treatment within a chamber maintained at a non-vacuum pressure under conditions effective to modify the high tenacity fiber;
- wherein the high tenacity fiber is plasma treated with a plasma energy flux of about 100 W/ft2/min or less, or wherein the high tenacity fiber is corona treated with an energy of from about 2 Watts/ft2/min to about 100 Watts/ft2/min;
- thereby producing a modified, high tenacity fiber which has been modified by a plasma treatment or modified by a corona treatment, which modified high tenacity fiber has a tenacity of at least about 33 g/denier at ambient room temperature, and wherein from 50% to 99.0% of the fiber surface area is exposed and not covered by the residual fiber surface finish.
A process for producing a modified polymeric fiber which has been modified by a plasma treatment or modified by a corona treatment, said process comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a polymeric fiber wherein said fiber has fiber surfaces and wherein said surfaces are at least partially covered by a fiber surface finish;
- b) washing the fibers to remove only a portion of the fiber surface finish from the fiber surfaces wherein a residual finish remains on the fiber surfaces;
- and
- c) subjecting the polymeric fiber to a plasma treatment or to a corona treatment within a chamber maintained at a non-vacuum pressure under conditions effective to modify the polymeric fiber;
- wherein the high tenacity fiber is plasma treated with a plasma energy flux of about 100 W/ft2/min or less, or wherein the high tenacity fiber is corona treated with an energy of from about 2 Watts/ft2/min to about 100 Watts/ft2/min;
- thereby producing a modified fiber which has been modified by a plasma treatment or modified by a corona treatment, and wherein from 50% to 99.0% of the fiber surface area is exposed and not covered by the residual fiber surface finish.
A process for producing a modified polymeric fiber which has been modified by a plasma treatment or modified by a corona treatment, said process comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a polymeric fiber having surfaces that are at least partially free of a fiber surface finish such that at least part of fiber surface is exposed and not covered by a fiber surface finish;
- and
- b) subjecting the polymeric fiber to a plasma treatment or to a corona treatment within a chamber maintained at a non-vacuum pressure under conditions effective to modify the polymeric fiber;
- wherein the high tenacity fiber is plasma treated with a plasma energy flux of about 100 W/ft2/min or less, or wherein the high tenacity fiber is corona treated with an energy of from about 2 Watts/ft2/min to about 100 Watts/ft2/min;
- thereby producing a modified fiber which has been modified by a plasma treatment or modified by a corona treatment, wherein a residual finish is present on the fiber surfaces and wherein from 50% to 99.0% of the fiber surface area is exposed and not covered by the residual fiber surface finish.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.