# US 9,434,869 B2 · Cellulosic fibers having enhanced reversible thermal properties and methods of forming thereof

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- Number: US 9,434,869 B2
- Document ID: US9434869B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/446,209
- Filed: 2012-04-13
- Published: 2013-10-17
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-13
- Assignees: Outlast Technologies, Inc.
- Applicants: Mark H. Hartmann; James B. Worley; Matthew North
- Inventors: Mark H. Hartmann; James B. Worley; Matthew North
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434869B2

## CPC

- D01F 2/08: Composition of the spinning solution or the bath
- C09K 5/063: {Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials}
- D01F 1/10: Other agents for modifying properties
- D01F 1/103: {Agents inhibiting growth of microorganisms}
- D01F 2/00: Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of cellulose or cellulose derivatives; Manufacture thereof
- D01F 2/06: from viscose
- D01F 2/28: from organic cellulose esters or ethers, e.g. cellulose acetate
- D04H 1/4258: Regenerated cellulose series
- D04H 1/492: by fluid jet (D04H1/49 takes precedence)
- D04H 1/732: by fluid current, e.g. air-lay
- D10B 2401/13: anti-allergenic or anti-bacterial
- D10B 2501/00: Wearing apparel
- D10B 2509/026: Absorbent pads; Tampons; Laundry; Towels
- Y10T 428/2927: including structurally defined particulate matter
- Y10T 428/2929: Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type]
- Y10T 428/2931: Fibers or filaments nonconcentric [e.g., side-by-side or eccentric, etc.]
- Y10T 428/298: Physical dimension
- D01F: CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)
- D10B: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBLASSES OF SECTION D, RELATING TO TEXTILES
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A viscose fiber comprises a fiber body including a regenerated cellulosic material and a plurality of microcapsules dispersed in the regenerated cellulosic material. The regenerated cellulosic material is derived from an organic plant material and the plurality of microcapsules containing a phase change material has a transition temperature in the range of 0° C. to 100° C., the phase change material providing thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of latent heat at the transition temperature.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A lyocell-type cellulosic fiber having enhanced reversible thermal properties, comprising:
a fiber body formed of one or more elongated members, at least one elongated member including a cellulosic material and a temperature regulating material including a phase change material contained by a containment structure, the temperature regulating material being dispersed substantially uniformly within the cellulosic material and the phase change material having a transition temperature in the range of 22° C. to 40° C.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the phase change material includes a paraffinic hydrocarbon having 16 to 22 carbon atoms.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the phase change material includes a polyhydric alcohol.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the phase change material includes one of a polymeric phase change material, a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide, a polytetramethylene glycol, and a polyester.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the elongated member includes from about 5 percent to about 70 percent by weight of the temperature regulating material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the plurality of elongated members are arranged in one of an island-in-sea configuration, a segmented-pie configuration, a core-sheath configuration, a slde-by-slde configuration, and a striped configuration.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber body is between 0.1 and 100 denier.

### Claim 8

A lyocell-type cellulosic fiber having enhanced reversible thermal properties, comprising:
a plurality of island members, at least one Island member of the plurality of Island members including
a phase change material contained In a containment structure, the phase change material having a transition temperature in the range of 16° C. to 45° C.; and
a sea member surrounding each of the plurality of Island members and forming an exterior of the cellulosic fiber, the sea member including a sea cellulosic material.

### Claim 9

A cellulosic fiber comprising:
a fiber body including a cellulosic material and a plurality of microcapsules dispersed in the cellulosic material, the plurality of microcapsules containing a phase change material having a latent heat of at least 40 J/g and a transition temperature in the range of 0° C. to 100° C., the phase change material providing thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of the latent heat at the transition temperature, wherein the cellulosic fiber has a cross-section that is generally X-shaped, generally Y-shaped, generally T-shaped or generally H-shaped, wherein the cellulosic material includes one of cellulose and cellulose acetate.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 9, wherein the plurality of microcapsules have sizes in the range of 0.1 to 20 microns.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 9, wherein the plurality of microcapsules are monodisperse with respect to sizes of the plurality of microcapsules.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 9, wherein the latent heat of the phase change material is in the range of 60 J/g to 400 J/g.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 9, wherein the transition temperature of the phase change material is in the range of 0° C. to 50° C.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 9, wherein the phase change material includes a paraffinic hydrocarbon.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 9, wherein the phase change material includes a polyhydric alcohol.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 9, wherein the phase change material includes one of a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide, a polytetramethylene glycol, and a polyester.

### Claim 17 (depends on 9)

The cellulosic fiber of claim 9, wherein the cellulosic fiber includes from 5 percent to 40 percent by weight of the plurality of microcapsules containing the phase change material.