Conductive synthetic fibers

• US 3,958,066 A
• Filed: 05/31/1973
• Issued: 05/18/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Asahi Kasei Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Imamura, Kazuyoshi, Ishikawa, Tatsuo, Kusunose, Tetsuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Cannon, J. C.
• Application Number:
  US05/365,497
• Time in Patent Office: 1,083 Days
• Field of Search: 117/31, 117/62, 117/138.8 R, 117/138.8 F, 117/138.8 N, 117/169 R, 117/223, 117/224, 117/225, 117/227, 161/174, 161/175, 317/2 C, 427/180, 427/205, 427/316, 427/343, 428/372, 428/373, 428/394, 428/395, 428/389
• US Class Current: 428/372
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/34 with oxygen, ozone or ozonides
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/36 with oxides, hydroxides or mixed oxides; with salts derived from anions with an amphoteric element-oxygen bond
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/44 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 2 or 12 of the Periodic Table; Zincates; Cadmates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/45 Oxides or hydroxides of elements of Groups 3 or 13 of the Periodic Table; Aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/53 with hydrogen sulfide or its salts; with polysulfides
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/55 with sulfur trioxide; with sulfuric acid or thiosulfuric acid or their salts
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 11/83 with metals; with metal-generating compounds, e.g. metal carbonyls; Reduction of metal compounds on textiles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/009 comprising electro-conductive fibres, e.g. metal fibres, carbon fibres, metallised textile fibres, electro-conductive mesh, woven, non-woven mat, fleece, cross-linked
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2927 including structurally defined particulate matter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2929 Bicomponent, conjugate, composite or collateral fibers or filaments [i.e., coextruded sheath-core or side-by-side type]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2958 Metal or metal compound in coating
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2967 Synthetic resin or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2969 Polyamide, polyimide or polyester

Abstract

Thermoplastic synthetic polymer fibers having powder of metal attached to the surface of the fibers are subjected to a treatment for increasing the oxidation number of said metal from zero to a plus value, that is, oxidation in a broad sense. The resulting conductive synthetic fibers support a layer of a compound of the metal, i.e. an oxidized product of the metal in a broad sense, firmly and undetchably thereon, and have as low an electric resistivity as 10⁵ Ω/cm or less. The conductive fibers can be blended to ordinary synthetic fibers to improve their antistatic property, or can be substituted for expensive metal fibers. The thermoplastic synthetic polymer fibers are sheath-core fibers wherein the sheath has a lower melting point than the core.

Claims

1. Conductive synthetic fibers having an electric resistivity of 10⁵ Ω

/cm or less, and consisting of fibers of thermoplastic synthetic polymer and, adhered directly to the surface thereof, a substantially continuous layer consisting of oxidized metal particles, wherein said metal particles are oxidized in the broad sense, produced by a process comprising

1. heating sheath-core synthetic fibers wherein the sheath has a lower melting point than the core to soften the sheath,

2. depositing metal powder upon the heat-softened sheath,

3. cooling the sheath to bind the metal particles which were deposited thereon when it was in a heat-softened state, and

4. subjecting the atmosphere-exposed bound metal particles to an oxidation treatment in a broad sense.

2. Conductive synthetic fibers according to claim 1 wherein the metal powder is selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, lead, silver, aluminum, iron and alloys thereof.

3. Conductive synthetic fibers according to claim 1 wherein the oxidized metal particles are selected from the group consisting of metal sulfides and metal oxides.

4. Conductive synthetic fibers according to claim 1 wherein at least the surface portion of said synthetic fibers consists of a polyamide.

5. A conductive synthetic fiber according to claim 1 wherein the oxidized metal particles are copper sulfide and said thermoplastic synthetic polymer fiber comprises polyamide.

6. A method for producing conductive fibers having an electric resistivity of 10⁵ Ω

/cm or less which comprises (1) heating sheath-core synthetic fibers wherein the sheath has a lower melting point than the core to soften the sheath, (2) depositing metal powder upon the heat-softened sheath, (3) cooling the sheath to bind the metal particles which were deposited thereon when it was in a heat-softened state, and (4) subjecting the atmosphere-exposed bound metal particles to an oxidation treatment in a broad sense.

7. A method for producing conductive fibers according to claim 6 wherein at least the surface portion of the synthetic fibers consists of a polyamide.

8. A method for producing conductive fibers according to claim 6 wherein the metal powder is selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, lead, silver, aluminum, iron and alloys thereof.

9. A method for producing conductive fibers according to claim 6 wherein the oxidation treatment in a broad sense results in sulfide formation.

10. A method for producing conductive fibers according to claim 6 wherein the oxidation treatment in a broad sense results in oxide formation.

11. A method for producing conductive fibers according to claim 6 wherein the attachment of metal powder to the surface of synthetic fibers is carried out after water has been attached onto said fibers.