Cellulosic fibers having enhanced reversible thermal properties and methods of forming thereof

• US 9,920,455 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2017
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Outlast Technologies GmbH
• Original Assignee: Outlast Technologies, Incorporated
• Inventors: Hartmann, Mark, Worley, James Brice, North, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Salvatore, Lynda
• Application Number:
  US15/592,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20170241045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 314 Days
• Field of Search: 428373, 428374, 428393, 428402, 42840221
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 5/063 Materials absorbing or liberating heat during crystallisation; Heat storage materials
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/10 Other agents for modifying properties
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 1/103 Agents inhibiting growth of microorganisms
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/00 Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of cellulose or cellulose derivatives; Manufacture thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/06 from viscose
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/08 Composition of the spinning solution or the bath
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 2/28 from organic cellulose esters or ethers, e.g. cellulose acetate
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/4258 Regenerated cellulose series
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/492 by fluid jet D04H1/49 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/732 by fluid current, e.g. air-lay
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2401/13 anti-allergenic or anti-bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2501/00 Wearing apparel
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2509/026 Absorbent pads; Tampons; Laundry; Towels
• 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 428/2931 Fibers or filaments nonconcentric [e.g., side-by-side or eccentric, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/298 Physical dimension

Abstract

A cellulosic fiber includes a fiber body including a cellulosic material and non-encapsulated phase change material dispersed within the cellulosic material. The non-encapsulated phase change material forms a plurality of distinct domains dispersed within the cellulosic material. The non-encapsulated phase change material has a latent heat of at least 40 Joules per gram and the cellulosic fiber has a latent heat between 9.8 Joules per gram and 132 Joules per gram and a transition temperature in the range of 0° C. to 100° C., and cellulosic fiber provides thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of the latent heat at the transition temperature.

Claims

1. A cellulosic fiber comprising:

a fiber body including a cellulosic material and a non-encapsulated phase change material dispersed within the cellulosic material, the non-encapsulated phase change material forming a plurality of distinct domains dispersed within the cellulosic material,

wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material has a latent heat of at least 40 Joules per gram and the cellulosic fiber has a latent heat between 9.8 Joules per gram and 132 Joules per gram and a transition temperature in the range of 0°

C. to 100°

C., the cellulosic fiber providing thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of the latent heat at the transition temperature.

2. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic material includes at least one of cellulose and cellulose acetate.

3. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic material includes lyocell.

4. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic material includes viscose.

5. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic material includes rayon.

6. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic material includes a high modulus viscose.

7. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic material includes cupro viscose.

8. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic material includes a mixture of at least two cellulose products.

9. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material includes a paraffinic hydrocarbon having 13 to 28 carbon atoms.

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

11. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the domains are substantially uniformly dispersed within the cellulosic material.

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

13. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material is a solid/solid phase change material.

14. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material is a polymeric phase change material.

15. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, further comprising a second non-encapsulated phase change material dispersed in the cellulosic material.

16. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the transition temperature of the non-encapsulated phase change material is in the range of 22°

C. to 40°

C.

17. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the transition temperature of the non-encapsulated phase change material is in the range of 22°

C. to 28°

C.

18. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber includes from 10 percent to 30 percent by weight of the phase change material.

19. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber includes from 15 percent to 25 percent by weight of the phase change material.

20. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the cellulosic fiber includes from 10 percent to 70 percent by weight of the non-encapsulated phase change material.

21. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber body further comprises an additive that provides fire resistant properties to the cellulosic fiber.

22. The cellulosic fiber of claim 1, wherein the fiber body further comprises an additive that provides anti-microbial properties to the cellulosic fiber.

23. A fabric comprising:

a plurality of cellulosic fibers blended together, the plurality of cellulosic fibers including a cellulosic fiber having enhanced reversible thermal properties and including;

a fiber body including a cellulosic material and a temperature regulating material dispersed within the cellulosic material, the temperature regulating material including a non-encapsulated phase change material, the non-encapsulated phase change material forming a plurality of distinct domains dispersed within the cellulosic material,

wherein the non-encapsulated phase change material has a latent heat of at least 40 Joules per gram and the cellulosic fiber has a latent heat between 9.8 Joules per gram and 132 Joules per gram and a transition temperature in the range of 0°

C. to 100°

C., the cellulosic fiber providing thermal regulation based on at least one of absorption and release of the latent heat at the transition temperature.

24. The fabric of claim 23, wherein the plurality of cellulosic fibers are blended together by a non-woven process.

25. The fabric of claim 23, wherein the fabric has a moisture absorbency in the range of 12 gram/gram to 35 gram/gram.

26. The fabric of claim 23, wherein the fabric has a specific weight in the range of 15 g/m² to 400 g/m².

27. The fabric of claim 23, wherein the cellulosic material includes one of cellulose and cellulose acetate.

28. The fabric of claim 23, wherein the phase change material includes one of a paraffinic hydrocarbon, a polyhydric alcohol, a polyethylene glycol, a polyethylene oxide, a polytetramethylene glycol, and a polyester.