High-wet-bulk cellulosic fibers

• US 6,207,278 B1
• Filed: 01/29/1999
• Issued: 03/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company (Weyerhauser)
• Original Assignee: Weyerhaeuser Company (Weyerhauser)
• Inventors: Westland, John A., Jewell, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): EDWARDS, NEWTON O
• Application Number:
  US09/240,085
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 811/61, 428/393, 428/364, 428/375
• US Class Current: 428/393
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/123 Polyaldehydes; Polyketones
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 13/207 Substituted carboxylic acids, e.g. by hydroxy or keto groups; Anhydrides, halides or salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 15/423 Amino-aldehyde resins
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2101/06 cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: D06M 2200/00 Functionality of the treatment composition and/or properties imparted to the textile material
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 11/20 Chemically or biochemically modified fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D21H 17/06 Alcohols; Phenols; Ethers; Aldehydes; Ketones; Acetals; Ketals
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249924 Noninterengaged fiber-containing paper-free web or sheet which is not of specified porosity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2915 including textile, cloth or fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2965 Cellulosic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2484 Coating or impregnation is water absorbency-increasing or hydrophilicity-increasing or hydrophilicity-imparting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/277 Coated or impregnated cellulosic fiber fabric
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/696 Including strand or fiber material which is stated to have specific attributes [e.g., heat or fire resistance, chemical or solvent resistance, high absorption for aqueous compositions, water solubility, heat shrinkability, etc.]

Abstract

The present invention provides cellulosic fibers having high wet bulk and methods for their preparation. In one embodiment, the invention provides cellulosic fibers catalytically crosslinked with glyoxal and, optionally, a glycol. In another embodiment, cellulosic fibers are crosslinked with a combination of glyoxal and a glyoxal-derived resin selected from the group consisting of a glyoxal/polyol condensate, a cyclic urea/glyoxal/polyol condensate, a cyclic urea/glyoxal condensate, and mixtures thereof.

Claims

1. Individualized, crosslinked cellulosic fibers comprising cellulosic fibers treated with an amount of glyoxal, propylene glycol, aluminum sulfate, and citric acid, effective to provide crosslinked fibers having a wet bulk greater than about 20 cc/g at 0.6 kPa.

2. The fibers of claim 1, wherein the amount of glyoxal is from about 3 to about 6 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

5. The fibers of claim 1, wherein the amount of glyoxal is about 3.94 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

6. The fibers of claim 1, wherein the amount of propylene glycol is about 0.52 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

7. The fibers of claim 1, wherein the amount of is about 1.34 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

8. The fibers of claim 1, wherein the amount of citric acid is about 1.56 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

9. The fibers of claim 1, wherein the amount of glyoxal is about 3.94 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers, the amount of propylene glycol is about 0.52 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers, the amount of aluminum sulfate is about 1.34 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers, and the amount of citric acid is about 1.56 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

3. Individualized, crosslinked cellulosic fibers comprising cellulosic fibers treated with an of glyoxal and a glyoxal-derived resin selected from the group consisting of a glyoxal/polyol condensate, a cyclic urea/glyoxal/polyol condensate, a cyclic urea/glyoxal condensate, and mixtures thereof, effective to provide crosslinked fibers having a wet bulk greater than about 20 cc/g at 0.6 kPa.

4. The fibers of claim 3, wherein the amount of glyoxal is from about 2 to about 8 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

10. The fibers of claim 3, wherein the amount of glyoxal is about 5 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

11. The fibers of claim 3, wherein the amount of glyoxal-derived resin is about 5 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

12. The fibers of claim 3, wherein the amount of glyoxal is about 5 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers and the amount of glyoxal-derived resin is about 5 percent by weight based on the total weight of fibers.

13. The fibers of claim 3, wherein the glyoxal-derived resin comprises a glyoxal/polyol condensate.

14. The fibers of claim 3, wherein the glyoxal-derived resin comprises a cyclic urea/glyoxal/polyol condensate.