US4808188A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Polyester fibers, yarns and fabrics with enhanced hydrophilicity and method of producing same with borohydride anions and lithium cations
Assignee: Comfort Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 1988-05-24
•
Granted: 1989-02-28
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Expires: 2008-05-24
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to products with enhanced hydrophilicity produced by treating polyester materials such as fibers, yarns and fabrics with aqueous solutions or dispersions of metal hydrides or complex metal hydrides.
Inventors
- 👤 W. Troy Ledford
- 👤 John R. Wasson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:35
CPC Classifications
D; D06; D06M; D06M11/00; D06M11/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 27
Claim 1
Independent Claim
25 words
A modified polyester polymer having enhanced hydrophilicity which is produced by contacting the polyester with an aqueous treatment bath containing borohydride anions and lithium cations.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
25 words
A modified polyester polymer having enhanced hydrophilicity which is produced by contacting the polyester with an aqueous treatment bath containing borohydride anions and lithium cations.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A modified polyester according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous treatment bath has a pH of greater than 7.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A modified polyester according to claim 1 wherein the aqueous treatment bath additionally includes an aliphatic amine or diamine.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
18 words
A modified polyester polymer according to claim 1 in which the treatment bath additionally includes transition metal ions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
A modified polyester polymer having enhanced hydrophilicity in which at least some of the ester units of the polyester have been reduced to hydrophilic alcohol groups by contact with a borohydride in the presence of lithium ions.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A modified polyester polymer having enhanced hydrophilicity in which at least some of the ester units of the polyester have been reduced to hydrophilic alcohol groups by contact with a borohydride in the presence of lithium ions.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A modified polyester according to claim 5 in which said ester units have been reduced by contact with an aqueous solution of sodium borohydride and lithium hydroxide at a pH of greater than 7.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process of treating polyester polymers to impart enhanced hydrophilicity which comprises contacting the polyester with an aqueous treatment bath containing a borohydride and lithium ions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process of treating polyester polymers to impart enhanced hydrophilicity which comprises contacting the polyester with an aqueous treatment bath containing a borohydride and lithium ions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process according to claim 7 wherein the treatment bath is an aqueous solution of sodium borohydride and lithium hydroxide at a pH of greater than 7.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the treatment bath additionally includes lithium chloride.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the treatment bath additionally includes an aliphatic amine or diamine.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the treatment bath additionally includes transition metal ions.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
79 words
A process of treating textile materials formed at least partially of polyester to impart enhanced hydrophilicity to the polyester, said process comprising contacting the polyester-containing textile materials with an aqueous treatment bath containing about 0.05 to 10 percent by weight of a borohydride and about 0.1 to 3 percent of a lithium compound for a time and at a temperature sufficient to react with the polyester and impart enhanced hydrophilicity thereto, and thereafter washing and drying the textile materials.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
79 words
A process of treating textile materials formed at least partially of polyester to impart enhanced hydrophilicity to the polyester, said process comprising contacting the polyester-containing textile materials with an aqueous treatment bath containing about 0.05 to 10 percent by weight of a borohydride and about 0.1 to 3 percent of a lithium compound for a time and at a temperature sufficient to react with the polyester and impart enhanced hydrophilicity thereto, and thereafter washing and drying the textile materials.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 12 wherein the treatment bath contains sodium borohydride and lithium hydroxide at a pH of greater than 7.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
A process according to claim 12 wherein the step of contacting the textile materials with the aqueous treatment bath comprises padding the treatment bath onto the textile material and heating the thus treated materials.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 7 comprising the additional step of melting the thus-treated polyester polymer and forming fibers therefrom.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
20 words
A modified polyester polymer having enhanced hydrophilicity which is produced by contacting the polyester with borohydride anions and lithium cations.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
20 words
A modified polyester polymer having enhanced hydrophilicity which is produced by contacting the polyester with borohydride anions and lithium cations.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
42 words
A modified polyester polymer according to claim 16 wherein the polyester polymer is in the form of a melt-spun fiber and wherein the polyester polymer is contacted with said borohydride anions and lithium cations before being melted and formed into a fiber.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
A modified polyester polymer according to claim 16 wherein the polyester polymer is in the form of a melt-spun fiber and is contacted with said borohydride anions and lithium cations after being melted and formed into a fiber.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process of producing treated polyester fibers having enhanced hydrophilicity comprising treating polyester polymer with a metal hydride and melting the treated polyester polymer and forming fibers therefrom.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process of producing treated polyester fibers having enhanced hydrophilicity comprising treating polyester polymer with a metal hydride and melting the treated polyester polymer and forming fibers therefrom.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the step of treating polyester fiber with a metal hydride comprises mixing the polyester polymer in powder or chip form with sodium borohydride and lithium hydroxide.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
45 words
A process according to claim 19 wherein the step of treating polyester fiber with a metal hydride comprises contacting the polyester polymer in powder or chip form with aqueous sodium borohydride and lithium hydroxide and thereafter drying the polyester polymer prior to said melting step.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-02-28 | 1992-08-29 | 1993-02-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-02-28 | 1996-08-29 | 1997-02-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-02-28 | 2000-08-29 | 2001-02-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |