Acid-dyed polyester compositions

Abstract

An acid-dyeable polyester composition comprising (a) polyester and (b) secondary amine or secondary amine salt in an amount effective to promote acid-dyeability. The acid-dyeable polyester composition may be prepared by melt blending: the polyester; and polymeric additive prepared from (i) triamine containing secondary amine or secondary amine salt unit(s) and (ii) one or more other monomer and/or polymer units. One polymeric additive comprises polyamide selected from the group consisting of poly-imino-bisalkylene-terephthalamide, -isophthalamide and -1,6-naphthalamide, and salts thereof. Also, the polymeric additive, the blends, shaped articles (e.g., fibers and films), processes of dyeing, and processes for preparing an acid dyeable polyester composition.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An acid-dyed polyester composition prepared by (1) providing a polyester composition prepared by melt blending (a) polyester; and (b) in an amount effective to promote acid-dyeability, polymeric additive prepared from (i) triamine containing secondary amine or secondary amine salt unit(s) and (ii) one or more other monomer and/or polymer units; and (2) acid dyeing the polyester composition.  
     
     
         2 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 1  wherein the other monomer and/or polymer units are selected from the group consisting of aromatic dicarboxylic acids or esters.  
     
     
         3 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 2  comprising 85 mole % to 99.5 mole % of the polyester, and 0.5 mole % to 15 mole % of secondary amine or secondary amine salt units in a polymeric additive, based on the polyester composition.  
     
     
         4 . An acid-dyed polyester composition prepared by (1) providing a polyester composition prepared by melt blending: (a) polyester; and (b) in an amount effective to promote acid-dyeability, polyamide selected from the group consisting of poly-imino-bisalkylene-terephthalamide, -isophthalamide and -1,6-naphthalamide, and salts thereof; and (2) acid dyeing the polyester composition.  
     
     
         5 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 4  wherein the polyamide comprises a compound having the following formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein A or B, which may be the same or different, are selected from aliphatic or aromatic substituents, n is 3-30, a is 1-20 and b is 1-20.  
     
     
         6 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 5  wherein n is 10-20.  
     
     
         7 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 5  wherein A or B, which may be the same or different, are selected from alkyl and aryl and each may contain 0-20 alkyl units and 0-3 aryl units, provided that each contains at least one aryl unit or at least two alkyl units.  
     
     
         8 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 4  wherein the polyamide comprises a compound having the following formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein n is 3-30, a is 3-20 and b is 3-20.  
       
     
     
         9 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 8  wherein n is 10-20, a is 5-12 and b is 5-12.  
     
     
         10 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 4  wherein the polyamide is poly(6,6′-imino-bishexamethylene terephthalamide) having repeat units according to the formula:  
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein n is 3-30.  
     
     
         11 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 10  wherein n is 3-30 10-20.  
     
     
         12 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 4  comprising 85 mole % to 99.5 mole % of the polyester and about 0.5 mole %-about 15 mole % of secondary amine units, based on the polyester composition.  
     
     
         13 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 5  comprising from about 0.5 mole %—about 10 mole % of secondary amine units, based on the polyester composition.  
     
     
         14 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 9  comprising from about 1 mole %—about 5 mole % of secondary amine units, based on the polyester composition.  
     
     
         15 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 4  comprising 85 mole % to 99.5 mole % of the polyester and about 0.5 mole %—about 15 mole % of secondary amine salt units, based on the polyester composition.  
     
     
         16 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 5  comprising from about 0.5 mole %—about 10 mole % of secondary amine salt units, based on the polyester composition.  
     
     
         17 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 9  comprising from about 1 mole %—about 5 mole % of secondary amine salt units, based on the polyester composition.  
     
     
         18 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 2  wherein the polyester is selected from the group consisting of polyalkylene terephthalate, polyalkylene naphthalate and polyalkylene isophthalate.  
     
     
         19 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 5  wherein the polyester is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate and polytetramethylene terephthalate.  
     
     
         20 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 8  wherein the polyester is polytrimethylene terephthalate.  
     
     
         21 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 1  in the form of a fiber.  
     
     
         22 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 1  in the form of a film or film layer.  
     
     
         23 . The acid-dyed polyester composition of  claim 2  wherein said composition comprises a block copolymer of the polyester and the polymeric additive.  
     
     
         24 . A process comprising (a) providing a polyester composition and (b) acid dyeing the composition, wherein the polyester composition was prepared by melt blending: 
 (a) polyester; and    (b) in an amount effective to promote acid-dyeability, polymeric additive prepared from (i) triamine containing secondary amine or secondary amine salt unit(s) and (ii) one or more aromatic dicarboxylic acid or ester.    
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 24  wherein the polyester is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate and polytetramethylene terephthalate.  
     
     
         26 . A process for preparing an acid-dyed polyester composition as claimed in  claim 4  comprising the steps of: 
 (1) combining the polyamide with the polyester,  
 (2) mixing and heating the polyamide and the polyester at a temperature sufficient to form a blend,  
 (3) forming said blend into a shaped article, and  
 (4) acid dyeing the shaped article.  
 
     
     
         27 . The process of claim  28  wherein the polyamide was made by reacting dimethyl terephthalate and bis(hexamethylene) triamine at elevated temperature in the presence of water, distilling off a methanol by-product, continuing the reaction under vacuum, and then cooling.