Bleaching and shive reduction for non-wood fibers

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method of increasing the brightness of non-wood fibers and nonwoven fabric fabrics produced by the method. In one aspect, the method includes forming a mixture of non-wood fibers and exposing the mixture to a brightening agent to produce brightened fibers. The brightening agent is oxygen gas, peracetic acid, a peroxide compound, or a combination thereof. The brightened fibers have a brightness greater than the fibers of the mixture before exposure as measured by MacBeth UV-C standard.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article, comprising:
 brightened bast fibers with a mean length of about 5 to about 95 millimeters (mm) and a brightness greater than or equal to 80 as measured by a TAPPI standard;   wherein the article is a yarn, a thread, a rope, a cord, or a sliver.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the brightened bast fibers are flax fibers, hemp fibers, jute fibers, ramie fibers, nettle fibers, Spanish broom fibers, kenaf plant fibers, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , further comprising a lubricant, a finish, an antistatic agent, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article further comprises synthetic fibers, polymeric fibers, thermoplastic fibers, staple fibers, regenerated cellulose fibers, cotton fibers, wood pulp fibers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A fabric, comprising:
 brightened bast fibers with a mean length of about 5 to about 95 millimeters (mm) a brightness greater than or equal to 80 as measured by a TAPPI standard;   wherein the fabric is a woven fabric or a knit fabric.   
     
     
         6 . The fabric of  claim 6 , wherein the fabric comprises a yarn, a thread, a rope, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The fabric of  claim 6 , wherein the brightened bast fibers are flax fibers, hemp fibers, jute fibers, ramie fibers, nettle fibers, Spanish broom fibers, kenaf plant fibers, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The fabric of  claim 6 , wherein the fabric further comprises synthetic fibers, polymeric fibers, thermoplastic fibers, staple fibers, regenerated cellulose fibers, natural fibers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The fabric of  claim 10 , wherein the natural fibers are cotton fibers. 
     
     
         10 . The fabric of  claim 10 , wherein the polymeric fibers are polyester fibers. 
     
     
         11 . The fabric of  claim 6 , wherein the fabric is a wet wiper, a dry wiper, an impregnated wiper, a sorbent, a clean room wiper, a medical supply product, a personal protective fabric, an automotive protective covering, a personal care article, a fluid filtration product, a home furnishing product, a thermal insulation product, an acoustic insulation product, an agricultural application product, a landscaping application product, or a geotextile application product. 
     
     
         12 . The fabric of  claim 6 , wherein the fabric is a baby wipe, a cosmetic wipe, a perinea wipe, a washcloth, a kitchen wipe, a bath wipe, a hard surface wipe, a glass wipe, a mirror wipe, a leather wipe, an electronics wipe, a lens wipe, a polishing wipe, a medical cleaning wipe, a disinfecting wipe, an industrial wipe, a food service wipe, a surgical drape, a surgical gown, a wound care product, a protective coverall, a sleeve protector, a diaper, a feminine care article, a nursing pad, an air filter, a water filter, an oil filter, a furniture backing, or a mask. 
     
     
         13 . An article, comprising:
 brightened bast fibers having a mean length of about 5 to about 95 millimeters (mm) and a brightness greater than or equal to 80 as measured by a TAPPI standard;   wherein the article is an article of clothing or a home furnishing.   
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the article of clothing is a shirt, a blouse, a sweater, a sweatshirt, a top, pants, trousers, a tank top, a leotard, a sport specific clothing, a sock, an undergarment, a hat, a belt, a jacket, a coat, a vest, a glove, a dress, a skirt, a scarf, a bib, an apron, footware, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the home furnishing is a drapery, a sheet, a blanket, a throw, a comforter, a bedspread, a washcloth, a towel, a wall covering, a chair covering, a sofa covering, a furniture upholstery, a seat cover, a table cloth, a cushion covering, a pillow covering, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the brightened bast fibers are flax fibers, hemp fibers, jute fibers, ramie fibers, nettle fibers, Spanish broom fibers, kenaf plant fibers, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the article further comprises synthetic fibers, polymeric fibers, thermoplastic fibers, staple fibers, regenerated cellulose fibers, natural fibers, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The fabric of  claim 20 , wherein the natural fibers are cotton fibers. 
     
     
         19 . The fabric of  claim 20 , wherein the polymeric fibers are polyester fibers. 
     
     
         20 . A composite material comprising:
 brightened bast fibers having a mean length of about 5 to about 95 millimeters (mm) and a brightness greater than or equal to 80 as measured by TAPPI standard; and   a matrix material.   
     
     
         21 . The composite material of  claim 20 , wherein the matrix material comprises a thermoplastic material or a thermoset material. 
     
     
         22 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoplastic material is polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, poly(hydridocarbyne), polyhydroxybutyrate, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The composite material of  claim 21 , wherein the thermoset material is an epoxy resin, a phenolic resin, a polyurethane, a polyester, a vinyl resin, an acrylate resin, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The composite material of  claim 20 , wherein the brightened bast fibers are randomly or substantially uniformly distributed throughout the matrix material. 
     
     
         25 . The composite material of  claim 20 , wherein the brightened bast fibers are in the form of a nonwoven fabric or a woven fabric. 
     
     
         26 . The composite material of  claim 20 , wherein the composite material is an automobile part, an aviation part, a marine part, a home furnishing, a building panel, or a combination thereof.