Modified cellulosic fibers

Abstract

The disclosure provides a fibrous material comprising a plurality of fibers, the fibers being natural or synthetic cellulosic fibers or natural or synthetic protein fibers, and wherein the fibers are treated with a cationic compound. The disclosure also provides a method for imparting improved compatibility with quaternary ammonium compounds to a fibrous material, including: providing a fibrous material comprising a plurality of fibers, the fibers being natural or synthetic cellulosic fibers or natural or synthetic protein fibers; optionally, pre-treating the fibrous material with a base; treating the fibrous material with at least one cationic compound to impart improved compatibility with quaternary ammonium compounds; and optionally, further treating the treated fibrous material with a polymer or resin.

1 . A fibrous material comprising a plurality of fibers, said fibers being natural or synthetic cellulosic fibers or natural or synthetic protein fibers, and wherein said fibers are treated with at least one cationic compound, and wherein the plurality of fibers has a mean length of greater than about 1 mm and comprises bast fibers in an amount of at least about 5% by weight based on the total dry weight of the fibrous material. 
     
     
         2 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic compound is selected from the list of alkali metal salts, alkali earth metal salts, salts of transition or post-transition metals, and ionic liquids. 
     
     
         3 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic compound is a salt of aluminum, copper, zinc, manganese, or iron. 
     
     
         4 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic compound is a salt selected from the group consisting of sulfates, sulfites, acetates, carbonates, chlorides, hydroxides, phosphates, and nitrates. 
     
     
         5 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic compound is an aluminum salt. 
     
     
         6 . The fibrous material of  claim 5 , wherein the aluminum salt is selected from the group consisting of aluminum chloride, aluminum sulfate, potassium aluminum sulfate, and aluminum acetate. 
     
     
         7 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic compound is an ionic liquid comprising a cation selected from the group consisting of imidazolium, ammonium, pyrrolidinium, pyridinium, and phosphonium. 
     
     
         8 . The fibrous material of  claim 7 , wherein the cationic compound comprises polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride. 
     
     
         9 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the cationic compound is a polymer comprising one or more quaternary ammonium groups. 
     
     
         10 . The fibrous material of  claim 9 , wherein the polymer is dicyandiamide, formaldehyde, ammonium chloride polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the dry add-on of the cationic compound is up to about 20% of the dry fiber weight. 
     
     
         12 . The fibrous material of  claim 11 , wherein the dry add-on of the cationic compound is up to about 10% of the dry fiber weight. 
     
     
         13 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is substantially free of carboxymethylcellulose. 
     
     
         14 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is further treated with one or more of an alcohol, a base, a quaternary ammonium compound, and a polymer or resin. 
     
     
         15 . The fibrous material of  claim 14 , wherein the fibrous material is further treated with one or more of a quaternary ammonium compound and a carbonate or bicarbonate base. 
     
     
         16 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material exhibits improved compatibility with quaternary ammonium compounds as compared to the same fibrous material untreated with a cationic compound. 
     
     
         17 . The fibrous material of  claim 16 , wherein the fibrous material is characterized by greater than 40% quaternary ammonium compound retention in a benzalkonium chloride solution following immersion of the fibrous material in the benzalkonium chloride solution at a concentration of 1000 ppm for 5 minutes at room temperature, as determined by ultraviolet spectra of the benzalkonium chloride solution. 
     
     
         18 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers comprise natural or synthetic cellulosic fibers selected from the group consisting of viscose, acetate, rayon, lyocell, cotton, bast fibers, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . The fibrous material of  claim 1  wherein the bast fibers are selected from the group consisting of kenaf, nettle, Spanish broom, jute, bamboo, ramie, hemp, flax, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is selected from woven, knitted or nonwoven fabrics, or composites of two or more of said fabrics. 
     
     
         22 . The fibrous material of  claim 1 , wherein the fibrous material is in a bulk fiber form selected from the group consisting of a mat, batt, bale, tuft, boll, ball, and bundle; or in a product form selected from the group consisting of a wipe or wiping cloth, a medical product, a health and wellness product, and a wound care product. 
     
     
         23 . A method for imparting improved compatibility with quaternary ammonium compounds to a fibrous material, comprising:
 (a) providing a fibrous material comprising a plurality of fibers, the fibers being natural or synthetic cellulosic fibers or natural or synthetic protein fibers, wherein the plurality of fibers has a mean length of greater than about 1 mm and comprises bast fibers in an amount of at least about 5% by weight based on the total dry weight of the fibrous material;   (b) optionally, pre-treating the fibrous material with a base;   (c) treating the fibrous material with at least one cationic compound to impart improved compatibility with quaternary ammonium compounds; and   (d) optionally, further treating the treated fibrous material with a polymer or resin.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein treating (c) comprises treating the fibrous material with a treatment liquid comprising the cationic compound at a concentration of from 0.1% up to about 40% wof. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein treating (c) comprises treating the fibrous material with a treatment liquid comprising the cationic compound at a concentration of at least 20% wof. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein treating the fibrous material with at least one cationic compound comprises treating the fibrous material with an aqueous solution, a slurry, a solid, or an ionic liquid containing the at least one cationic compound. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cationic compound is selected from the list of alkali metal salts, alkali earth metal salts, and salts of transition or post-transition metals. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cationic compound is a salt of aluminum, copper, zinc, manganese, or iron. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cationic compound is a salt selected from the group consisting of sulfates, sulfites, acetates, carbonates, chlorides, hydroxides, phosphates, and nitrates. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cationic compound is an aluminum salt. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the aluminum salt is selected from the group consisting of aluminum chloride, aluminum sulfate, potassium aluminum sulfate, and aluminum acetate. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cationic compound is an ionic liquid comprising a cation selected from the group consisting of imidazolium, ammonium, pyrrolidinium, pyridinium, and phosphonium. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the cationic compound comprises polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the cationic compound is a polymer comprising one or more quaternary ammonium groups. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the polymer is dicyandiamide, formaldehyde, ammonium chloride polymer. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the fibrous material is substantially free of carboxymethylcellulose. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the pre-treatment (b) comprising treating the fibrous material with a carbonate or bicarbonate base. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the fibrous material is further treated with an alcohol prior to treatment with the cationic compound. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the alcohol is ethanol or isopropyl alcohol. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the fibrous material is further treated with at least one quaternary ammonium compound. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the fibrous material is treated with the at least one cationic compound and the at least one quaternary ammonium compound simultaneously. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising mechanically or chemically treating the fibrous material to remove surface impurities prior to treatment with the cationic compound. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the polymer or resin is dispersed in a liquid. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the polymer or resin is a polyhydroxy alkanoate, aliphatic polyester or co-polyester, aromatic polyester or co-polyester, polyester amide, polylactic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, poly e-caprolactone, thermoplastic starch, modified starch, protein, or chitosan. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the fibrous material is a nonwoven material. 
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , comprising:
 (a) providing the nonwoven material in a roll;   (b) feeding the nonwoven material from the roll through a coating tray containing a liquid comprising the cationic compound such that the cationic compound contacts the nonwoven material;   (c) calendaring the nonwoven material to remove excess liquid;   (d) drying the nonwoven material to decrease liquid holdup within the nonwoven material to form a treated nonwoven material; and   (e) optionally, winding the treated nonwoven material back into roll form.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the cationic compound is polydiallyldimethylammonium chloride or dicyandiamide, formaldehyde, ammonium chloride polymer. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the concentration of cationic compound in the liquid is between about 0.5% to about 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the liquid. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the dry add-on of cationic compound in the treated nonwoven material is up to about 20% of the dry fiber weight. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the nonwoven material and the treated nonwoven material is substantially free of carboxymethylcellulose. 
     
     
         51 . (canceled)