Application of Permanent Coatings to Fibers, Fiber Assemblies and Elements Thereof

Abstract

Provided is fibrous strand, and method of making a fibrous strand, comprising at least one filament wherein said filament comprises a surface with gaps in the surface. A cured thermoplastic polymer is on the surface wherein the cured thermoplastic polymer comprises a coating material and the cured thermoplastic polymer and coating material extend into the gaps.

1 . A fibrous strand comprising:
 at least one filament wherein said filament comprises a surface with gaps in said surface;   a cured thermoplastic polymer on said surface wherein said cured thermoplastic polymer comprises a coating material and said cured thermoplastic polymer and said coating material extend into said gaps.   
     
     
         2 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  wherein said gaps have an average size of 1 nm to 10 micrometers. 
     
     
         3 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  wherein said gaps have a gap volume representing at least 15% of a filament volume wherein at least 20% of said gap volume is filled with said cured thermoplastic polymer and coating material. 
     
     
         4 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  wherein said gaps have an average size of 1 nm to 10 microns across at a surface of said filament. 
     
     
         5 . The fibrous strand of  claim 4  wherein said gap volume is no more than 90% of said fibrous strand volume. 
     
     
         6 . The fibrous strand of  claim 4  wherein up to 90% of said gap volume is filled with said cured thermoplastic polymer and said coating. 
     
     
         7 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  comprising up to 2,500 filaments. 
     
     
         8 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  wherein said filaments are selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, regenerated cellulose fibers, and specialty fibers. 
     
     
         9 . The fibrous strand of  claim 8  wherein said natural fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton, wool, silk, flax, linen, hemp, jute, ramie, coir, sisal, alpaca, cashmere, mohair, angora, camel hair, vicuna, spider web and the like. Particularly preferred synthetic fibers include: glass, carbon, aramid, polyester, Nylon 6, Nylon 66, acrylic, modacrylic, Spandex, Elastane, Lycra, olefin, PVC fibers, polypropylene and polyethylene. 
     
     
         10 . The fibrous strand of  claim 8  wherein said regenerated cellulose fibers are selected from the group consisting of bamboo, synthetic protein, synthetic spider web, cupro rayon, viscose rayon, acetate, lyocell, Tencel, modal, sorona, soy, seacell and kapok. 
     
     
         11 . The fibrous strand of  claim 8  wherein said specialty fibers are selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, conductive fiber, antibacterial fiber such as silver or other material infused; flame retardant fibers such as polymers with mixed chemistry, brominated, chlorinated, and high-purity antimony trioxide. 
     
     
         12 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  further comprising a surfactant in said gaps. 
     
     
         13 . The fibrous strand of  claim 12  wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of cationic, anionic, and acidic. 
     
     
         14 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  wherein said coating material is selected from the group consisting of pigment, electrical insulator, electrical conductor, antibacterial material, temperature conductor, temperature insulator, cross-linker, surface treatment material, light emitting material, light absorbing material, optically reflective material, a pore former a hydrophobic material and hydrophilic material. 
     
     
         15 . A fiber assembly comprising multiple fibrous strands of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A superstructure comprising multiple fiber assemblies of  claim 15 . 
     
     
         17 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyolefin elastomers, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl acrylate), poly(butyl acrylate), poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate), poly(acrylic acid) and copolymers of acrylic acid. 
     
     
         18 . The fibrous strand of  claim 1  wherein said thermoplastic polymer is a copolymer comprising acrylic acid and at least one selected from the group consisting of styrene, acrylonitrile, and vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         19 . A process for forming a coated fibrous strand comprising:
 subjecting at least one fibrous strand to a plasma discharge thereby forming a treated fibrous strand comprising gaps;   treating said treated fibrous strand to a surfactant energized by ultrasonic energy thereby forming a wetted fibrous strand;   applying thermoplastic polymer and a coating material to said wetted fibrous strand thereby forming an impregnated fibrous strand wherein said thermoplastic polymer and said coating material impregnate said gaps; and   curing said thermoplastic polymer.   
     
     
         20 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  further comprising subjecting said wetted fibrous strand to additional ultrasonic energy, without additional surfactant, prior to said forming of said impregnated fibrous strand. 
     
     
         21 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 20  wherein said ultrasonic energy is at an energy of up to 3 Kw. 
     
     
         22 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  further comprising applying a fixing coating to said cured fibrous strand. 
     
     
         23 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  comprising subjecting multiple fibrous strands to said plasma discharge thereby forming treated fibrous strands with gaps in each said fibrous strand of said fibrous strands. 
     
     
         24 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 23  comprising separating said multiple fibrous strands prior to said plasma discharge. 
     
     
         25 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 23  wherein said said multiple fibrous strands are separated by 1 nanometer to 10 microns. 
     
     
         26 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said ultrasonic energy is at an energy of up to 6 Kw. 
     
     
         27 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said thermoplastic polymer and said coating material are applied at a pressure of 0.5 Megapascal to 1.5 Megapascal. 
     
     
         28 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said gaps have an average size of 1 nm to 10 micrometers. 
     
     
         29 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said gaps have a gap volume representing at least 15% of a filament volume wherein at least 20% of said gap volume is filled with said cured thermoplastic polymer and coating material. 
     
     
         30 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said gaps have an average size of 1 nm to 10 microns across at a surface of said filament. 
     
     
         31 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 30  wherein said gap volume is no more than 90% of said superstructure volume. 
     
     
         32 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 30  wherein up to 90% of said gap volume is filled with said cured thermoplastic polymer and said coating. 
     
     
         33 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  comprising up to 2,500 filaments. 
     
     
         34 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said filaments are selected from the group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, regenerated cellulose fibers, and specialty fibers. 
     
     
         35 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 34  wherein said natural fibers are selected from the group consisting of cotton, wool, silk, flax, linen, hemp, jute, ramie, coir, sisal, alpaca, cashmere, mohair, angora, camel hair, vicuna, spider web and the like. Particularly preferred synthetic fibers include: glass, carbon, aramid, polyester, Nylon 6, Nylon 66, acrylic, modacrylic, Spandex, Elastane, Lycra, olefin, PVC fibers, polypropylene and polyethylene. 
     
     
         36 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 34  wherein said regenerated cellulose fibers are selected from the group consisting of bamboo, synthetic protein, synthetic spider web, cupro rayon, viscose rayon, acetate, lyocell, Tencel, modal, sorona, soy, seacell and kapok. 
     
     
         37 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 34  wherein said specialty fibers are selected from the group consisting of gold, silver, copper, conductive fiber, antibacterial fiber such as silver or other material infused; flame retardant fibers such as polymers with mixed chemistry, brominated, chlorinated, and high-purity antimony trioxide. 
     
     
         38 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  further comprising a surfactant in said gaps. 
     
     
         39 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 38  wherein said surfactant is selected from the group consisting of cationic, anionic, and acidic. 
     
     
         40 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said coating material is selected from 
     
     
         42 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said coating material is selected from the group consisting of pigment, electrical insulator, electrical conductor, antibacterial material, temperature conductor, temperature insulator, cross-linker, surface treatment material, light emitting material, light absorbing material, optically reflective material, a pore former a hydrophobic material and hydrophilic material. 
     
     
         43 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said wherein said thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, nylon, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, ethylene vinyl acetate, thermoplastic polyurethane, polyolefin elastomers, poly(methyl methacrylate), poly(ethyl acrylate), poly(butyl acrylate), poly(2-ethylhexyl acrylate), poly(acrylic acid) and copolymers of acrylic acid. 
     
     
         44 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said thermoplastic polymer is a copolymer comprising acrylic acid and at least one selected from the group consisting of styrene, acrylonitrile, and vinyl acetate. 
     
     
         45 . The process for forming a coated fibrous strand of  claim 19  wherein said thermoplastic polymer particle has a particle size 1 nanometer to 5 nanometers. 
     
     
         46 . Combining multiple fibrous strands of  claim 19  into a bundle to form a fiber assembly. 
     
     
         47 . Combining multiple fiber assemblies of  claim 46  to form a superstructure.