Patent ID: 6479595
Filing Date: 2002-11-12
Classification: B01J,B29C,B29K,D06M,D06P,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for increasing the dyeability of a polymer material, comprising the steps of:(a) generating a glow discharge plasma; and (b) treating the polymer material with the glow discharge plasma in order to increase the dyeability of the polymer material, wherein: the polymer material is a hydrophobic polymer material; step (b) comprises the step of treating the polymer material with the glow discharge plasma in order to introduce hydrophilic functional groups onto a surface of the hydrophobic polymer material, thereby increasing the dyeability of the polymer material with a water-based dye; the hydrophobic polymer material comprises at least one of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyester, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), and polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT); and the material is a multicomponent material comprising a bicomponent fiber having an inner core of one type of polymer and an outer sheath of another type of polymer.