阅读说明：本技术 用于处理线的方法 (Method for treating a thread ) 是由 伊兰特·摩尔 阿隆·摩舍 安娜莉亚·多坦 丹·莱维特斯 亚尔·罗斯 吉拉德·戈特斯曼 诺 于 2018-12-02 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供了一种用于处理纺织线、尤其是对其进行染色的快速高效方法,以及通过所述方法获得的纺织线的经处理的线。(The present invention provides a fast and efficient method for treating textile threads, in particular dyeing thereof, and the treated threads of textile threads obtained by said method.)

1. A method for rapidly processing a textile thread, the method comprising:

(i) treating the thread with a swelling agent or a solution comprising the swelling agent, thereby swelling the thread, thereby being above the glass transition temperature T of the thread_gOr modified T_gInto the amorphous regions of the wire;

(ii) processing the wire; and

(iii) optionally treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: (a) immobilizing the treatment molecules remaining thereon to the surface of the thread; (b) adding color to the treated thread; (c) adding a matte appearance to the treated wire; (d) adding a flash; (e) adding a metallic appearance to the treated wire; and/or (f) add functionality to the treated thread, such as conductivity, bioactivity, friction, or any other functional smart textile capability,

wherein the treated wire is maintained under controlled tension throughout the treatment process.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the wire immediately prior to step (i).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the wire immediately after step (i) and before step (ii).

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the wire immediately after step (ii) and before step (iii).

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the wire throughout the process.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the wire throughout steps (i) and (ii).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the wire throughout steps (ii) and (iii).

8. The method of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the wire is heated to a temperature of about 30 ℃ to about the melting point of the wire.

9. The method of any one of claims 1-8, wherein the binder, the swelling agent, and/or the coating are heated to a temperature of about 30 ℃ to about the melting point of the wire.

10. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the treating step is performed by dipping the thread into a solution comprising the dye molecules.

11. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the treating step is performed by dropping the solution onto the wire.

12. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the treating step is performed by injecting/dispensing the solution onto the line.

13. The method of any one of claims 1-9, wherein the treating step is performed by ink jetting the solution onto the wire.

14. The method of any one of claims 1-13, wherein the treatment molecule is dissolved in the swelling agent or the solution comprising the swelling agent, and step (i) and step (ii) are performed simultaneously.

15. The method of any one of claims 1-14, further comprising drying the thread after step (ii) and before step (iii).

16. The method of any one of claims 1-14, further comprising drying the wire after step (iii).

17. The method of any one of claims 1-14, further comprising drying the wire after step (ii) and before and after step (iii).

18. The method of any one of claims 1-17, wherein the thread comprises or consists of a natural material.

19. The method of any one of claims 1-18, wherein the thread comprises or consists of a synthetic or semi-synthetic material.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the synthetic material is a polyester, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a polyamide, such as nylon or aramid.

21. The process of any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein in step (i) the thread is treated with a solution of the swelling agent dissolved in a solvent selected from water, an organic solvent or a combination thereof.

22. The method of any one of claims 1-21, wherein the swelling agent is acetic acid; acetic anhydride; ketones such as acetone, diethyl ketone, benzyl acetone, acetophenone; esters, such as ethyl heptanoate, 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, butyl lactate; ammonia; ammonium nitrate; ammonium sulfate; amyl acetate; aniline; aqua regia (a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid); basic chromium sulfate; benzene; benzyl derivatives such as benzoic acid, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, propyl benzoate, butyl benzoate, hexyl benzoate, benzyl formate, benzyl propionate, benzyl chloride, benzaldehyde glycerol acetal; phenethyl derivatives such as phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl acetate, phenethyl formate; benzyl acetone; phenoxyethanol; borax (sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate); bromine; butane gas; butanol; butyl acetate; butyric acid; calcium chloride; calcium hydroxide; calcium soap fat; camphor oil; carbon dioxide; carbon disulfide; carbon tetrachloride; caustic soda; chloral hydrate; chlorobenzene; chloroform; chromic acid; citric acid; coal gas; copper sulfate; cyclohexanol; cyclohexanone; dibutyl phthalate; dioctyl phthalate; dinonyl phthalate; diesel (diesel fuel); 1, 2-dibromoethane; 1, 2-dichloroethane; dimethylformamide; dioxane; an ether; ethanol; ethylene chloride; ethylene glycol; an ethoxylated alcohol; ethyl acetate; ethylene chlorohydrin; eugenol; diacetone alcohol; ferric chloride; formic acid; furfuryl alcohol; glycerol; a diol; hydrochloric acid; hydrofluoric acid; hydrogen sulfide; isopropyl alcohol; isopropyl acetate; methanol; a methylamine; nitric acid; potassium carbonate/potassium cyanide/potassium dichromate; potassium hydroxide/sodium hydroxide/ammonium hydroxide; propionic acid; propanol; sulfuric acid; nitrobenzene; phenol; anisole; 1-phenoxy-2-propanol; ethylene glycol phenyl ether methacrylate; m-cresol; methyl salicylate; triethanolamine; trichloroethylene; or triisopropanolamine.

23. The method of any one of claims 1-22, wherein the treatment is staining.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the dyes used in the method comprise: disperse dyes such as azobenzene (Azo), for example aminoazobenzene such as 4-aminoazobenzene, anthraquinones such as 9, 10-anthraquinone (9, 10-dioxanthracene), formazan, azomethine, triphenylmethane, styryl, naphthostyryl, isoindoline, indoxyl, nitroarylamino, naphthalenone, naphthazarin, oxazine, coumarin, quinophthalone, naphthoquinone, naphthoquinoneimine, formazan, benzodifuranone; solvent dyes such as solvent red 24, solvent red 26, solvent red 164, solvent yellow 124, or solvent blue 35; a pigment; a natural dye; dyes containing anionic functional groups, such as acid dyes, direct dyes, mordants or reactive dyes; dyes containing cationic functional groups, such as basic dyes; or dyes that require a chemical reaction prior to application, such as vat, azo or sulfur dyes; or a combination thereof.

25. The method of any one of claims 1-24, wherein the solution contains at least about 0.5g of the dye per liter.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein:

(i) the synthetic material is a polyester and the swelling agent is acetic acid; acetic anhydride; ketones such as acetone, diethyl ketone, benzyl acetone, acetophenone; esters, such as ethyl heptanoate, 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, butyl lactate; ammonia; aniline; aqua regia; benzene; benzyl derivatives such as benzoic acid, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, propyl benzoate, butyl benzoate, hexyl benzoate, benzyl formate, benzyl propionate, benzyl chloride, benzaldehyde glycerol acetal; phenethyl derivatives such as phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl acetate, phenethyl formate; benzyl acetone; phenoxyethanol; bromine; butyl acetate; formic acid; furfuryl alcohol; hydrochloric acid; hydrofluoric acid; potassium hydroxide/sodium hydroxide/ammonium hydroxide; propionic acid; sulfuric acid; isopropyl acetate; chloral hydrate; chlorobenzene; chloroform; chromic acid; cyclohexanone; 1, 2-dichloroethane; 1, 2-dibromoethane; o-dichlorobenzene; dimethylformamide; dioxane; an ethoxylated alcohol; ethyl acetate; ethylene chlorohydrin; eugenol; diacetone alcohol; nitrobenzene; phenol; anisole; 1-phenoxy-2-propanol; ethylene glycol phenyl ether methacrylate; m-cresol; methyl salicylate; triethanolamine; or triisopropanolamine; or

(ii) The synthetic material is a polyamide, such as nylon, and the swelling agent is a ketone, such as acetone, diethyl ketone, benzyl acetone, acetophenone; esters, such as ethyl heptanoate, 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, butyl lactate; ammonia; ammonium nitrate; ammonium sulfate; amyl acetate; basic chromium sulfate; benzene; benzyl derivatives such as benzoic acid, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, propyl benzoate, butyl benzoate, hexyl benzoate, benzyl formate, benzyl propionate, benzyl chloride, benzaldehyde glycerol acetal; phenethyl derivatives such as phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl acetate, phenethyl formate; benzyl acetone; phenoxyethanol; borax; butane gas; butanol; butyric acid; phenyl ethyl alcohol; calcium chloride; calcium hydroxide; calcium soap fat; camphor oil; carbon dioxide; carbon disulfide; carbon tetrachloride; caustic soda; citric acid; coal gas; copper sulfate; hydrogen sulfide; potassium carbonate/potassium cyanide/potassium dichromate; sulfuric acid; isopropyl alcohol; cyclohexanone; cyclohexanol; dibutyl phthalate; dioctyl phthalate; dinonyl phthalate; diesel oil; an ether; ethanol; ethylene chloride; ethylene glycol; phenol; diacetone alcohol; nitrobenzene; phenol; anisole; 1-phenoxy-2-propanol; ethylene glycol phenyl ether methacrylate; m-cresol; formic acid; ferric chloride; glycerol; a diol; nitric acid; propanol; methanol; a methylamine; triethanolamine; trichloroethylene.

27. The method of any one of claims 1-26, wherein the binder is selected from a water-based binder, a solvent-based binder, a photo-curable binder, a thermally-curable binder, or a moisture-curable binder.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the water-based binder is a urethane acrylate, a polyvinyl acetate, or a polyurethane; the solvent-based binder is polyamide or polyethylene; the photo-curable binder is urethane acrylate, epoxy resin or polyurethane; the heat curable binder is a urethane acrylate; alternatively the moisture curable binder is a cyanoacrylate, polyurethane or a water resistant coating such as silicone.

29. The method of any one of claims 1-28, wherein the physical properties of the thread treated in step (i) are intentionally the same as the physical properties of the treated thread obtained from the method.

30. The method of any one of claims 1-28, wherein the physical properties of the thread treated in step (i) are intentionally different from the physical properties of the treated thread obtained from the method.

31. A treated textile thread obtained by the method of any one of claims 1 to 30.

Technical Field

The present invention provides a fast and efficient method for treating textile threads, and further relates to the treated threads obtained by the method. More specifically, the present invention provides a fast and efficient method for dyeing textile threads.

Disclosure of Invention

In one aspect, the present invention provides a method for treating textile threads, the method comprising: (i) treating the thread with a swelling agent or a solution comprising a swelling agent, thereby swelling the thread, thereby raising the glass transition temperature (T) of the thread above_g) Or modified T_gThe penetration of the enhancing treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; (ii) a processing line; and (iii) optionally treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: fixing the treatment molecules left thereon to the surface of the thread; further processing; dyeing; emitting a matte finish; emitting a flash of light; and/or adding a metallic appearance and/or adding functionality such as conductivity, bioactivity, or any other functional smart textile capability.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a treated textile thread obtained by the above method.

Drawings

Embodiments, features, and aspects of the present invention are described and illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

figure 1 is an optical microscope capture photograph of a cross section of a fiber dyed according to the method of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an optical microscope capture photograph of a cross section of a fiber dyed according to the method of the present invention.

Figures 3A-3F are photographs of 6 identical threads (each coated with a different material) and a dyed fabric rubbed with the coated threads.

Detailed Description

The twin's proprietary technology will enable the production of user-defined processed threads on demand and on machines, providing significant value to existing and new businesses as well as to the consumer sewing, knitting, embroidery and any thread consuming markets, and revolutionizing the way those systems work, replacing the need to identify, discover and use pre-processed threads.

To achieve the above, the threads need to be processed at a rate at which the used threads consume the machine. This means that the thread is processed (and dried) at a speed of approximately 0.01-10 m/s. This rate is much faster than conventional processing, which typically requires several hours. In addition, the treatment process typically uses large amounts of water and hazardous chemicals, which can cause ecological problems. These chemicals are used for pre-treatment, treatment and post-treatment of the treated thread/fabric. Thus, the present invention provides a device, system and storage that can handle wires passing at the following speeds: about 0.01 to about 10 m/s; about 0.01 to about 9 m/s; about 0.01 to about 8 m/s; about 0.01 to about 7 m/s; about 0.01 to about 6 m/s; about 0.01 to about 5 m/s; about 0.01 to about 4 m/s; about 0.01 to about 3 m/s; about 0.01 to about 2 m/s; about 0.05 to about 10 m/s; about 0.1 to about 10 m/s; about 0.2 to about 10 m/s; about 0.3 to about 10 m/s; about 0.5 to about 10 m/s; about 1 to about 10 m/s; about 2 to about 10 m/s; about 3 to about 10 m/s; about 4 to about 10 m/s; about 5 to about 10 m/s; or about 10m/s or higher.

The present invention provides a method for treating textile threads, wherein the threads are first pretreated with a swelling agent which enables the treated material to accumulate on the surface of the fibres and to stay above the glass transition temperature (T) of the threads_g) Or modified T_gThe penetration of the enhancing treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; a processing line; and then optionally further treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: fixing excess treatment molecules (if left on it) to the surface of the thread; dyeing; emitting a matte finish; emitting a flash of light; emitting fluorescence; phosphorescence is emitted and/or a metallic appearance is added or a function is added, such as electrical conductivity, biological activity or any functional smart textile capability. The methods disclosed herein are relative to those known in the artAnd the currently available treatment methods are very fast (about a few seconds to a few minutes), mainly due to the presence of a pre-treatment step in which the thread is treated with a specific swelling agent or with a solution containing the swelling agent; and can even be shortened by dissolving the treating molecules in the swelling agent or solution, i.e. by performing the pre-treatment step and the treatment step simultaneously. In sharp contrast to currently available treatment methods, the methods disclosed herein do not include chemical removal of excess treatment agents (e.g., pigments or dyes), and further do not require any washing stage (either before or after treatment).

In certain embodiments, the treatment methods of the present invention comprise the steps of: the process comprises swelling the thread, wetting the thread with a treatment solution to enable accumulation of treatment molecules on the surface of the (swollen) thread fibre, then allowing the treatment molecules to diffuse into the fibre, finally evaporating the solvent and collecting the vapour by a condensation process. In particular embodiments, an extruded strand or ultrasonic treatment or other mechanical process or step of using a wetting agent in the formulation is applied to enhance its wettability and further improve the accumulation of the treatment molecules on the surface of the strand fibers.

Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention provides a method for treating textile threads, the method comprising: (i) treating the thread with a swelling agent or a solution comprising a swelling agent, thereby swelling the thread, thereby raising the glass transition temperature (T) of the thread above_g) Or modified T_gThe penetration of the enhancing treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; (ii) a processing line; and (iii) optionally treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: fixing the treatment molecules left thereon to the surface of the thread; dyeing; emitting a matte finish; emitting a flash of light; and/or adding a metallic appearance and/or adding functionality such as conductivity, bioactivity, or any functional smart textile capability.

In a particular such aspect, the invention provides a method of treatment, the method comprising: (i) treating the thread with a swelling agent or a solution comprising a swelling agent, thereby swelling the thread, thereby raising the glass transition temperature T of the thread above_gOr modified T_gAt a temperature ofPenetration of the enhancement treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; and (ii) a processing line. In another particular such aspect, the present invention provides a method comprising: (i) treating the thread with a swelling agent or a solution comprising a swelling agent, thereby swelling the thread, thereby raising the glass transition temperature T of the thread above_gOr modified T_gThe penetration of the enhancing treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; (ii) a processing line; and (iii) further treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: fixing the treatment molecules left thereon to the surface of the thread; dyeing; emitting a matte finish; emitting a flash of light; and/or adding a metallic appearance and/or adding functionality such as conductivity, bioactivity, or any functional smart textile capability.

In another particular such aspect, the present invention provides a method for rapidly treating textile threads, the method comprising: (i) treating the thread with a swelling agent or a solution comprising a swelling agent, thereby swelling the thread, thereby raising the glass transition temperature (T) of the thread above_g) Or modified T_gThe penetration of the enhancing treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; (ii) treating the thread by injecting/dispensing thereon a predetermined adjusted amount of a treatment solution/dispersion (i.e., one or more colorants, one or more polymers, one or more chemicals, or one or more drugs), depending on the type and characteristics of the thread; and (iii) optionally treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: (a) fixing the treatment molecules left thereon to the surface of the thread; (b) adding color to the treated thread; (c) adding a matte appearance to the treated wire; (d) adding a flash; (e) adding a metallic appearance to the treated wire; and/or (f) add functionality to the treated thread, such as electrical conductivity, biological activity, friction, or any other functional smart textile capability, wherein the treated thread is maintained at a desired and controlled tension throughout the treatment process.

In another particular such aspect, the present invention provides a method for rapidly treating textile threads, the method comprising: (i) treating the thread with a swelling agent or a solution containing a swelling agent, fromThis causes the thread to swell and thereby to have a glass transition temperature (T) above the thread_g) Or modified T_gThe penetration of the enhancing treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; (ii) a processing line; and (iii) optionally treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: (a) fixing the treatment molecules left thereon to the surface of the thread; (b) adding color to the treated thread; (c) adding a matte appearance to the treated wire; (d) adding a flash; (e) adding a metallic appearance to the treated wire; and/or (f) add functionality to the treated thread, such as conductivity, bioactivity, friction, or any other functional smart textile capability.

The term "treating" as used herein refers to any process of adding one or more materials to and/or in the thread/fiber to provide added value thereto. Non-limiting examples of such treatments are dyeing, polymer dispersion, chemical dispersion, drug dispersion, and the like. Thus, the term "treatment molecule" as used herein may refer to dye molecules, polymers, chemicals, drugs, and the like.

The term "glass transition" or "glass-liquid transition" as used herein refers to the reversible transition in an amorphous material (or amorphous regions within a semi-crystalline material) from a hard and relatively brittle state to a molten or rubbery state. Although the physical properties of a material change greatly through its glass transition, the transition itself is not any type of phase change; rather, it is a phenomenon that extends over a range of temperatures and is defined by one of a number of conventions (e.g., constant cooling rate and viscosity threshold). The coefficient of thermal expansion and specific heat of a material also show smooth steps when cooled or heated through this glass transition range, the location of these effects again depending on the history of the material. If there is a crystalline state of the material, its glass transition temperature T_gAlways below the melting temperature T_m. Glass transition temperature T_gMay be affected by the presence of, for example, a solvent or any other plasticizer, and will be defined as modified T_g。

The term "functional intelligent textile capability" includes, but is not limited to, any of the following capabilities: a flame retardant; antistatic and conductive radioactivity; a water repellent; an oil-repellent agent; an anti-fouling agent; light reflectivity; light absorption; a thermal indication; heat insulation; conducting heat; pH indication; chemical indication, magnetic properties, and any combination thereof.

In certain embodiments, the methods of the present invention further comprise a heating step. The heating may be heating the wire, wherein heating the wire may be performed as follows: (a) (ii) immediately prior to step (i); (b) (iii) immediately after step (i) and before step (ii); (c) (iv) immediately after step (ii) and before step (iii); (d) after step (iii); (e) in the whole process; (f) throughout steps (i) and/or (ii); and/or (g) throughout steps (ii) and/or (iii).

In other embodiments, the wire is heated to a temperature of about 30 ℃ or room temperature to about the melting point of the wire. In other embodiments, the wire is heated to a temperature of: from about room temperature to about 80 ℃; about room temperature to about 70 ℃; from about room temperature to about 60 ℃; from about room temperature to about 50 ℃; about room temperature to about 40 ℃; from about 30 ℃ to about 80 ℃; from about 40 ℃ to about 80 ℃; from about 50 ℃ to about 80 ℃; or from about 60 ℃ to about 80 ℃.

In an alternative or complementary embodiment of the method of the present invention, each of the binder, swelling agent and/or coating, or any combination thereof, is heated to a temperature of about 30 ℃ or room temperature to about the melting point of the wire. In other embodiments, each of the binder, swelling agent, and/or coating, or any combination thereof, is heated to a temperature of: from about room temperature to about 80 ℃; about room temperature to about 70 ℃; from about room temperature to about 60 ℃; from about room temperature to about 50 ℃; about room temperature to about 40 ℃; from about 30 ℃ to about 80 ℃; from about 40 ℃ to about 80 ℃; from about 50 ℃ to about 80 ℃; or from about 60 ℃ to about 80 ℃. In particular embodiments, each of the binder, swelling agent, and/or coating, or any combination thereof, is heated to a temperature greater than 80 ℃, such as 100 ℃, 120 ℃, 140 ℃, 160 ℃, 180 ℃, and 200 ℃.

In certain embodiments, the methods of the present invention further comprise the step of maintaining the treated wire at a desired tension throughout the treatment. Such required tension is determined by the type of thread, the type of treatment and solvent, the desired resulting color/color pattern (in the case of dyeing), the speed of treatment, etc.

In certain embodiments, the methods of the present invention further comprise extruding the strand. This extrusion can be carried out as follows: (a) (iv) immediately prior to step (iii); (b) (iv) immediately following step (iii); (c) (iv) together with the treatment step (iii); and/or (d) together with the treatment step (ii). This extrusion can be carried out both as a pretreatment of the thread and as a post-treatment of the thread.

In some specific such embodiments, the extrusion step is performed separately from the treatment step, and thus the method of the present invention comprises the steps of: (i) treating the thread with a solution comprising a swelling agent, thereby swelling the thread, thereby enabling the treated molecules to accumulate on the surface of the fibres and at a T above the thread_gOr modified T_gThe penetration of the enhancing treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; (ii) a processing line; (iii) extruding the wire; and (iv) optionally further treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: fixing the treatment molecules left thereon to the surface of the thread; dyeing; emitting a matte finish; emitting a flash of light; and/or adding a metallic appearance and/or adding functionality such as conductivity, bioactivity, or any other functional smart textile capability. In other particular such embodiments, the extrusion step is carried out together with the treatment step (ii), and the process of the invention therefore comprises the following steps: (i) treating the thread with a solution comprising a swelling agent, thereby swelling the thread, thereby enabling the treated molecules to accumulate on the surface of the fibres and at a T above the thread_gOr modified T_gThe penetration of the enhancing treatment molecules into the amorphous regions of the thread; (ii) simultaneously extruding and processing the strands; and (iii) optionally treating the wire with a binder or coating material capable of: immobilizing the treatment molecule remaining thereon; dyeing; emitting a matte finish; emitting a flash of light; and/or adding a metallic appearance and/or adding functionality such as conductivity, bioactivity, or any other functional smart textile capability.

The treatment steps according to the method of the invention may be carried out using any technique or procedure known in the art. For example, the processing steps may be performed as follows: immersing the thread in a solution comprising a treatment molecule; dropping the solution on the wire; injecting/dispensing the solution onto the line; or the solution may be ink-jetted onto the thread. It is noted that the term "ink-jet" may be considered a special case of injection.

In certain embodiments, the process of the present invention is slightly modified to shorten the total time required to complete the process such that the pretreatment step (i) and the treatment step (ii) are performed simultaneously. In these embodiments, the treatment molecule is dissolved in a swelling agent or a solution comprising a swelling agent, and the thread is treated with the swelling agent and treated in the same step.

In certain embodiments, the method of the present invention as defined in any of the embodiments above further comprises at least one step of drying the treated thread. This is used for drying the thread and/or for heat setting the thread. Heating may also accelerate diffusion of process molecules into the wire fibers and, for some materials, also help to sublimate excess material from the surface of the wire. In a particular such embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: (iv) drying the wire after the treatment step (ii) and before treatment with the binder or coating material in step (iii). In another specific such embodiment, the method of the present invention comprises the steps of: (iii) drying the treated thread obtained in step (ii) after treatment with the binder or coating material. In another specific such embodiment, the treated thread is dried twice, wherein the process of the present invention comprises the steps of: (iii) drying the thread after the treatment step (ii) and before and after treatment with the binder or coating material.

As used herein, the term "textile thread" relates to any type of thread known in the art and used, for example, in the textile industry, medical uses, cosmetics, and the like. Textile threads are typically composed of a plurality of yarns, i.e., spun aggregates of fibers used in weaving, embroidering, or sewing, which are pieced together to produce long, thin strands for use in sewing or knitting. As used herein, the term "fiber" refers to a monofilament of natural material such as cotton, linen or wool; or monofilaments of synthetic material such as nylon or polyester, measured as linear mass density, i.e. mass number per unit length of fibre.

The thread treated according to the method of the invention may be any textile thread, for example as defined above. Alternatively, the thread treated according to the method of the invention may be any thread for medical use.

In certain embodiments, the thread treated according to the method of the invention comprises or consists of a natural material; in other embodiments, the wire treated according to the method of the invention comprises or consists of a synthetic material; and in further embodiments, the wire treated according to the method of the invention comprises or consists of a semi-synthetic material. It is understood that a thread consisting of natural, synthetic or semi-synthetic material is a thread: wherein all the fibers constituting the thread are made of natural, synthetic or semi-synthetic materials, respectively. In contrast, a thread comprising natural, synthetic or semi-synthetic material is one such thread: in which some of the fibres constituting the thread are made of natural, synthetic or semi-synthetic material, while other fibres constituting the thread are made of different material, for example threads made of natural and synthetic fibres, or threads made of synthetic and semi-synthetic fibres.

Examples of natural materials include, but are not limited to, flax, which is made from flax plants, consisting of about 70% cellulose and about 30% pectin, ash, woody tissue and moisture; wool, which grows from sheep skin and is composed of proteins; silk, which is a fine and continuous strand of yarn unwound from a cocoon of moth called silkworm, and is composed of protein; jute, which is taken from the same named tall plant; kapok, which is a white hair-like fiber obtained from the seed pod of plants and trees called Ceiba Pentandra (Ceiba Pentandra), called silk floss due to its luster comparable to silk; and ramie, a wood fiber like flax, also known as chinese grass, taken from tall flowering plants.

Examples of synthetic materials include, but are not limited to, cellulose, rayon (more specifically viscose and High Wet Modulus (HWM) rayon), acetate, triacetate, polymer fibers (such as polyesters, e.g., polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polybutylene terephthalate (PBT); polyamides, e.g., aliphatic polyamides (nylon) or aromatic polyamides (aramid); spandex (lycra or elastane), and acrylon).

As used herein, the term "semi-synthetic material" refers to a material having a natural long-chain polymer structure that is only chemically modified and partially degraded, as compared to fully synthetic fibers such as polyamides or polyesters synthesized from low molecular weight compounds by polymerization.

According to the present invention, the thread may be treated in step (i) with a swelling agent or a solution comprising the swelling agent. In other words, although a liquid swelling agent may be used as it is in step (i), a solid or semi-solid swelling agent such as a salt should be dissolved in a solvent for use. Such a solvent may be selected from inorganic solvents (more specifically, water) and organic solvents, and may also be a combination of inorganic solvents and organic solvents.

Examples of swelling agents include, but are not limited to: acetic acid; acetic anhydride; ketones such as acetone, diethyl ketone, benzyl acetone, acetophenone; esters, such as ethyl heptanoate, 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, butyl lactate; ammonia; ammonium nitrate; ammonium sulfate; amyl acetate; aniline; aqua regia (a mixture of nitric acid and hydrochloric acid); basic chromium sulfate; benzene; benzyl derivatives such as benzoic acid, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, propyl benzoate, butyl benzoate, hexyl benzoate, benzyl formate, benzyl propionate, benzyl chloride, benzaldehyde glycerol acetal; phenethyl derivatives such as phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl acetate, phenethyl formate; benzyl acetone; phenoxyethanol; borax (sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate); bromine; butane gas; butanol; butyl acetate; butyric acid; calcium chloride; calcium hydroxide; calcium soap fat; camphor oil; carbon dioxide; carbon disulfide; carbon tetrachloride; caustic soda; chloral hydrate; chlorobenzene; chloroform; chromic acid; citric acid; coal gas; copper sulfate; cyclohexanol; cyclohexanone; dibutyl phthalate; dioctyl phthalate; dinonyl phthalate; diesel (diesel fuel); 1, 2-dibromoethane; 1, 2-dichloroethane; dimethylformamide; dioxane; an ether; ethanol; ethylene chloride; ethylene glycol; an ethoxylated alcohol; ethyl acetate; ethylene chlorohydrin; eugenol; diacetone alcohol; ferric chloride; formic acid; furfuryl alcohol; glycerol; a diol; hydrochloric acid; hydrofluoric acid; hydrogen sulfide; isopropyl alcohol; isopropyl acetate; methanol; a methylamine; nitric acid; potassium carbonate/potassium cyanide/potassium dichromate; potassium hydroxide/sodium hydroxide/ammonium hydroxide; propionic acid; propanol; sulfuric acid; nitrobenzene; phenol; anisole; 1-phenoxy-2-propanol; ethylene glycol phenyl ether methacrylate; m-cresol; methyl salicylate; triethanolamine; trichloroethylene; and triisopropanolamine. The concentration of swelling agent in the swelling agent solution can be any suitable concentration, and can vary in solution, for example, from about 5% or about 10% swelling agent to about 60%, 70%, 80%, or more swelling agent.

In a particular embodiment, the treatment material is a dye. The dyes used in the process according to the invention may be any dyes used in the textile industry, as well as combinations of these dyes. Non-limiting examples of such dyes include: disperse dyes such as azobenzene (Azo), for example aminoazobenzene such as 4-aminoazobenzene, anthraquinones such as 9, 10-anthraquinone (9, 10-dioxanthracene), formazan, azomethine, triphenylmethane, styryl, naphthostyryl, isoindoline, indoxyl, nitroarylamino, naphthalenone, naphthazarin, oxazine, coumarin, quinophthalone, naphthoquinone, naphthoquinoneimine, formazan, benzodifuranone; solvent dyes such as solvent red 24, solvent red 26, solvent red 164, solvent yellow 124, or solvent blue 35; a pigment; a natural dye; dyes containing anionic functional groups, such as acid dyes, direct dyes, mordants or reactive dyes; dyes containing cationic functional groups, such as basic dyes; and dyes that require a chemical reaction prior to application, such as vat, azo or sulfur dyes;

the solution in which the treatment material/dye is dissolved may contain any amount of treatment material/dye per liter. For example, in particular embodiments, the solution contains at least about 0.5g of treatment material/dye per liter, e.g., about 5g or more of treatment material/dye, about 10g or more of treatment material/dye, about 15g or more of treatment material/dye, or about 20g or more of treatment material/dye. In other certain embodiments, the solution contains 0.05-10% per liter, i.e., at least about 0.5 to about 100 grams of treatment material/dye. In particular embodiments, the range is 0.05 to 9%; 0.05-8%; 0.05-7%; 0.05-6%; 0.05-5%; 0.05-4%; 0.05-3%; 0.05-2%; 0.05-1%; 0.1-10%; 0.15-10%; 0.2-10%; 0.3-10%; 0.4-10%; 0.5-10%; 1 to 10 percent; 0.1-9%; 0.2 to 8 percent; 0.3-7%; 0.4-6%; 0.5 to 5 percent; or 1-5%.

As mentioned above, in the case where the pretreatment step (i) and the treatment/dyeing step (ii) are combined and carried out simultaneously, the solvent in which the treatment material/dye is dissolved is actually a swelling agent or a solvent in which a swelling agent is dissolved.

In a particular embodiment, the thread dyed according to the method of the invention comprises or consists of a synthetic material, wherein the synthetic material is a polyester, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or a polyamide, such as nylon or aramid.

In certain specific such embodiments, the thread comprises or consists of a polyester, such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and the swelling agent is acetic acid; acetic anhydride; ketones such as acetone, diethyl ketone, benzyl acetone, acetophenone; esters, such as ethyl heptanoate, 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, butyl lactate; ammonia; aniline; aqua regia; benzene; benzyl derivatives such as benzoic acid, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, propyl benzoate, butyl benzoate, hexyl benzoate, benzyl formate, benzyl propionate, benzyl chloride, benzaldehyde glycerol acetal; phenethyl derivatives such as phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl acetate, phenethyl formate; benzyl acetone; phenoxyethanol; bromine; butyl acetate; formic acid; furfuryl alcohol; hydrochloric acid; hydrofluoric acid; potassium hydroxide/sodium hydroxide/ammonium hydroxide; propionic acid; sulfuric acid; isopropyl acetate; chloral hydrate; chlorobenzene; chloroform; chromic acid; cyclohexanone; 1, 2-dichloroethane; 1, 2-dibromoethane; o-dichlorobenzene; dimethylformamide; dioxane; an ethoxylated alcohol; ethyl acetate; ethylene chlorohydrin; eugenol; diacetone alcohol; nitrobenzene; phenol; anisole; 1-phenoxy-2-propanol; ethylene glycol phenyl ether methacrylate; m-cresol; methyl salicylate; triethanolamine; or triisopropanolamine. In other specific such embodiments, the thread comprises or consists of a polyamide, for example nylon or aramid, and the swelling agent is a ketone, such as acetone, diethyl ketone, benzyl acetone, acetophenone; esters, such as ethyl heptanoate, 4-tert-butylcyclohexyl acetate, butyl lactate; ammonia; ammonium nitrate; ammonium sulfate; amyl acetate; basic chromium sulfate; benzene; benzyl derivatives such as benzoic acid, benzyl acetate, benzyl alcohol, benzaldehyde, methyl benzoate, ethyl benzoate, propyl benzoate, butyl benzoate, hexyl benzoate, benzyl formate, benzyl propionate, benzyl chloride, benzaldehyde glycerol acetal; phenethyl derivatives such as phenethyl alcohol, phenethyl acetate, phenethyl formate; benzyl acetone; phenoxyethanol; borax; butane gas; butanol; butyric acid; calcium chloride; calcium hydroxide; calcium soap fat; camphor oil; carbon dioxide; carbon disulfide; carbon tetrachloride; caustic soda; citric acid; coal gas; copper sulfate; hydrogen sulfide; potassium carbonate/potassium cyanide/potassium dichromate; sulfuric acid; isopropyl alcohol; cyclohexanone; cyclohexanol; dibutyl phthalate; dioctyl phthalate; dinonyl phthalate; diesel oil; an ether; ethanol; ethylene chloride; ethylene glycol; diacetone alcohol; nitrobenzene; phenol; anisole; 1-phenoxy-2-propanol; ethylene glycol phenyl ether methacrylate; m-cresol; formic acid; ferric chloride; glycerol; a diol; nitric acid; propanol; methanol; a methylamine; triethanolamine; trichloroethylene.

According to the process of the invention, the thread treated in step (ii) is treated, optionally after drying, with a binder or coating material capable of: fixing the treatment molecules left thereon to the surface of the thread; dyeing; emitting a matte finish; emitting a flash of light; and/or adding a metallic appearance and/or adding functionality such as conductivity, bioactivity, or any other functional smart textile capability. Such binder or coating materials may be selected from, but are not limited to, water-based binders such as urethane acrylates, polyvinyl acetates, or polyurethanes; and solvent-based binders such as polyamide or polyethylene; a photocurable adhesive such as urethane acrylate, epoxy resin, or polyurethane; heat curable binders such as urethane acrylates; or a moisture curable adhesive such as cyanoacrylate, polyurethane or a water resistant coating material such as silicone.

In practicing the present invention, it has been found that the physical properties of the thread treated according to the treatment method of the present invention, such as hardness, flexibility, elongation, volume and gloss, can be adjusted, i.e., altered, as a result of the process, for example, as a result of the use of specific swelling agents. For example, the nylon thread may become softer after the process.

Thus, in certain embodiments, the physical properties of the thread treated in step (i) are intentionally the same as or different from the physical properties of the treated thread obtained from the process. In this respect, it should be noted that, if desired, one or more physical properties of the thread treated in step (i) may also be altered by applying one or more specific active agents to one of the solutions used in the process, for example to the swelling agent or to a solution comprising the swelling agent in step (i) and/or to the treatment solution used in step (ii). For example, a tough thread can be made softer and more flexible by applying a softening agent; by applying wax, the rough lines can become smoother lines and the dull lines can become bright lines. The physical properties of the wire may also be altered by certain process parameters or combinations between solution composition and process parameters and the inline crimping elements of the process.

In another aspect, the present invention relates to a treated/dyed textile thread obtained by the method of the present invention as defined in any one of the embodiments above.

Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing a molar or weight ratio of two active agents as described above used in the specification are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term "about". Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in this specification are approximations that may vary up to plus or minus 10 percent depending upon the desired properties to be obtained by the present invention.

The invention will now be illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.