Method for improved dyeing of difficult to dye items, yarns, fabrics or articles

Abstract

A process for effectively dyeing a composite item, such as a composite yarn, composite fabric or composite article, is provided involving the steps of immersing the composite item in a aqueous bath containing a dyeing auxiliary agent that provides a charged surface to the composite item, contacting the charged surface with a composition comprising a dye that interacts with the charged surface, reacts with the charged surface, or both, and drying the dyed composite item, and the dyed composite items obtained therefrom, as well as the use of the dyeing auxiliary agent on heretofore difficult to dye fibers, yarns, fabrics or articles such as mineral or metal fibers and products obtained therefrom.

1 . A method for dyeing a composite item, comprising: 
 immersing a composite item in an aqueous bath comprising a dyeing auxiliary agent to provide a charged surface on the composite item;    contacting the charged surface with a composition comprising a dye capable of interacting with the charged surface, reacting with the charged surface, or both to provide a dyed composite item; and    drying the dyed composite item,    wherein the composite item is a member selected from the group consisting of composite yarns, composite fabrics and composite articles.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said immersing and contacting steps are performed simultaneously in the same aqueous bath.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said immersing and contacting steps are performed sequentially, in the same aqueous bath or separate baths.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of reusing the aqueous bath in a further immersing step on a different composite item.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composite item is a composite yarn.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composite item is a composite fabric.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said composite item is a composite article.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said composite article is a member selected from the group consisting of gloves, aprons, socks, filters, shirts, pants, undergarments, and one-piece jumpsuits.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said process is a continuous process.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said process is a batch process and said composite yarn is in a form of composite yarn wound on a bobbin.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said process is a continuous process.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein said process is a batch process and said composite fabric is in a form of composite fabric wound on a roll.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said dyeing auxiliary agent is present in said aqueous bath in an amount of from 0.1-2% by weight of the total bath.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said dyeing auxiliary agent is a silicone based quaternary ammonium salt.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said silicone based quaternary ammonium salt is a copolymer of a long chain (C 12 -C 20 ) alkyldimethylaminotrihydroxysilylpropyl ammonium halide and a chloroalkyltrihydroxysilane.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said silicone based quaternary ammonium salt is a copolymer of octadecylaminodimethyltrihydroxysilylpropyl ammonium chloride and chloropropyltrihydroxysilane.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said drying step is performed at a temperature of from 50-100° C.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said drying step is performed at a temperature of from 70-90° C.  
     
     
         19 . A dyed composite item selected from the group consisting of composite yarns, composite fabrics and composite articles, and prepared by the method of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         20 . A method for dyeing a difficult-to-dye item, comprising: 
 coating a difficult-to-dye item with an aqueous bath comprising a dyeing auxiliary agent to provide a charged surface on the mineral or metal item;    contacting the charged surface with a composition comprising a dye capable of interacting with the charged surface, reacting with the charged surface, or both to provide a dyed item; and    drying the dyed item.    
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said dyeing auxiliary agent is present in said aqueous bath in an amount of from 0.1-2% by weight of the total bath.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said dyeing auxiliary agent is a silicone based quaternary ammonium salt.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said silicone based quaternary ammonium salt is a copolymer of a long chain (C 12 -C 20 ) alkyldimethylaminotrihydroxysilylpropyl ammonium halide and a chloroalkyltrihydroxysilane.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein said silicone based quaternary ammonium salt is a copolymer of octadecylaminodimethyltrihydroxysilylpropyl ammonium chloride and chloropropyltrihydroxysilane.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said drying step is performed at a temperature of from 50-100° C.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said drying step is performed at a temperature of from 70-90° C.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said process is a continuous process.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said process is a batch process.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said difficult-to-dye item is a member selected from the group consisting of mineral based materials, metal based materials, aramids, poly(ether-ether-ketone)s and fluorocarbon polymers.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said difficult-to-dye item is a member selected from the group consisting of aramids, poly(ether-ether-ketone)s and fluorocarbon polymers.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said difficult-to-dye item is a member selected from the group consisting of mineral based materials.  
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said difficult-to-dye item is a member selected from the group consisting of metal based materials.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said mineral based material is a mineral fiber.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said metal based material is a metal fiber.  
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein said mineral fiber is a glass fiber.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said mineral based material is graphite.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein said metal fiber is a steel fiber.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said metal based material is copper.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said metal based material is brass.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein said metal based material is aluminum.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said mineral based material is glass.  
     
     
         42 . A dyed glass item, prepared by the method of  claim 41 .  
     
     
         43 . A dyed metal item, prepared by the method of  claim 32 .  
     
     
         44 . A dyed fiber, wherein the fiber is a member of the group consisting of aramid fibers, prepared by the method of  claim 30.