Process for Tinting, Dyeing or doping or moulded Components Made of Transparent (Co)Polyamides in Aqueous Dye Bath

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel composition of dye baths or processing baths and a process for tinting, dyeing or doping of moulded components with functional additives in these aqueous dipping baths or processing baths. The moulded components contain transparent or translucent (co)polyamides. If the moulded components should be tinted or dyed according to an embodiment of the invention, the dyeing can be performed as homogeneous dyeing or as gradient dyeing. The process according to the present invention is particularly suitable for producing high-value objects like ophthalmic lenses, sun lenses for eyeglasses, magnifying glasses, all kinds of inspection glasses, polarization films and display films, particularly if changing depths of color (gradients) are desired. This generating of a dyeing gradient requires dyeing in a dipping process, whereby the desired depth of color is achieved by multiple times of dipping the surface areas of the moulded article in the dye bath.

1 - 4 . (canceled)  
     
     
         5 . A method of use of a processing bath in a process for tinting, dyeing or doping of moulded components with functional additives made of transparent or translucent (co)polyamides in aqueous dipping baths or functional baths comprising the following steps of: 
 a) providing the dipping or functional bath comprising water (A), buffer (G), a carrier (B), surfactants/emulsifiers (C), surfactants (D), (E), and at least one compound in sufficient quantity for tinting, dyeing or doping selected from the group of dyestuffs or doping agents (F), or of dye pigments, interference pigments, UV additives, photochromic or thermochromic additives, additives selected from the group of additives enhancing contrast or additives affecting refraction index, and if necessary, dispersion agents (H) for dyestuffs or doting agents based on an anionic preparation of ethoxylated fatty amine esters, aralkyl polyglycol ether and a modified polyalcohol.    b) heating-up said dipping or functional bath to a temperature of between 50 and 95° C.,    c) pretreating the moulded component in a dipping bath comprising water (A), surfactants and/or emulsifiers (C) for cleaning said moulded component, heating-up said dipping bath to a temperature of between 50 and 95° C., and removing said tempered and cleaned moulded component from said pretreating dipping bath,    d) immersing at least a portion of said moulded component in said processing bath, retaining the moulded component in said functional bath for a period of time of 5 to 60 minutes to allow that a sufficient quantity of said dyestuffs or doping agents (F), or said dye pigments, said interference pigments, of a UV additive, a photochromic or thermochromic additive, or an additive selected from the group of additives enhancing contrast or additives affecting refraction index can diffuse into the moulded component, and    e) removing said moulded component from said processing bath, and subsequent treating said moulded component,    f) cooling-down said moulded component, and    g) drying said moulded component,    wherein the moulded article comprises at least one thermoplastic synthetic material selected from the group of transparent (co)polyamides.    
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5 , characterized in that an additional subsequent cleaning process (e) of said dyed or doped moulded component is performed in a water bath that comprises surfactants, particularly sodium laurylsulfonate, and emulsifiers, a ultrasonic treatment is performed, and said moulded component is cooled down to room temperature.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , characterized in that a further subsequent treating of the completely equipped moulded component is performed by depositing of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of hard lacquer coating, a blooming coating a antireflection coating a water-repellent coatings and an anti-fogging coatings, wherein, hard lacquer coatings with or without primary coatings and/or antireflection coatings are deposited in subsequent baths.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that additional functional coatings are deposited on said moulded component by sputtering or vapour-depositing processes.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that said processing bath comprises surfactants emulsifiers (C), selected from the group consisting of ionic tensides, amphoteric surfactants, and nonionic surfactants.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that the dyestuff is selected from the group of disperse dyes and of acid dyes.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that the transparent moulding material used for preparing the moulded article already comprises additives from the group consisting of stabilizers, UV stabilizers, optical brighteners, slip additives, dyestuffs, metal flakes, nano-scaled functional and/or filling agents, impact resisting modifiers or reinforcing agents or mixings thereof, wherein the additives are preferably added to the moulding materials by incorporating a corresponding master batch.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , characterized in that the UV equipment of said moulding materials for preparing the moulded article has been performed by incorporating of 2 to 10 wt-% of the corresponding master batch before preparing the moulded component.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , characterized in that a master batch based on polymer comprising the main material of moulding material for the moulded component and 5 to 50 wt-% of an additional low-melting, semi-crystalline, main-material-soluble synthetic material, with a melting point beneath the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the main component, is used as master batch.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that said moulded article contains titanium dioxide.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that polyethylene glycol 400 is used as polyalkylene glycol.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that solvents ethylene glycol monobutyl ether and/or diethylene glycol monobutyl ether in quantities of 0.1 to 6 wt-%, diethylene glycol and/or triethylene glycol in quantities of 0.01 to 7 wt-%, and at least one polyalkylene glycol according to formula (3) in quantities of 0.01 to 3 wt-% are present in the dye solution.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that said functional bath is prepared in such a way that component (A) is provided, and the other components are mixed in with stirring.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that said processing bath is indirectly heated.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that a moulded component is used as a moulded component that is connected with at least one material selected from the group consisting of transparent or translucent surface layer and/or with decoration films, functional films or lacquers or rubbers or other synthetic materials, and forms a material composite.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that said moulded component is a single-layer cast film.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 5 , characterized in that said transparent (co)polyamides are made from amorphous or microcrystalline polyamides or are present as their transparent mixture or are present as transparent blends with one or more semi crystalline polyamides from the group consisting of polyamide 12, polyamide 11, polyamide 6, polyamide 1212, polyamide 612 and preferably have following composition: PA 6I, PA 6I/6T, PA MXDI/6I, PA MXDI/MXDT/6I/6T, PA MXDI/12I, PA MACMI/12, PA MACMI/MACMT/12, 6I/MACMI/12, PA 6I/6T/MACMI/MACMT/12, PA PACM6/11, PA PACM12, PA PACMI/PACM12, PA MACM6/11, PA MACM12, PA MACMI/MACM12, PA MACM12/PACM12, PA 6I/6T/PACMI/PACMT/PACM12/612.