Shape memory polyamide and method of producing shape memory polyamide fabric using the same

Abstract

Disclosed is a shape memory polyamide, produced by adding a polyvalent carboxylic acid and a polyvalent amine when polyamide is polymerized from e-caprolactam or hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid, and having an aromatic component which is introduced by one or more among the polyvalent carboxylic acid and the polyvalent amine and has a total amount ranging from 0.4 mol % to 10 mol % based on the amount of the raw material for polyamide. Also, a method of producing a shape memory polyamide fabric using the shape memory polyamide is provided. The polyamide fabric produced using the shape memory polyamide is a highly functional fabric which does not easily wrinkle and easily recovers its original shape even when wrinkled, and thus may be applied as material for various kinds of clothing.

1 . A shape memory poly amide, produced by adding a polyvalent carboxylic acid and a polyvalent amine when polyamide is polymerized using e-caprolactam or hexamethylenediamine and adipic acid as a raw material thereof, and having an aromatic component which is introduced by one or more among the polyvalent carboxylic acid and the polyvalent amine and has a total amount ranging from 0.4 mol % to 10 mol % based on an amount of the raw material for the polyamide. 
     
     
         2 . The shape memory polyamide according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyamide is nylon 6, nylon 66, or nylon 6/66 copolymer. 
     
     
         3 . The shape memory polyamide according to  claim 1 , wherein the aromatic component is an aromatic component containing a sulfonic acid group. 
     
     
         4 . The shape memory polyamide according to  claim 1 , wherein the aromatic component is introduced by a combination of an aromatic polyvalent carboxylic acid and an aliphatic polyvalent amine, a combination of an aliphatic polyvalent carboxylic acid and an aromatic polyvalent amine, or a combination of an aromatic polyvalent carboxylic acid and an aromatic polyvalent amine. 
     
     
         5 . The shape memory polyamide according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyvalent carboxylic acid is selected from a group consisting of adipic acid, sebacic acid, dodecanedicarboxylic acid, terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, 1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid, 2,5- and 3,5-dicarboxybenzenesulfonic acid, 2,5- and 3,5-dicarboxyethylbenzenesulfonic acid, and 2,5- and 3,5-dicarboxypropylbenzenesulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salts of sodium, potassium or lithium thereof, 2,5- and 3,5-dimethoxycarboxylbenzenesulfonic acid, 2,5- and 3,5-dimethoxycarboxylethylbenzenesulfonic acid, and 2,5- and 3,5-dimethoxycarboxylpropylbenzenesulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salts of sodium, potassium or lithium thereof, 2,5- and 3,5-diethoxycarboxylethylbenzenesulfonic acid and 2,5- and 3,5-diethoxycarboxylpropylbenzenesulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salts of sodium, potassium or lithium thereof, 2,5- and 3,5-dipropoxycarboxylethylbenzenesulfonic acid and 2,5- and 3,5-dipropoxycarboxylpropylbenzenesulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salts of sodium, potassium or lithium thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The shape memory polyamide according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyvalent amine is selected from a group consisting of ethylenediamine, tetramethylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine, octamethylenediamine, decamethylenediamine, undecamethylenediamine, dodecamethylenediamine, para-phenylenediamine, meta-phenylenediamine, para-xylenediamine, meta-xylenediamine, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method of producing a shape memory polyamide fabric, comprising: adding a polyvalent carboxylic acid and a polyvalent amine when polyamide is polymerized, thus synthesizing a copolyamide prepolymer having an aromatic component, a total amount of which ranges from 0.4 mol % to 10 mol % based on an amount of a raw material for the polyamide; subjecting the copolyamide prepolymer to weaving or knitting, thus producing a woven or knitted fabric; and subjecting the woven or knitted fabric to heat treatment under conditions of (1) below and then to dyeing under conditions of (2) below:
     Tg+ 40° C.< Tx<Tm− 20° C.  (1)       Tg<Td<Tx   (2)   
       wherein Tg is a glass transition temperature of a copolyamide prepolymer, Tx is a heat treatment temperature, Tm is a melting point of a copolyamide prepolymer, and Td is a dyeing temperature. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the polyamide is nylon 6, nylon 66, or nylon 6/66 copolymer. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the copolyamide prepolymer has a combination of an aromatic polyvalent carboxylic acid and an aliphatic polyvalent amine, a combination of an aliphatic polyvalent carboxylic acid and an aromatic polyvalent amine, or a combination of an aromatic polyvalent carboxylic acid and an aromatic polyvalent amine. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the polyvalent carboxylic acid is selected from a group consisting of adipic acid, sebacic acid; dodecanedicarboxylic acid, terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, 1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid, 2,5- and 3,5-dicarboxybenzenesulfonic acid, 2,5- and 3,5-dicarboxyethylbenzenesulfonic acid, and 2,5- and 3,5-dicarboxypropylbenzenesulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salts of sodium, potassium or lithium thereof, 2,5- and 3,5-dimethoxycarboxylbenzenesulfonic acid, 2,5- and 3,5-dimethoxycarboxylethylbenzenesulfonic acid, and 2,5- and 3,5-dimethoxycarboxylpropylbenzenesulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salts of sodium, potassium or lithium thereof, 2,5- and 3,5-diethoxycarboxylethylbenzenesulfonic acid and 2,5- and 3,5-diethoxycarboxylpropylbenzenesulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salts of sodium, potassium or lithium thereof, 2,5- and 3,5-dipropoxycarboxylethylbenzenesulfonic acid and 2,5- and 3,5-dipropoxycarboxylpropylbenzenesulfonic acid or sulfonic acid salts of sodium, potassium or lithium thereof, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the polyvalent amine is selected from a group consisting of ethylenediamine, tetramethylenediamine, hexamethylenediamine, octamethylenediamine, decamethylenediamine, undecamethylenediamine, dodecamethylenediamine, para-phenylenediamine, meta-phenylenediamine, para-xylenediamine, meta-xylenediamine, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         12 . A shape memory poly amide fabric produced by the method of  claim 7 . 
     
     
         13 . Shape memory clothing produced using the shape memory poly amide fabric of  claim 12 .