Processes to make water and oil repellent bcf yarn

Abstract

Disclosed are processes for applying anti-soil compositions onto BCF yarns during cable or air twisting processes prior to weaving, knitting or tufting into finished carpet. The process foregoes the need for downstream environmentally unfavorable dyeing and low pH chemical treatment processes on the finished carpet. The anti-soil composition can be comprised of a high specific surface energy chemical or other material, for example a fluorochemical. Further, the anti-soil composition can further comprise an anti-stain component. Also disclosed are systems, BCF yarns, and carpets made from the BCF yarn treated by the disclosed process.

1 . A process for treating twisted BCF yarn with an anti-soil composition comprising an anti-soil component comprising:
 a. providing twisted BCF yarn;   b. winding said BCF yarn on a take-up reel; and   c. contacting said BCF yarn with said anti-soil composition while said BCF yarn is in motion and prior to said BCF yarn contacting and winding up on said take-up reel.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising dry heat setting said BCF yarn after contacting said BCF yarn with said anti-soil composition. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said anti-soil component comprises a fluorochemical. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-soil composition has a pH from about 3 to about 8. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein said fluorochemical is selected from the group consisting of: fluorochemical allophanates, fluorochemical polyacrylates, fluorochemical urethanes, fluorochemical carbodiimides, fluorochemical quanidines, and fluorochemicals incorporating C-2 to C-8 chemistries. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein said fluorochemical has less than or equal to six fluorinated carbons. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 3 , wherein said fluorochemical is a fluorochemical urethane. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said anti-soil composition further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of: odor control agents, anti-microbial agents, anti-fungal agents, fragrance agents, bleach resist agents, softeners, and UV stabilizers. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said anti-soil composition further comprises an anti-stain component. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein said anti-stain component is selected from the group consisting of: syntans, sulfonated novolacs, sulfonated aromatic aldehyde condensation products (SACs) and/or reaction products of formaldehyde, phenol, polymethacrylic acid, maleic anyhydride, and sulfonic acid. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein said anti-stain component is present at an on weight of fiber from about 500 ppm to about 4%. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein said anti-soil composition further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of: dye auxiliaries, sequestrants, pH control agents, and surfactants. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein said heat setting is performed at a temperature from about 125° C. to about 200° C. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said BCF yarn comprises polyamide fiber. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 14 , wherein said polyamide fiber is selected from the group consisting of: nylon 6,6, nylon 6, nylon 4,6, nylon 6,10, nylon 10,10, nylon 12, its copolymers, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said BCF yarn comprises a polymer component selected from the group consisting of polyester and polyolefin. 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said anti-soil component is present at an on weight of fiber from about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm. 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said contacting is performed by a device selected from the group consisting of: applicator pad, ceramic tip, ceramic ring, wet-wick, dip-tank, sprayer, and mister. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said BCF yarn is dyed or pigmented prior to contacting with said anti-soil composition. 
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 18  wherein a plurality of devices are used to perform said contacting. 
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 20 , wherein said plurality of devices are different. 
     
     
         22 . An untufted, twisted BCF yarn comprising an anti-soil component present on a surface of said untufted, twisted BCF yarn. 
     
     
         23 . The untufted, twisted BCF yarn of  claim 22 , wherein said anti-soil component comprises a fluorochemical. 
     
     
         24 . The untufted, twisted BCF yarn of  claim 23 , wherein said fluorochemical is selected from the group consisting of: fluorochemical allophanates, fluorochemical polyacrylates, fluorochemical urethanes, fluorochemical carbodiimides, fluorochemical quanidines, and fluorochemicals incorporating C-2 to C-8 chemistries. 
     
     
         25 . The untufted, twisted BCF yarn of  claim 22 , further comprising an anti-stain component, wherein said anti-stain component is present on said twisted BCF yarn prior to tufted said BCF yarn. 
     
     
         26 . The untufted, twisted BCF yarn of  claim 22 , wherein said anti-soil component is present at an on weight of fiber from about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm. 
     
     
         27 . The untufted, twisted BCF yarn of  claim 22 , wherein said BCF yarn comprises polyamide fiber. 
     
     
         28 . The untufted, twisted BCF yarn of  claim 27 , wherein said polyamide fiber is selected from the group consisting of: nylon 6,6, nylon 6, nylon 4,6, nylon 6,10, nylon 10,10, nylon 12, its copolymers, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         29 . The untufted, twisted BCF yarn of  claim 22 , wherein said BCF yarn comprises a polymer component selected from the group consisting of polyester and polyolefin. 
     
     
         30 . The untufted, twisted BCF yarn of  claim 22 , wherein said BCF yarn is pigmented or dyed. 
     
     
         31 . A carpet comprising twisted BCF yarn, wherein said twisted BCF yarn comprises the twisted BCF yarn from  claim 22  that has been tufted. 
     
     
         32 . The carpet of  claim 31  having an oil repellency rating of at least 5. 
     
     
         33 . A process for manufacturing carpet comprising:
 a. providing an untufted, twisted BCF yarn comprising an anti-soil component present on a surface of said untufted, twisted BCF yarn;   b. tufting said BCF yarn; and   c. weaving said tufted BCF yarn into said carpet, wherein said process foregoes the need to further treat said carpet with an anti-soil composition.   
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 33 , wherein said untufted, twisted BCF yarn comprises polyamide fiber. 
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 34 , wherein said polyamide fiber is selected from the group consisting of: nylon 6,6, nylon 6, nylon 4,6, nylon 6,10, nylon 10,10, nylon 12, its copolymers, and blends thereof. 
     
     
         36 . A system for applying an anti-soil composition to twisted BCF fiber comprising:
 a. a first yarn take-up device that receives at least two individual yarn members and transmits a single yarn member;   b. an anti-soil composition applicator disposed downstream of said yarn take-up device that applies said anti-soil composition to said single yarn member; and   c. a second yarn take-up device that receives said single yarn member.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein said applicator is selected from the group consisting of: applicator pad, ceramic tip, ceramic ring, wet-wick, dip-tank, sprayer, and mister. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein a plurality of applicators is used to apply said anti-soil composition. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein said plurality of applicators are different.