Nylon floorcoverings employing vat dyestuffs and methods of making the same

Abstract

In one aspect, floor coverings are described herein comprising nylon fibers dyed with at least one vat dyestuff, the dyed nylon fibers exhibiting enhancements to lightfastness, color fastness, wet fastness and/or resistance to household bleach.

1 . A dyed fiber composition comprising:
 nylon fibers dyed with at least one vat dyestuff, the dyed nylon fibers exhibiting a lightfastness rating of at least 3 according to American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) Test Method 16, Option 3.   
     
     
         2 . The dyed fiber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the lightfastness rating is at least 4. 
     
     
         3 . The dyed fiber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the dyed nylon fibers exhibit a color fastness to ozone rating of at least 4 after 5 exposure cycles according to AATCC 129. 
     
     
         4 . The dyed fiber composition of  claim 3 , the color fastness to ozone rating is 5. 
     
     
         5 . The dyed fiber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the dyed nylon fibers exhibit a wet fastness gray scale rating of at least 4/5 for transfer to an undyed control. 
     
     
         6 . The dyed fiber composition of  claim 5 , wherein the wet fastness gray scale rating is 5/5. 
     
     
         7 . The dyed fiber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nylon fibers form greige fabric prior to dyeing. 
     
     
         8 . The fiber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nylon fibers comprise cationic nylon. 
     
     
         9 . The fiber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nylon fibers are nylon-6,6. 
     
     
         10 . The fiber composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nylon fibers are nylon-6. 
     
     
         11 . A method of dyeing a fiber composition comprising:
 providing greige comprising nylon fibers;   contacting the nylon fibers with a dyeing composition comprising at least one vat dyestuff in reduced form; and   oxidizing the vat dyestuff applied to the nylon fibers by drying the nylon fibers in air.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the air has a temperature of 200-300° F. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dyed nylon fibers exhibit a lightfastness rating of at least 4 according to AATCC Test Method 16, Option 3. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dyed nylon fibers exhibit a color fastness to ozone rating of at least 4 after 5 exposure cycles according to AATCC 129. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the dyed nylon fibers exhibit a wet fastness gray scale rating of at least 4/5 for transfer to an undyed control. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the nylon fibers comprise cationic nylon. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the nylon fibers are nylon-6,6. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the nylon fibers are nylon-6. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein dyeing composition has a liquor ratio ranging from 1:1 to 25:1. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein 30-85 percent of the vat dye is exhausted onto the nylon fibers. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the vat dye is selected from the group consisting of Vat Yellow 33, Vat Blue 6, Vat Black 22, Vat Black 25, Vat Black 27, Vat Brown 1, Vat Brown 3, and Vat Brown 57.