METHOD OF COATING HYDROPHOBIC POLYMER FIBERS WITH POLY(VINYL ALCOHOL)

摘要

A method of coating hydrophobic polymer fibers with a poly(vinyl alcohol), which method involves providing hydrophobic polymer fibers, preparing a solution of the poly(vinyl alcohol) in water, and treating the hydrophobic polymer fibers with the poly(vinyl alcohol) solution under conditions sufficient to deposit the poly(vinyl alcohol) on the surfaces of the fibers. In some embodiments, the hydrophobic polymer fibers are polyolefin fibers. For example, the polyolefin fibers may be polypropylene or polyethylene fibers. The poly(vinyl alcohol) is that which generally is referred to as hot water-soluble poly(vinyl alcohol). Such material is highly hydrolyzed, having a degree of hydrolysis of at least about 98 percent. The molecular weight of the poly(vinyl alcohol) typically will be at least about 10,000, which corresponds approximately to a degree of polymerization of 200. The present invention also provides a method of coating hydrophobic polymer fibers with a poly(vinyl alcohol). The method involves providing hydrophobic polymer fibers, dissolving the poly(vinyl alcohol) in water at a temperature of at least about 60°C to obtain a poly(vinyl alcohol) solution, and treating the hydrophobic polymer fibers with the poly(vinyl alcohol) solution under conditions sufficient to deposit the poly(vinyl alcohol) on the surfaces of the fibers. The hydrophobic polymer fibers may be polyolefin fibers, such as polypropylene or polyethylene fibers.