NOVEL YARN AND FABRIC

Abstract

The present invention aims to provide a fabric useful in production of clothes and other textile articles, in particular for use in a healthcare environment such as hospitals, long term care facilities, etc. The invention relates to a yarn consisting essentially of cotton fibres, hemp fibres, and fibres comprising porous particles, and to threads and fabrics comprising such yarns, as well as to the use of such clothing as healthcare staff uniforms. The yarn and fabric may further include at least one metal wire usable as a temperature sensor.

Claims

1. A yarn consisting essentially of cotton or rayon fibres; hemp fibres; and fibres comprising porous particles.

2. A yarn consisting essentially of cotton or rayon fibres; hemp fibres; fibres comprising porous particles; and polyester and/or at least one metal wire.

3. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein the fibres comprising porous particles are made from polyester, cotton, rayon, or nylon.

4. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein the porous particles are capable of adsorbing water.

5. The yarn according to claim 1, wherein the porous particles are selected from the group consisting of charcoal, activated carbon, zeolites, silica gel, graphite, and aluminium oxide.

6. The yarn according to claim 1, consisting essentially of 20% cotton or rayon, 55% hemp, and 25% fibres comprising porous particles.

7. The yarn according to claim 1, consisting essentially of 20% cotton or rayon, 35% hemp, 25% fibres comprising porous particles, and 20% polyester.

8. A thread comprising at least two yarns according to claim 1, and at least one metal wire.

9. A fabric comprising at least three yarn according to claim 1, wherein at least two of the at least three yarn comprise at least one metal wire.

10. The fabric according to claim 9, comprising a first yarn or thread as warp and a second yarn or thread as weft.

11. The fabric according to claim 9, wherein the warp and weft tensile strength is at least 700 N.

12. The fabric according to claim 9, wherein the warp and weft tear strength is at least 30 N.

13. The fabric according to claim 9, having a dimensional stability of 1%.

14. The fabric according to claim 9, having a drying time of less than 25 minutes as measured using the AATCC standard 199-2013.

15. Use of a fabric according to claim 9 in the manufacture of textile articles for use in a healthcare environment.

16. The yarn according to claim 2, wherein the fibres comprise porous particles are made from polyester, cotton, rayon, or nylon.

17. The yarn according to claim 2, wherein the porous particles are capable of adsorbing water.

18. The yarn according to claim 2, wherein the porous particles are selected from the group consisting of charcoal, activated carbon, zeolites, silica gel, graphite, and aluminium oxide.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The present invention relates in a first aspect to a yarn comprising cotton or rayon fibres, hemp fibres, and fibres comprising porous particles and consisting essentially of these three types of fibre and optionally also polyester and/or a metal wire.

[0023] In one embodiment, the yarn consist at least to 95%, such as 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%, of a mix of cotton fibres, hemp fibres, and fibres comprising porous particles.

[0024] In one embodiment, the yarn consist at least to 95%, such as 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%, of a mix of rayon fibres, hemp fibres, and fibres comprising porous particles.

[0025] In one embodiment, the yarn consist at least to 95%, such as 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%, of a mix of cotton or rayon fibres, hemp fibres, fibres comprising porous particles, and metal wire(s).

[0026] In one embodiment, the yarn consist at least to 95%, such as 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%, of a mix of cotton fibres, polyester fibres, hemp fibres, and fibres comprising porous particles.

[0027] In one embodiment, the yarn consist at least to 95%, such as 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%, of a mix of rayon fibres, polyester fibres, hemp fibres, and fibres comprising porous particles.

[0028] In one embodiment, the yarn consist at least to 95%, such as 96%, 97%, 98%, 99% or 100%, of a mix of cotton or rayon fibres, polyester fibres, hemp fibres, fibres comprising porous particles, and metal wire(s).

[0029] Cotton fibres, rayon fibres, polyester and hemp fibres are well-known commodities in the art of yarn and textile manufacture and commercially available from a multitude of suppliers.

[0030] Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is a fast-growing plant that quickly covers the ground and suppresses growth of weeds and some soil-borne pathogens, substantially reducing or even totally removing the need for herbicides, pesticides, fungicides and fertilizer and making it an environmentally friendly alternative to other fibre producing plants (Natural Fibers, Biopolymers, and Biocomposites, Mohanty et al. (eds) CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla., USA, 2005). Hemp has natural antibacterial properties (Khan et al., BioResources 9(2), 3642-3659). Hemp has been cultivated for a variety of uses, including textiles and clothing, for thousands of years.

[0031] Rayon is a fibre manufactured from cellulose and can be manufactured in a number of varieties, types and grades, all of which may be included in the present invention. Rayon was first developed in the early 20.sup.th century and used primarily for industrial purposes. Further development and refinement of the manufacturing technique have created a whole range of fibres with improved properties. Lyocell, sold under the trade name Tencel, was developed in the 1990s (D J Cole, A new cellulosic fibreTencel, Advances in Fibre Science, The Textile Institute, 1992). Viscose and lyocell are preferred embodiments of rayon in the present invention. Lyocell is available e.g. from Lenzing AG, Austria.

[0032] The metal wire or metal wires that may optionally be included in the yarn, thread or fabric according to the invention is preferably useful as a sensor, such as a temperature sensor. It is known that the electrical resistance of a metal wire may vary with temperature and that this may be used in temperature sensors. Metal wires may be made from a single metal or alloys, including but not limited to FeCrAl, NiCr, NiFe, CuNi, and CuMn. Such metal alloy wires are available from under the trade name Kanthal from Sandik AB (Sandviken, Sweden). Metal wires may also be used in a thermocouple, two wires of dissimilar metals joined at one or two points, to measure temperature. Suitable metal wires are available e.g. under the trade name EXERA from Sandvik AB (Sandviken, Sweden). The metal wire(s) are preferably coated with an insulating material, such as a polymer, prior to inclusion in the yarn or fabric.

[0033] Fibres comprising porous particles as used in the present invention are also known in the art and can be produced in a multitude of ways. For instance, it is known in the art (i.a. from WO9842909) to introduce UV-blocking particles into a fabric. Methods for permanently binding particles such as zeolites to cellulosic and synthetic fibres are disclosed in U.S. Pat No. 5,538,783. Other methods are disclosed in WO03/000979 and WO03/105996.

[0034] Preferably, the porous particles have the capacity to adsorb and/or absorb water. The pore structure of the particles increases the surface area of the textile, facilitating rapid evaporation of water.

[0035] In one embodiment, the porous particles have a breadth and/or width and/or height of 1-1000 m, such as 10-500 m or 50-250 m. In one embodiment, the breadth, width and height of the particles are within one or two orders of magnitude of each other.

[0036] In one embodiment, the porous particles have a specific surface area of 500 m.sup.2/g, 750 m.sup.2/g, 1000 m.sup.2/g, or more.

[0037] In an embodiment, the porous particles include charcoal or activated carbon particles. Activated carbon is a form of carbon processed to have small, low-volume pores that increase the surface area available for adsorption or chemical reactions.

[0038] In one embodiment, the porous particles include zeolites. Zeolites are aluminosilicate minerals composed mainly of aluminium, silicon, and oxygen. Zeolites are formed in nature in certain geological environments and can be obtained from e.g. some volcanic rocks. Zeolites may also be produced synthetically, with natural and synthetic zeolites being commercially available from a range of suppliers.

[0039] In other embodiments, the porous particles include silica gel, graphite, and/or aluminium oxide.

[0040] In one embodiment, the fibres comprising porous particles are polyester fibres, cotton fibres, rayon fibres, or nylon fibres.

[0041] In one embodiment, the yarn according to the invention consists essentially of 20% cotton, 55% hemp, and 25% fibres comprising porous particles.

[0042] In one embodiment, the yarn according to the invention consists essentially of 20% cotton, 35% hemp, 25% fibres comprising porous particles, and 20% polyester.

[0043] In a further aspect, the invention relates to a thread comprising at least two yarns according to the invention, and optionally at least one metal wire.

[0044] In a further aspect, the invention relates to a fabric comprising at least one yarn or thread according to the invention.

[0045] In one embodiment, the fabric according to the invention comprises a first yarn or thread according to the invention as warp and a second yarn or thread according to the invention as weft.

[0046] In one embodiment, the fabric has a warp and/or weft tensile strength of at least 700 N. This can be measured using the international standard ISO 13934-1.

[0047] In one embodiment, the fabric has a warp and/or weft tear strength of at least 30 N. This can be measured using the international standard ISO 13937-1.

[0048] In one embodiment, the fabric has a dimensional stability of 1%. This can be measured using the international standard BS EN ISO 26330-1A.

[0049] In one embodiment, the fabric has an improved drying time as compared to fabrics made of pure cotton, pure polyester, or polyester/cotton mixes. This can be measured using e.g. the AATCC standard 199-2013. In one embodiment, the fabric has a drying time of less than 25 minutes as measured using the AATCC standard 199-2013. In one embodiment, the fabric has a drying time of less than 24, 23, or 22 minutes as measured using the AATCC standard 199-2013. In one embodiment, the fabric has a drying time of about 21 minutes as measured using the AATCC standard 199-2013.

[0050] In a further aspect, the invention relates to use of the fabric according to the invention in the manufacture of textile articles for use in a healthcare environment. Such articles include staff uniforms, laboratory coats, patients' clothing, towels, bedsheets, and drapes. Healthcare environments include hospitals, long-term care facilities, neonatal care units, and intensive care units.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment, the yarns, threads, and fabrics according to the invention do not comprise any additional compound, agent, or material having antimicrobial activity. Such additional substances may leak from the products according to the invention and cause environmental harm. In particular, the yarns, threads and fabrics according to the invention do not comprise silver, copper, or zinc, in metallic form or in salt form.

[0052] The present invention is further illustrated by means of the following examples. The examples only serve to illustrate the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is that of the appended claims. All documents cited herein as prior art are expressly incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

EXAMPLE

[0053] Yarns and threads were produced according to the invention and used as warp and weft in the production of a woven fabric according to the invention. The warp comprised 35% hemp, 20% polyester, 20% cotton, and 25% fibre comprising porous particles. The weft comprised 55% hemp, 20% cotton, and 25% fibre comprising porous particles.

[0054] The properties of the fabric were tested for requirements under the Swedish standard for textiles for healthcare and social services facilities (SIS-CEN/TS 14237:2016), which in turn reference standards set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

[0055] Dimensional change was tested in accordance with BS EN ISO 26330-1A and was found to be 0.5% to 1.0%, which is within the tolerance of 3.0% according to Swedish standards.

[0056] Tensile strength was tested in accordance with ISO 13934-1 and was found to be 700 N (warp) and 425 N (weft), which is well above the requirements of 400 N set by Swedish standards.

[0057] Tear strength was tested in accordance with ISO 13937-1 and was found to be >30 N (warp) and >20 N (weft).

[0058] The antibacterial properties of the fabric was tested using the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) standard 100-2012 for assessment of antibacterial finishes on textile materials, using the test organism Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538). A control sample consisting of 100% cotton was used.

[0059] 1 mL of inoculum comprising 1.1*10.sup.5 cfu/mL S. aureus was applied to eight pieces of the fabric sample and the control sample, respectively. After 24 hours, the number of cfu per sample was counted and found to be on average <100 for the fabric sample and 4.4*10.sup.6 for the control sample. The fabric thus shows excellent antibacterial properties.

[0060] The drying time reflects the energy required to dry the fabric and was measured using the AATCC standard 199-2013. Water absorbency times were measured using the AATCC standard 79. Two fabrics according to the invention were tested and showed water absorbency times of 6-8 seconds, a moisture retention of 96-99% and an average drying time of 21 minutes (21.2 and 21.4, respectively). The fabric thus has an improved drying time as compared to fabrics made of pure cotton, pure polyester, or polyester/cotton blends.

[0061] The comfortability of clothes made from the fabric can be assessed by providing users of the clothes with a survey of questions relating to the comfortability of the clothes relative existing clothing. The survey results show that clothes made from fabric according to the invention are as comfortable, more comfortable, or significantly more comfortable to wear as compared to existing clothing.