TEXTILE COMPOSITE WITH ENHANCED BIODEGRADABILITY

Abstract

The invention relates to a textile composite, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer and cotton, and a composition for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate, wherein the composition is absorbed by the cotton.

Claims

1. A textile composite comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer and cotton, and a composition for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate, wherein the composition is absorbed by the cotton.

2. The textile composite according to claim 1, wherein the textile substrate is a yarn comprising a plurality of cotton fibers, which comprise the cotton, and at least one synthetic fiber, which comprise the synthetic polymer, in particular wherein the at least one synthetic fiber comprises a plurality of synthetic staple fibers being intermixed with the cotton fibers and/or at least one synthetic filament being surrounded by a sheath comprising the cotton fibers and optionally additional synthetic fibers.

3. The textile composite according to claim 1, wherein the textile substrate is a yarn comprising the synthetic polymer in a weight content of between 10 and 30%, in particular between 15 and 25%, and/or cotton in a weight content between 90 and 70%, in particular between 85 and 75%, in particular wherein the cotton carries, in particular absorbs, the composition.

4. The textile composite according to claim 1, wherein the textile substrate is a fabric, in particular a woven fabric, comprising a plurality of yarns, wherein at least a part of the yarns comprise at least one synthetic fiber, which comprise the synthetic polymer, and cotton fibers, which comprise the cotton.

5. A textile composite, in particular according to preceding claims claim 1, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer and indigo, and a composition, which is disposed on the textile substrate, for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate.

6. The textile composite according to claim 5, wherein the textile substrate is a fabric comprising yarns, in particular a woven fabric comprising warp yarns and weft yarns, wherein at least a part of the yarns is indigo dyed, and wherein at least a part of the yarns comprises the synthetic polymer, and wherein the composition is disposed at least on the yams which comprise the synthetic polymer, in particular is only disposed on the yarns which comprise the synthetic polymers, on all yarns having the same orientation as the yarns comprising the synthetic polymers, or on an all yarns of the fabric.

7. The textile composite according to claim 6, wherein the yams which comprise the synthetic polymer are the indigo dyed yams, preferably wherein the indigo dyed yarns comprise cotton by which the composition is at least partially absorbed, or wherein the yarns which comprise the synthetic polymer are other yarns than the yarns being indigo dyed, preferably in that the textile substrate is a woven fabric, wherein the warp yarns are indigo dyed and wherein the composition is disposed on the weft yarns, which comprise the synthetic polymer, or vice versa.

8. The textile composite according to claim 6, wherein the fabric comprises cotton in a weigh content between 90 and 98% and the synthetic polymer in a weight content between 10 and 2%, in particular wherein the fabric is a woven fabric comprising warp yarns and weft yarns, wherein the warp yarns and/or the weft yarns are textile composites.

9. A textile composite, in particular according to claim 1, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, and a composition, which is disposed on the textile substrate, for enhancing the anaerobic biodegradability of the textile substrate.

10. A textile composite, in particular according to claim 1, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, and a composition, which is disposed on the textile substrate, wherein the composition comprises a polymer for enhancing textile-biodegradability in a weight content between 0,5 and 10%.

11. The textile composite according to claim 10, wherein the polymer for enhancing textile-biodegradability comprises a biopolymer.

12. The textile composite according to claim 11, wherein the biopolymer comprises and/or is derived from a polysaccharide.

13. The textile composite according to claim 11, wherein the biopolymer comprises and/or is derived from starch.

14. The textile composite according to claim 11, wherein the biopolymer comprises starch and/or polylactic acid.

15. The textile composite according to claim 10, wherein the polymer for enhancing textile-biodegradability is a biodegradable polymer.

16. The textile composite according to claim 15, wherein the biodegradable polymer comprises a polymer selected from the group of polylactic acid and starch.

17. The textile composite according to claim 10, wherein the polymer for enhancing textile-biodegradability comprises one or more repeat units that are connected by hydrolysable linkages.

18. The textile composite according to claim 17, wherein one or more repeat units comprise lactic acid and/or monosaccharides.

19. The textile composite according to claims 10, wherein the polymer for enhancing the textile-biodegradability composite is starch and/or polylactic acid.

20. A textile composite, in particular according to claim 1, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, and a composition, which is disposed on the textile substrate, wherein the composition comprises starch in a weight content between 0,5 and 10%.

21. The textile composite according to claim 10, wherein composition comprises the polymer for enhancing textile-biodegradability, in particular starch, in a weight content of at least 1%, 2%, 3% or 5% and/or maximally 9%, 8%, 7% or 6%, preferably between 2 and 10%, particularly preferred between 3 and 8%, most preferably between 4 and 6%.

22. The textile composite according to claim 10, wherein the composition comprises 2-hydroxy-3-(trimethylammonio)propyl ether, in particular wherein the composition comprises the 2-hydroxy-3-(trimethylammonio)propyl ether in a weight content of at least 0,1%, 0,3%, 0,5%, 0,6% or 0,8% and/or of maximally 4%, 3%, 2% or 1%, preferably between 0,3 and 3%, particularly preferred between 0,5 and 2%, most preferably between 0,6 and 1%, and/or in particular wherein the composition comprises the polymer for enhancing textile-biodegradability, in particular starch, in a weight content of between 2 and 15 times, preferably between 3 and 12 times, more preferably between 4 and 10 times, most preferably between 5 and 8 times, the weight content of 2-hydroxy-3-(trimethylammonio)propyl ether.

23. A textile composite, in particular according to claim 1, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, and a composition, which is disposed on the textile substrate, for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate, wherein the composition comprises a deaerating agent.

24. The textile composite according to claim 23, wherein the composition comprises the deaerating agent in a weight content of at least 3%, 5%, 6%, 7% or 8% and/or of maximally 18%, 16%, 14%, 12% or 10%, preferably between 3 and 16%, particularly preferred between 5 and 12%, most preferably between 7 and 10%.

25. A textile composite, in particular according to claim 1, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, and a composition, which is disposed on the textile substrate, for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate, wherein the composition comprises an emulsifier.

26. The textile composite according to claim 25, wherein the emulsifier comprises alkyl polyglycol ethers, especially alkyl polyglycol ethers with 10-11 ethylene oxide units, and/or wherein the composition comprises the emulsifier in a weight content of at least 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% or 12% and/or of maximally 24%, 20%, 16% or 14%, preferably between 6 and 20%, particularly preferred between 8 and 16%, most preferably between 10 and 14%.

27. A textile composite, in particular according to claim 1, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, and a composition, which is disposed on the textile substrate, for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate, wherein the composition comprises a crosslinking agent.

28. The textile composite according to claim 27, wherein the crosslinking agent is a self-crosslinking polyurethan, and/or wherein the composition comprises the crosslinking agent in weight content of at least 20%, 30%, 50%, 65%, 70% or 72,5% and/or of maximally 90%, 80% or 75%, preferably between 50 and 90%, particularly preferred between 65 and 80%, most preferably between 70 and 75%.

29. A textile composite, in particular according to one of the preceding claims claim 1, comprising a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, and a composition, which is disposed on the textile substrate, for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate, wherein the composition comprises an organic acid, in particular carboxylic acid, with less than ten carbon atoms.

30. The textile composite according to claim 29, wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, maleic acid, lactic acid, and oxalic acid, most preferred acetic acid, and/or wherein the composition comprises the organic acid in a weight content of at least 0,3%, 0,5%, 0,8%, 1,0% or 1,2% and/or maximally 5%, 3%, 2% or 1%, preferably between 0,5 and 3%, particularly preferred between 0,8 and 2%, most preferably between 1 and 1,5%.

31. The textile composite according to claim 1, wherein the biodegradability is measured according to ASTM D 5511, in particular wherein the textile composite comprises the synthetic polymer in a weight content of at least 2%, preferably at least 3%, 4%, 5% or 6%, and biodegrades to at least 95%, preferably at least 96%, 97%, 98% or 99%, within 150 days.

32. The textile composite according to claim 9, wherein the textile substrate is a synthetic fiber, which comprises the synthetic polymer, in particular wherein the composition is disposed on the synthetic fiber, or wherein the textile substrate is a yarn comprising at least one synthetic fiber, which comprises the synthetic polymer, in particular wherein the composition is disposed at least in parts on the at least one synthetic fiber and/or on additional natural fibers, in particular cotton fibers, or wherein the textile substrate is a fabric, in particular a woven, non-woven or knitted fabric, comprising synthetic fibers or yarns comprising synthetic fibers, which fibers comprise the synthetic polymer, in particular wherein the composition is disposed at least in parts on the synthetic fibers.

33. The textile composite according to claim 1, wherein the textile composite comprises the composition in a weight content between 0,5 and 25%, preferably between 1 and 20%, more preferably between 2 and 15%, most preferably between 3 and 10%.

34. The textile composite according to claim 1, wherein the synthetic polymer is selected from the group consisting of a polyester, a polyethylene, a polypropylene, polystyrene, a polyamid, a polyaramid, a polyoxymethylene, a polytetrafluorethylene, a polyetheretherketone, a polyphenylenesulfid, polyalkyleneterepthalate, preferably a poly butyleneterephthalate, a polytrimethy leneterephthalate, a polyethyleneterephthalate, a polyurethane, apolyvinylalkohol, a copolymer of two or more thereof or a mixture of two or more thereof, preferably a polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylenterephthalate, polyamide, poly butyleneterephthalate, polyurethane, polyvinylalkohol or a mixture of two or more thereof, most preferred is a polyester.

35. A method for providing a textile composite according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: a) providing a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer: b) providing a composition for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate; and c) disposing the composition on the the textile substrate to obtain the textile composite.

36. A method, in particular according to claim 35, for providing a denim fabric, which comprises a synthetic polymer, with enhanced biodegradability, comprising the steps of: a) providing a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer: b) providing a composition for enhancing the biodegradability of the textile substrate: c) disposing the composition on the textile substrate to obtain a textile composite, wherein the textile substrate in step c) is a denim fabric or wherein the textile substrate in step c) is a filament, a yam or a warp of yarns, which is processed into a denim fabric after carrying out step c).

37. Use of starch in a composition for enhancing the biodegradability of a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, wherein the composition is disposed on the textile substrate.

38. Use of a polymer for enhancing textile-biodegradability in a composition for enhancing the biodegradability of a textile substrate, which comprises a synthetic polymer, wherein the composition is disposed on the textile substrate.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0224] In the following, the method of providing an exemplary textile composite according to the invention is described. In this example, a denim fabric comprising synthetic polymers was provided, wherein the biodegradability of the fabric was enhanced by disposing a biodegradability enhancing composition on parts of the fabric.

[0225] In a first step, a rope of cotton warp yarns was dyed with indigo to obtain a warp of indigo dyed cotton yarns. Subsequently, weft yarns have been provided comprising a filament core and a cotton sheath. The filament core comprised the synthetic polymer, in particular T400 filaments and Lycra filaments obtained from the Lycra company. The weft yarns comprised the cotton in a weight content of 79,5%, T400 in a weight context of about 13% and Lycra in a weight content of about 7,5%.

[0226] As the warp yarns did not contain synthetic polymers, it was in this case decided to dispose the composition only on the weft yarns. Therefore, the composition was disposed on the weft yarns before weaving the weft yarns of the warp yarns into the woven fabric. However, before, the composition was prepared. The preparation of the composition is described based on FIG. 5. In a first step, water, in particular thirty liter of water, was heated, particularly boiled, and mixed. Subsequently, 10 g/l of an emulsifier, in particular Exosel 118, has been added. Subsequently, 5 g/l of a biodegradability enhancing additive, in particular the biodegradability-enhancing additive Biosphere EPS Powder 1,2,3,401 Powder Additive, has been added into the boiling water. The composition was than mixed, in particular for thirty minutes, until the emulsifier and the biodegradability enhancing additive was completely mixed. Subsequently, the composition was cooled. Subsequently, an organic acid, in particular acetic acid, has been added in a content of 1 g/l. Subsequently, a cross-linking agent, in particular Tanapur1, in a content of 60 g/l and a deaerating agent, in particular Lava Wet MDF, in a content of 7 g/l was added into the solution.

[0227] After the composition had been prepared by this method, the composition has been disposed on the weft yarns. After disposing the composition onto the weft yarns, the weft yarns were dried.

[0228] Subsequently, the warp yarns and the weft yarns have been woven into a woven denim fabric. The denim fabric comprised cotton in a weight content of about 94%, T400 in a weight content of about 3.5% and Lycra in a weight content of about 2.5%.

[0229] A specimen of the produced denim fabric was taken to determine the anaerobic biodegradation according to ASTM D 5511-18. After 90 days, the biodegradation measured according to ASTM D 5511 was 80.7%. After 120 days, the measured biodegradation was 93.06%. After 150 days, the measured biodegradation was 99.38%.

[0230] The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and the claims might be significant for the realization of the invention in its different embodiments individually as in any combination.

EXAMPLE 2

[0231] In the following, the superior biodegradability of fabrics manufactured according to the present invention is demonstrated.

[0232] Exemplary textile composites according to the invention are disclosed and their biodegradability is compared to their respective counterpart textile composites that have been prepared in without biodegradability-enhancing composition.

[0233] For this, fabrics 1-3 were manufactured from warp yarns and weft yarns with a composition as shown in Table 1. Fabrics A were treated with a biodegradability-enhancing composition according to the invention. Fabrics B correspond to the respective fabrics A but without biodegradability-enhancing composition.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Composition of fabrics Sample Composition (wt %) Fabric 1-A 72% CO, 20% RCY CO, 5% T400, 3% LYCRA + biodegradability-enhancing composition Fabric 1-B 72% CO, 20% RCY CO, 5% T400, 3% LYCRA Fabric 2-A 72% CO, 20% RCY CO, 5% T400, 3% LYCRA + biodegradability-enhancing composition Fabric 2-B 72% CO, 20% RCY CO, 5% T400, 3% LYCRA Fabric 3-A 92% CO, 6% T400, 2% EL + biodegradability-enhancing composition Fabric 3-B 92% CO, 6% T400, 2% EL CO = Cotton, RCY CO = rubber covered cotton yarn, T400 = T400 filaments, LYCRA = Lycra filament, EL = elastane)

[0234] In these experiments, the biodegradability-enhancing composition was prepared according to the protocol shown in FIG. 5. In a first step, water, in particular thirty liter of water, was heated, particularly boiled, and mixed. Subsequently, 10 g/l of an emulsifier, in particular Exosel 118, has been added. Subsequently, 5 g/l of a biodegradability enhancing additive, in particular the biodegradability-enhancing additive Biosphere 401 Powder Additive, has been added into the boiling water. The composition was then mixed, in particular for thirty minutes, until the emulsifier and the biodegradability enhancing additive was completely mixed. Subsequently, the composition was cooled. Subsequently, an organic acid, in particular acetic acid, has been added in a content of 1 g/l. Subsequently, a cross-linking agent, in particular Tanapuri, in a content of 60 g/l and a deaerating agent, in particular Lava Wet MDF, in a content of 7 g/l was added into the solution.

[0235] After the composition had been prepared by this method, the composition was disposed on the yarns. After disposing the composition onto the yarns, the yarns were dried. Subsequently, the warp yarns and the weft yarns have been woven into a woven fabric (Fabric 1-A, Fabric 2-A and Fabric 3-A).

[0236] These fabrics were taken to determine the anaerobic biodegradation according to ASTM D 5511-18. In brief: the respective fabric samples were tested for their degree and rate of anaerobic biodegradation in high-solids anaerobic static, non-mixed conditions at 52 C. In this experiment, the fabrics were exposed to a methanogenic inoculum derived from anaerobic digesters operating on pretreated household waste. This test method is designed to yield a percentage of conversion of carbon in the sample to carbon in the gaseous form.

[0237] The biodegradation (%) of each of the respective fabrics is based on the ratio of the amount of carbon in the cumulative gases released during the biodegradation of the fabric samples and the total amount of organic carbon in the respective fabric samples. To determine the amount of carbon in the cumulative gases released during the degradation of the fabric samples, the cumulative amount of carbon dioxide and methane produced of each experiment is determined, and the carbon dioxide and methane produced from blank samples (same conditions but with the inoculum only) is subtracted. The results for the Fabrics 1A-3A are shown in Table 2

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Biodegradation of Fabric 1-A (after 210 days), Fabric 2-A (after 210 days) andFabric 3-A (after 150 days) Inoculum Inoculum for Fabric Fabric Fabric for Fabric Fabric Sample 1A and 2A 1-A 2-A 3A 3-A Weigh-in 1000 g 10.4154 g 10.2397 g 1000 g 10.0574 g Total volume of 3890 10150 9940 3980. 10810 gas released (ml) % CH4 14.00 47.10 46.90 13.40 40.20 Volume of CH4 (ml) 544.60 4780.65 4661.86 533.32 4345.62 weight of CH4 (g) 0.3899 3.4229 3.3379 0.3499 2.8507 % CO2 18.2 52.8 51.6 15.10 50.00 Volume of CO2 (ml) 707.98 5359.20 5129.04 600.98 5405.00 Weight of CO2 (g) 1.4018 10.6112 10.1555 1.1899 10.7019 Total weight of 0.6709 5.4322 5.2454 0.5837 5.0276 carbon in grams Theoretical weight 4.8005 4.5761 4.4715 of carbon in grams (Ci) Biodegradation 0.9918 0.9996 0.9938 % Biodegradation 99.18 99.96 99.38

[0238] The weight loss of the respective fabrics, calculated from the initial weight and final weight of the fabric after the biodegradation is shown in Table 3.

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Weight-Loss of the fabric samples Fabric 1-A to Fabric 3-A to Fabric Weight-loss Fabric 1-A 99.04% (after 210 days biodegradation) Fabric-2-A 99.38% (after 210 days biodegradation) Fabric-3-A 99.17% (after 150 days biodegradation)

[0239] Analogously, the biodegradation of the respective fabrics from yarns without biodegradability enhancing composition according to the present invention was determined. In table 4, the biodegradation of the respective fabrics after 150 days or 210 days of anaerobic biodegradation is shown comparatively.

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Comparative biodegradation results of all fabrics Biodegradation (without Biodegradation (with biodegradability biodegradability Fabric enhancing composition) enhancing composition) Fabric 1 (210 days) Fabric 1-B: 92.07% Fabric 1-A: 99.18% Fabric 2 (210 days) Fabric 2-B: 91.08% Fabric 2-A: 99.96% Fabric 3 (150 days) Fabric 3-B: 91.50% Fabric 3-A: 99.38%

[0240] In each case, the fabrics that have been produced from yarns according to the present invention exhibited a superior biodegradation compared to the fabrics produced from the respective yarns that have not been treated with a composition according to the present invention.

[0241] The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and the claims might be significant for the realization of the invention in its different embodiments individually as in any combination.

[0242] C32455EP

[0243] CALIK DENIM TEKSTIL SAN. VE TIC. A.S.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0244] 1 filament, textile substrate [0245] 3 biodegradability enhancing additive [0246] 5 biodegradability enhancing composition [0247] 7 textile composite [0248] 9 yarn, textile substrate [0249] 11 staple fiber, textile substrate [0250] 13 sheath, textile substrate [0251] 15 woven fabric, textile substrate [0252] 17 weft yarns, textile substrate [0253] 19 warp yarns, textile substrate [0254] 21 warp of warp yarns, textile substrate [0255] 23 basin [0256] 25 immersion drum [0257] 27 rotation axis of immersion drum [0258] 29 guiding drum [0259] 31 coating drum [0260] 33 spray device, nozzle