Akzona Incorporated

David B Denning

Thomas C Allen

A regenerated cellulose fiber containing an alloying polymer of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, or a copolymer containing acrylic and methacrylic acid moieties or an alkali metal or ammonium salt thereof or other anionic alloying polymers or copolymer is prepared by a process wherein the alloying polymer is mixed with a viscose solution of known unreacted sodium hydroxide concentration, the sodium hydroxide concentration in the resulting mixture is increased to compensate for any loss in concentration due to neutralization and/or dilution effects by the addition of the alloying polymer to the viscose. Increasing the sodium hydroxide concentration greater than that required to restore the concentration to the original level has resulted in dramatic increases in absorbency. The resulting viscose solution is extruded into a spin bath in which the sulfuric acid concentration is reduced so that the resulting fibers will have at least 90% of the crimp of a fiber produced from the viscose solution without alloying polymer or copolymer.

Process for spinning regenerated cellulose fibers containing an alloying

An alloyed regenerated cellulose fiber containing an alkali metal or ammonium salt of a copolymer of an alkyl vinyl ether and an ethylene dicarboxylic acid or anhydride is prepared by a process wherein the copolymer is mixed with a viscose solution and the mixture is spun through a spinneret into a suitable spin bath and processed into staple fibers adapted to be used in non-woven absorbent articles such as diapers, tampons, sanitary napkins, wiping cloths and the like. The alloyed regenerated cellulose fiber of the invention has increased fluid absorbency characteristics over fibers of the same regenerated cellulose composition without the alloying material.

Regenerated cellulose fibers containing alkali metal or ammonium salt of

Highly absorbent, cardable cellulosic fibers are made by incorporating therein, an alkali metal or ammonium salt of a copolymer of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, where the ratio of acrylic acid units to methacrylic acid units (by weight) is from 90:10 to 10:90.

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Asheville, NC, United States of America

David B Denning