Unifi, Inc.

Other

James H Whetstone

A textured, continuous, multi-filament polyester yarn or fabric has a plasticizer incorporated onto the surface thereof and/or into the interfilamentary structure thereof either during the texturizing process or after the yarn has been made into a gauze-like fabric substrate. Because of the plasticizer, the gauze is enabled to be laminated to a vinyl sheet as it is formed. The platicizer is characterized in that it is compatible with both the vinyl and the polyester, it softens the vinyl to receive the polyester gauze, it has a viscosity in the range of 25-105 centistokes (cs), and it swells or plasticizes the vinyl to such an extent that the polyester gauze becomes imbedded therein and affixed thereto to effectively bond the gauze to the vinyl. The gauze fabric substrate, when laminated to the vinyl sheet material, gives the vinyl sheet both enhanced strength and stability.

Continuous multi-filament polyester substrate readily adherable to a

A textured, continuous, multi-filament polyester yarn or fabric has a plasticizer incorporated onto the surface thereof and/or into the interfilamentary structure thereof either during the texturizing process or after the yarn has been made into a gauze-like fabric substrate. Because of the plasticizer, the gauze is enabled to be laminated to a vinyl sheet as it is formed. The plasticizer is characterized in that it is compatible with both the vinyl and the polyester, it softens the vinyl to receive the polyester gauze, it has a viscosity in the range of 25-105 centistokes (cs), and it swells or plasticizes the vinyl to such an extent that the polyester gauze becomes imbedded therein and affixed thereto to effectively bond the gauze to the vinyl. The gauze fabric substrate, when laminated to the vinyl sheet material, gives the vinyl sheet both enhanced strength and stability.

A textured, continuous, multi-filament polyester yarn has an ethoxylated alkyl aryl alcohol based surfactant incorporated into the interfilamentary structure thereof either during the texturizing process or after the yarn has been made into a gauze-like fabric substrate. The ethoxylated alkyl aryl alcohol based surfactant is characterized in that it is water dispersible and water insoluble; has an HLB scale in the range of 7-10; is compatible with conventional wallpaper glues; is of a viscosity in the range of 50-100 SUS depending on the yarn denier; and has a smoke point greater than 350.degree. F. The yarn so treated is formed into a gauze fabric substrate and affixed to the rear surface of a sheet material such as a vinyl wallcovering. When the glue is applied to the sheet material the surfactant treatment alters the normally hydrophobic characteristics exhibited by the textured polyester yarn so that the characteristics actually become hydrophilic. Because of the hydrophilic characteristics glue is accepted into and held within the interfilamentary structure of the yarn until the sheet material is affixed to the wall or other surface, thereby bonding the substrate thereto.

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Greensboro, NC, United States of America

James H Whetstone