A method of disposing of garments after use. The garments, linens, drapes, towels and other useful articles are provided as woven, non-woven, knitted or otherwise formed fabric of thermoplastic polyvinyl alcohol polymer fiber, the fiber being water soluble only at temperatures above approximately 37 °C and preferably above 50 °C. After use, the fabric is subjected to water at a sufficient temperature to substantially dissolve the fabric whereupon the water and dissolved fabric are subjected to disposal.

Method of disposal of hot water soluble garments and like fabrics

The process of the present invention comprises wet spinning or dry-jet-wet spinning a PVA-based polymer soluble in water at not more than 100° C. while using a dope solvent and a solidifying solvent each comprising an organic solvent, wet drawing the solidified filaments, subjecting the drawn filaments to extraction treatment and then drying, and further subjecting the filaments to heat shrinking treatment under multi-stage temperature elevation condition. The water soluble fibers of the present invention obtained by this process, while having a low water dissolution temperature of not more than 100° C., have a markedly small maximum shrinkage in water and has high tensile strength and small ash content. The water soluble fibers of the present invention are suitably used for chemical lace base fabrics and blended yarns with wool or jute.

Water soluble polyvinyl alcohol-based fiber

Solutions of polyvinyl alcohol in non-aqueous mixtures of dimethyl sulfoxide and up to about 30 weight percent, based on said mixture, of an alcohol containing from 1 to about 4 carbon atoms can be converted to hydrogels, fibers and other useful products.

Novel polyvinyl alcohol compositions and products prepared therefrom

Non-fractured, non-fibrillatable short fibers, for reinforcing matrix materials such as concrete, have substantially uniform transverse cross-sectional areas along their length for maximum efficiency in pull-out resistance, and two different tapering characteristics along their lengths. Preferred bi-tapered fibers of the invention have a high modulus of elasticity in the range of 5-250 Gigapascal and are preferably modulated in both tapering dimensions. Matrix materials containing the fibers, as well as a method for making the fibers, are disclosed.

Bi-tapered reinforcing fibers

Tire cord having enough high tensile strength, high initial modulus, and high fatigue resistance required for radial tire and belted bias tire can be obtained from polyvinyl alcohol polymer. Said cord is constituted by multi-filament yarns composed of a polyvinyl alcohol polymer having a degree of polymerization of at least 2000, having a tensile strength of 15 g/d or more and an initial modulus of 250 g/d or more, and undergoing substantially no fusion between single filaments. It has cord properties of not less than 8.5 g/d in tensile strength, 0.5 to 2.2 % in middle degree of elongation (MDE), and 0.2 to 2.0 % in dry heat shrinkage factor (DELTAS).

Tire cord made of polyvinyl alcohol

A fine-denier, high-tenacity, water-resistant polyvinyl alcohol fiber is produced by dissolving a polyvinyl alcohol having an average degree of polymerization between 1,200 and 3,000, boric acid or a salt thereof in a proportion of 0.5 to 5 weight percent relative to said polyvinyl alcohol and an acid for adjusting a final spinning solution to pH 5 or less in water to prepare an aqueous solution containing 8 to 14 weight percent of said polyvinyl alcohol, discharging said aqueous solution as said spinning dope from a spinneret nozzle having an average orifice diameter of 0.02 to 0.04 millimeters into a bath comprising an aqueous solution containing alkali and dehydrating salt at a bath draft within a range of 10 to -60 percent, and finally stretching the resulting tow at least 10-fold. The fine-denier fiber thus obtained has a marked reinforcing effect on various materials, particularly inorganic hydraulic materials such as cement.

Method for production of high-tenacity, fine-denier polyvinyl alcohol fiber

Described is the spinning of a boric acid-containing aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution in an alkaline coagulation bath. The coagulation bath is maintained at a temperature of 55 to 95°C. The resulting tow of monofilaments is drawn in a draw ratio of not less than 17. This process provides polyvinyl alcohol-based synthetic fibers having a slender cross-sectional configuration and superior mechanical properties. By using these fibers as a reinforcement material for synthetic resins, rubbers, hydraulic inorganic materials, etc., there can be obtained shaped articles possessing improved mechanical properties.

Polyvinyl alcohol-based synthetic fibers having a slender cross-sectional configuration and their use for reinforcing shaped articles

Hydraulic inorganic paper product and manufacture

PURPOSE:To obtain the titled ultrafine fibers having a high strength and improved water resistance, by extruding an aqueous solution prepared by adjusting polyvinylalcohol (PVA) containing a specific amount of boric acid (salt) to a specific pH as a spinning solution through a spinneret having round holes of minute diameter into an alkaline bath of Glauber's salt, and drawing the resultant fibers. CONSTITUTION:Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), having 1,200-3,000 average polymerization degree, and containing 0.5-5wt%, based on the PVA, boric acid (salt) and an acid in an amount to give =9.0g/dr tensile strength and >=105 deg.C softening point in water.

High-tenacity polyvinyl alcohol based ultrafine fiber and production thereof

PURPOSE: To enable the formation of fiber-reinforced water-setting moldings of excellent mechanical properties by adding to a water-setting substance, polyvinyl alcohol synthetic fibers of specific physical properties as a reinforcing material. CONSTITUTION: The subject fiber-reinforced water-setting moldings contains, as a reinforcing material, polyvinyl alcohol synthetic fibers of less than 65% cross section denseness at more than 2.1 length/width ratio in their crystals. Such polyvinyl alcohol fibers can be produced by wet-spinning a dope of polyvinyl alcohol containing boric acid or its salt into an alkaline coagulation bath containing a dehydrative salt at about 55W95°C and the resultant fibers are drawn at more than 17 draw ratio. COPYRIGHT: (C)1989,JPO&Japio

Isao Sakuragi

Papers

Method for production of high-tenacity, fine-denier polyvinyl alcohol fiber

Polyvinyl alcohol-based synthetic fibers having a slender cross-sectional configuration and their use for reinforcing shaped articles

Hydraulic inorganic paper product and manufacture

High-tenacity polyvinyl alcohol based ultrafine fiber and production thereof

Fiber-reinforced water-setting moldings