Abstract: Methods of treating fibers comprising a polymer including at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety, and resulting fibers or the products comprising the resulting fibers are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a fiber having a surface region and an interior region, includes a polymer comprising at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety chemically modified with a modification agent. The fiber has a transverse cross-section including the interior region comprising the polymer having a first degree of modification and the surface region comprising the polymer having a second degree of modification greater than the first degree of modification.

Abstract: Methods of treating fibers comprising a polymer including at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety, and resulting fibers or the products comprising the resulting fibers are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a fiber having a surface region and an interior region, includes a polymer comprising at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety chemically modified with a modification agent. The fiber has a transverse cross-section including the interior region comprising the polymer having a first degree of modification and the surface region comprising the polymer having a second degree of modification greater than the first degree of modification.

Abstract: Methods of treating fibers comprising a polymer including at least one of a vinyl acetate moiety or a vinyl alcohol moiety, and resulting fibers or the products comprising the resulting fibers are disclosed. In an example embodiment, a method of treating fibers includes contacting a surface of a fiber comprising the polymer with a modification agent to chemically modify at least a portion of the polymer with the modification agent in a region of the fiber comprising at least the surface of the fiber to form a modified fiber.