Abstract: A fibrous material that contains polyarylene sulfide fibers coated with an emulsion copolymer is provided. The emulsion copolymer that is coated onto the polyarylene sulfide fibers is crosslinked. For example, the copolymer may contain a reactive co-monomer that acts as a crosslinking agent. Alternatively, a separate crosslinking agent may be combined with the emulsion copolymer. In either case, the resulting copolymer composition is cured after it is applied to the fibers to initiate the formation of crosslink bonds between the emulsion copolymer and create a three-dimensional network that is capable of coating and encapsulating the fibers. Without intending to be limited by theory, it is believed that this three-dimensional network is able to physically entrap disperse dyes when applied to the fibers.

Abstract: A fabric that contains a blend of textile and polyarylene sulfide fibers is provided. At least a portion of the textile fibers, polyarylene sulfide fibers, or a combination thereof are coated with an emulsion copolymer that is crosslinked. The copolymer composition is cured after it is applied to the fibers to initiate the formation of crosslink bonds between the emulsion copolymer and create a three-dimensional network that is capable of coating and encapsulating the fibers. It is believed that this three-dimensional network is able to physically entrap disperse additives when applied to the fibers. Still further, the present inventors have discovered that the emulsion copolymer can uniformly coat the fibers and thus readily receive the additive, which eliminates the need for high temperatures and/or pressures during a dyeing process, for example, and can also result in a relatively uniform coating of the additive on the fibers.

Abstract: Spunbonded fabrics are formed by melt-spinning a blend comprised of a major amount of an uncured substantially amorphous polyarylene sulfide and a minor amount of a crystallinity enhancer to obtain a nonwoven mass of filaments, and thereafter passing the nonwoven mass of filaments through a nip of heated calendering rolls to form a spunbonded fabric therefrom having at last substantially crystalline surface regions. Preferably, blending minor amounts of a polyolefin (e.g., polypropylene) with an uncured polyarylene sulfide (e.g., polyphenylene sulfide) allows spunbonded nonwoven fabrics to be formed which do not suffer from the drawbacks noted above. More specifically, spunbonded fabrics formed of a blend of PPS and polypropylene may be calendered (bonded) at temperatures greater than between about 110 to about 125° C. (preferably greater than about 140° C.), and exhibit lengthwise and widthwise shrinkage after heatsetting at 120° C. for 3 minutes which is less than about 5%.

Abstract: Polyaryiene sulfone fiber material, especially web, is obtained by oxidizing polyarylene sulfide fiber material with a peracid/acid mixture of an organic acid at 60 to 100° C. for 10 seconds to 45 minutes. Since this process provides a substantative degree of oxidation within a very short reaction time, one advantage of the process is that the rapidity of the oxidation renders continuous processes for oxidizing polyarylene sulfide fibers economical.