Mohawk Industries has filed a patent for a method to partially remove dye from dyed fibers made of polyester or polyamide polymers. The method involves dissolving the colored polymer in a phenolic solvent, separating the colorants from the solution, and precipitating the polymer. GlobalData’s report on Mohawk Industries gives a 360-degree view of the company including its patenting strategy. Buy the report here.
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According to GlobalData’s company profile on Mohawk Industries, extrusion-based additive manufacturing was a key innovation area identified from patents. Mohawk Industries's grant share as of September 2023 was 55%. Grant share is based on the ratio of number of grants to total number of patents.
A recently filed patent (Publication Number: US20230303799A1) describes a method for removing colorants from colored polymeric materials. The method involves dissolving the colored polymeric material in a phenolic solvent, resulting in a mixture with a solubilized portion and an insolubilized portion. The solubilized portion contains the colorants and the polymer. The solubilized portion is then subjected to a separation technique to remove the majority of the colorants, leaving behind a solution containing the polymer. Finally, the polymer is precipitated from the solution.
The patent claims that the phenolic solvent used in the method is an acidic solvent with a pKa ranging from 7 to 12, as measured in water at 25°C. Examples of phenolic solvents mentioned in the patent include phenol, m-cresol, o-phenylphenol, p-phenylphenol, o-chlorophenol, and trichlorophenol.
The separation of the solubilized portion from the insolubilized portion is achieved through filtration. The insolubilized portion is filtered away from the solubilized portion, allowing for the removal of the colorants.
To precipitate the polymer from the solution, an alcohol is added. The patent lists various alcohols that can be used, including tert-amyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,2,4-butanetriol, butanol, 2-butanol, N-butanol, tert-butyl alcohol, di(propylene glycol) methyl ether, diethylene glycol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, 2-ethylhexanol, furfuryl alcohol, glycerol, isobutanol, isopropyl alcohol, methanol, 2-(2-methoxyethoxy)ethanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-pentanol, 3-methyl-2-butanol, neopentyl alcohol, 2-pentanol, 1,3-propanediol, 1-propanol, propylene glycol, propylene glycol methyl ether, or combinations thereof.
The patent also mentions specific types of polymers that can be treated using this method. These include polyester polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), and polyamide polymers such as polyamide 66, polyamide 6, polyamide 510, and polyamide 16.
Overall, this patent describes a method for removing colorants from colored polymeric materials using a phenolic solvent, separation techniques, and precipitation. The method offers potential applications in industries where the removal of colorants from polymeric materials is desired.
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GlobalData Patent Analytics tracks bibliographic data, legal events data, point in time patent ownerships, and backward and forward citations from global patenting offices. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
