Measuring and testing – Liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-03-04
2003-08-19
Williams, Hezron (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Liquid analysis or analysis of the suspension of solids in a...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06606901
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The invention pertains to a process for determining the acidity of a washing solution for removing adhering acid or base from a fibre.
2. Description of Related Art
There are different ways to produce fibres. The most widely used fibre-forming processes are melt spinning and solution spinning. In both processes, the polymer is extruded through the orifices of a spinneret. In melt spinning molten polymer is used, while in solution spinning use is made of a spinning dope solution comprising a dispersed or dissolved polymer. After the extrusion of the molten polymer or the spinning dope solution, different spinning techniques can be applied to produce the fibres.
Spinning dope solutions can be acidic. For example, a polymer comprising poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) is usually dispersed in a sulfuric acid solution for the production of aramid fibres. After the solution has been extruded and a spinning technique applied, traces of the acidic solution often adhere to the produced fibres. These traces need to be removed in order to prevent hydrolytic degradation of the fibres, which occurs especially above 20° C.
Commonly, a washing solution is used to remove adhering acids or bases from a fibre. It is important to measure and adjust the acidity of the washing solution in such a way that fibres with a minimum amount of adhering acid or base can be produced. The acidity can be measured directly by using a titration method or a pH measurement. However, pH measurements are not preferred for accurate determination of the acidity because there is a necessity to calibrate the pH electrode very often and because the inaccuracy of the measurement increases as the pH-value deviates further from pH 6 to 8. Most commonly, the acidity of the washing solution is measured using a titration method, as described in M. Valcarcel et al.,
Techniques and Instrumentation in Analytical Chemistry
, Vol. 9, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 1988. However, the information time of said titration method is relatively long. Therefore, it is very difficult or even impossible to adjust the acidity quickly enough to obtain fibres with a minimum amount of adhering acid or base. Another disadvantage of said method is the need to use reagents when carrying out a titration. Furthermore, a titration device used for measuring the acidity of a washing solution on-line requires relatively frequent maintenance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The acidity of a washing solution can also be determined indirectly by using another analytical method such as a density, conductivity, ultrasonic sound or refractive index measurement. However, the results obtained carrying out one of these measurements in a washing solution are insufficient for accurate determination of the acidity when there are variable concentrations of salts or compounds present in the solution. For example, if sulfuric acid is used for the preparation of a spinning dope solution for the production of fibres, and traces of the solution still adhere to the produced fibres before washing, then variable concentrations of sodium sulfate will often be present in a washing solution for these fibres after interaction of the sulfuric acid with, for example, caustic soda.
It is accordingly the principal object of the present invention to provide a method for rapid and accurate determination of the acidity of a washing solution for the production of fibres with a minimum amount of adhering acid or base. Preferably, the method is applicable on-line. Furthermore, the device used for the determination preferably requires less maintenance than do the commercially available devices presently employed in the commonly used titration methods.
Surprisingly, a process has been found that permits rapid and accurate determination of the acidity of a washing solution for removing adhering acid or base from a fibre. The process is characterized in that the determination is carried out using a combination of at least two different analytical methods, at least one of which is selected from the density, conductivity, ultrasonic sound, and refractive index measurements. Rapid and accurate determination makes it possible to adjust the acidity of a washing solution in such a way that fibres with a minimum amount of adhering acid or base can be produced.
By fibres with a minimum amount of adhering acid or base is meant that the molar ratio of the OH
−
ions to the H
+
ions present in the medium adhering to said fibres is about 1, with the provisio that these ions are not chemically bound to the fibres. This ratio can be determined indirectly by analyzing the amount of counter-ions of the OH
−
and the H
+
ions in the medium, for example the amount of Na
+
ions when NaOH is used for washing the fibre and the amount of SO
4
2−
ions when the fibre is spun from a sulfuric acid solution. In this specific example a Na/S ratio can be determined by using X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRF). However, any other suitable analytical method may also be used.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferably, the combination according to the invention comprises at least two analytical methods selected from the density, conductivity, ultrasonic sound and refractive index measurements. The analytical devices used for said measurements require less maintenance and are easier to calibrate than the commercially available devices presently employed in the commonly used titration methods. Furthermore, the devices used for these measurements are most practical when it comes to installation for measuring on-line.
Even more preferably, the combination according to the invention comprises a conductivity measurement or a density measurement, because such a combination enables highly accurate determination of the acidity of a washing solution for fibres. This is especially the case for a process according to the invention wherein the combination comprises at least : 1) a conductivity measurement and an ultrasonic sound measurement, 2) a conductivity measurement and a density measurement, or 3) a density measurement and an ultrasonic sound measurement. Most preferably, the combination comprises at least a conductivity measurement and an ultrasonic sound measurement, because the devices used for these measurements are easiest to clean and require the least maintenance. This is especially desirable when the measurements are carried out on-line.
The measurements “are carried out on-line” means that they are carried out continuously or at certain time intervals in a washing solution or any process stream consisting of this solution. Preferably, the measurements are carried out on-line automatically, for example controlled by an electronic and/or computer system. Even more preferably, said system is able to give signals or commands for correcting the acidity of the washing solution when necessary, thereby enabling the production of a fibre with a minimum amount of adhering acid or base.
The acidity of a washing solution for fibres can be determined by combining the results obtained by carrying out at least two analytical methods according to the invention. First, calibrations need to be carried out in order to determine the correlation of the results of each method with the acidity of the washing solution. Such a calibration is best performed by measuring on representative samples with different concentrations of salts or compounds, which are also -present in the washing solution for fibres of which the acidity needs to be determined, the different concentrations in the samples having been chosen according to an experimental design. An example of such an experimental design can be found in Table I of Example I. A calibration equation for each combination of analytical methods can be calculated from the results obtained by measuring in the samples, using a standard statistical technique, e.g. multiple linear regression or partial least squares, as described in H. Martens et al.,
Multivariate calibration
, John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, 1989, or in
Busschers Hendrikus J. M.
Haanstra Willem G.
Garber Charles D
Teijin Twaron B.V.
Williams Hezron
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