Treatment of polyvinyl alcohol fibres to improve their resistance to water and to heat

摘要

The water- and heat-resistance of polyvinyl alcohol fibres is improved by heating the fibres in hot air or superheated steam and subjecting them while so-heated to a high-frequency electric field. The fibres may be heated to 200-225 DEG C. and the high-frequency field applied for 6 to 75 seconds. The fibres may finally be treated with an aldehyde to acetalize the hydroxyl groups of the polyvinyl alcohol.