The present invention relates to an atopic treatment method for the introduction of a wide variety of differentiating properties to a fiber through surface cavitation while in a liquid medium by exposing the fibers to a sonochemical irradiation process whereby the fibers are plated with at least one predetermined chemical in said liquid medium to impart at least one desired property to said treated fibers and to woven, knitted, or non-woven textiles having such properties produced therefrom. More particularly the present invention relates to a method for producing fibers having properties selected from the group consisting of: non- ignition; fire retardant; antimicrobial; UV inhibiting; wound healing; cosmetics; electrical conductance; and other physical and chemical properties and medical delivery properties and combinations thereof, and polymeric or cellulose based fibers produced thereby, which can be applied to create a yarn, a thread, a woven, knitted, or non-woven textile.

The invention especially relates to a fiber having non-ignition properties which can be applied to create a yarn, a thread, a woven, knit, or non-woven textile having non-ignition properties

The application of many different chemical compounds to fibers in their raw state is known to people familiar with the art as is demonstrated in dye systems which can be applied to fibers, yarns, textiles or garments. However, in all cases the application at a fiber level is the most problematic when treating natural fibers because in many cases these treatments will cause a change in the morphology of the surface of the fibers. This change makes the fibers difficult to comb which then makes their introduction into a yarn and a textile difficult, if not impossible. As such, fibers are generally dyed when put in the form of a yarn rather than in their natural form as randomized fibers. Further, even if the fibers can be treated in their natural randomized form, the loss of fiber and fiber length in the combing process will make the cost of the treated fiber expensive. The breakage of the fibers will produce unequal staple fiber sizes which will additionally add difficulty to spinning the fibers into yarn where equal fiber length is required. The combing of treated fibers can also represent an environmental hazard since very small particles will be broken off the fibers and will form on the machinery even if there are vacuum systems in place. Therefore, someone familiar with the art will use other systems available to treat fibers. The exception to this rule is staple fibers in polymers that are extruded with the additional compounds already in the polymeric slurry.

Fabrics which are treated with atopic treatments can have very different qualities depending on the compounds used and the desired application. For example, it was found that textiles treated with both a sonochemical irradiation process or an oxygen/reduction process of metal oxides are very rough to the touch and have no use to a consumer because of the feel and the treatment compound coming away from the fabrics. Normal atopic treatments of textile materials occur in the yarn state or in the completed cloth state, not in the fiber state. Even if the amount of chemical compounds that are attached to the fabric is limited to a minimally effective amount, the feel of the fabric is similar to that of very fine sand paper. The surface of the fabric will be occupied by the chemical compound which is dry and rough to the touch. This will occur with almost every inorganic compound, such as, silver and silver oxide, copper and copper oxide, zinc and zinc oxide or any inorganic hydrated compound such as borax pentahydrate or alumina trihydrate. The textile will take on the rough quality of the hard powders.

Further, there is a problem in being able to hide the exposed chemical compounds in such a way that the user will not feel them when the product is in the form of a yarn or a textile. Thus, the inorganic nature of most chemical compounds will cause a rough surface.

One of the properties one may wish to give a fabric is flame resistance. Many of the chemicals used to impart flame resistance to textile materials, especially to thermoplastic textile substrates, are not water soluble and thus are usually applied by padding as aqueous dispersions or emulsions. Aqueous dispersions of water-insoluble, non-phosphorus-containing brominated aromatic or cycloaliphatic organic compounds and a metal oxide together with a latex or other binder are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,600,606. These dispersions or emulsions require high levels of dispersing agents, surfactants, and sometimes organic solvents, in order to function effectively. Even so, dispersion or emulsion stability is often very concentration dependent and sensitive to the presence of other additives in the application bath. Also, the dispersing agents, surfactants, and especially the organic solvents can cause other difficulties in the treatment process, for example color loss of a dyed substrate being finished.

Flame retardants are chemicals applied to fabrics or other materials to inhibit or suppress the combustion process. They interfere with combustion at various stages of the process e.g. during heating, decomposition, ignition and flame spread. As with any solid, a textile fabric exposed to a heat source experiences a temperature rise. If the temperature of the source (either radiative or gas flame) is high enough and the net rate of heat transfer to the fabric is great, pyrolytic decomposition of the fiber substrate will occur. The products of this decomposition include combustible gases, non combustible gases and carbonaceous char. The combustible gases mix with the ambient air and oxygen. The mixture ignites, yielding a flame, when its composition and temperature are favorable. Part of the heat generated within the flame is transferred to the fabric to sustain the burning process and part is lost to the surroundings.

Flame retardant systems for synthetic or natural polymers can act physically and/or chemically by interfering at particular stages of burning. For example: endothermic processes triggered by the flame retardants cool the substrate; fewer pyrolysis gases are evolved and oxygen is excluded by impeding heat transfer; substances which evolve inert gases on decomposition dilute the fuel in the solid and gaseous phases and the concentrations of combustible gases fall under the ignition limit; interrupting the free radical mechanism of combustion processes; and accelerating the breakdown of polymers.

There are many methods for applying flame retardants to textile fabrics. The application method used depends on the characteristics of the flame retardant being applied as well as on its interaction with the substrate. For example, flame retardants that are water soluble cannot be applied by an exhaustion system from aqueous baths since the same mechanism that applies the chemistry is the same mechanism that removes it from the fabric surface. Also, water-soluble flame retardants which have low boiling points cannot be applied by pad/dry/cure techniques due to the high loss of material during the drying step.

Powder coating techniques have been used in the past 20 years to apply a coating powder, usually a thermoplastic, more typically a thermosetting resin, onto a solid surface such as metal objects. Fluidized-bed coating and electrostatic powder-spray coating are but two illustrations. Powder-coating processes are fusion coating processes which require the powder particles to be fused or melted at some point in the coating process. The substrate to which they are applied must be capable of withstanding the temperatures needed to fuse or melt the coating powder particles, at least for momentary periods of time and in specific, limited, usually surface areas.

Coating powders and powder-coating processes offer a number of significant advantages: they are essentially 100% non-volatile and no solvents or other undesired substances are given off during application and curing; the powders are ready to use and require no thinning or dilution with the attendant need for organic solvents; and they do not require complex emulsion or dispersion formulation. Coating thickness, and therefore flame resistance, can be easily controlled and the powder is well utilized. Overspray can be collected or filtered from the surrounding atmosphere and reapplied, an important consideration when the material applied is costly.

Known types of flame retardants include:

brominated flame retardants; chlorinated flame retardants; phosphorous-containing flame retardants, such as a phosphate ester, e.g., Tri phenyl phosphate; nitrogen- containing flame retardants (e.g. melamines); and inorganic flame retardants. These can be further classified as:

inorganic, organo phosphorous, halogenated organic and nitrogen based compounds. Halogenated organic flame retardants are further classified as containing either chlorine or bromine, i.e., Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR).

There are three types of BFRs currently produced. These are poly brominated diphenyl ethers {PBDE}, tetra bromo bisphenol A {TBBPA} and hexa bromo cyclodecane {HBCD}. The PBDEs that are commonly used in products are deca-, octa-, and penta- BDE. The concentration of BFRs in products ranges from 5 to 30%. Compounds containing iodine are known, but of limited utility as flame retardants, due to their poor thermal stability and the dark colour of iodine which is imparted to the fabric. Compounds containing fluorine generally exist as functional polymers rather than materials to be added to other polymeric systems to provide flame retardancy. These polymers are oxidatively stable and only decompose at very high temperature.

Antimony oxide is another important component of a flame retardant composition, containing a halogen, particularly chlorine and bromine. It is totally ineffective if used without a halogen. The tri oxide is the common material used although the pentoxide can also be used. The pentoxide has a much finer particle size and is more effective per unit weight added than the trioxide. Polyesters are very sensitive to residual acidity in all forms of antimony oxide. Alkaline salts of antimony oxides are used in these critical cases. Antimony oxide acts as a synergist with chlorine and bromine.

Antimony tribromide is a dense, white product and is one of the main components of the typical white smoke that is seen from burning polymers containing a halogen and antimony oxide. High levels of water from normal combustion causes reversion of SbBr ₃ to HBR and Sb2U3. The remaining antimony oxide is then available to react with fresh HBR from a decomposing brominated compound. Typically compounds used in flame retardant applications contain either 40 to 70 % chlorine or 45 to 80% bromine.

Depending on the flame retardant requirements from 20 to 40 parts of a brominated compound would be used per 100 parts of polymer. Antimony oxide used is typically 1/4 of the halogenated material.

Many of the known flame retardants do not remain on the fabric, instead they slowly leak from the products into the atmosphere. Brominated flame retardants are a subject of scrutiny. Evidence shows that they are likely to persist in the environment, bio accumulate in the food chain and finally in to our bodies. A survey of the newer flame retardants suggests a simple theory for their constitution. The molecule should be water-insoluble to achieve durability in laundering. A solvent soluble organic molecule will give better results. The ortho-phosphate group should be present in the molecule to catalytically dehydrate the cellulose substrate. The molecule should contain polymerizable groups to affect a permanency of finish. The molecule should contain a halogen or other groupings to reduce the flammability of the gases of decomposition.

When chemical-free alternative materials or designs are not feasible, non- halogenated flame retardants can be used to meet fire safety standards. Numerous alternatives are available. It is also confirmed that flame retardants based on aluminum trioxide, ammonium polyphosphates and red phosphorous are less problematic in the environment.

One of the most preferred processes of applying fire retardants (FR) on cotton is the "Precondensate"/NH ₃ process. This is an application of one of several phosphoniums "precondensates," after which the fabric is cured with ammonia, then oxidized with hydrogen peroxide. Precondensate is the designation for a tetrakis-hydroxymethyl phosphonium salt pre-reacted with urea or another nitrogenous material. The amount of anhydrous sodium acetate is approximately 4% of the amount of precondensate used. Some precondensates are formulated along with the sodium acetate. Softeners are also added along with precondensates.

The amount of flame retardant required depends primarily on fabric type and application conditions. Screening experiments are required to determine the minimum application level for a fabric. Application of FR to a fabric can be accomplished with conventional padding, padding with multiple dips and nips, followed by 30 to 60 seconds dwell which has been show to yield good results. The pH of the pad bath is approximately 5.0. A critical factor in the successful application of a precondensate/NH ₃ , flame retardant is control of fabric moisture before ammoniation. Generally, moisture levels between 10% and 20% give good results.

US Patent 7423079 to Rogers et al discusses the application of super absorbent particles in which these particles are used as the binder to render the chemistry attachable to the substrate.

US Application 2007/0190872 Weber, et al discusses adding a plurality of FR compounds to a binder and curing said binder on the substrate--

US Patent 4298509 Fochesato, Antonio discusses adding fire retardant compounds to an olefin slurry and uses a multiplicity of FR compounds to obtain the desired effect.

US Patent 7736696 Piana, et al discusses the deposition of FR compounds on a fiber, yarn, or textile through a system similar to the application of a dye in a vat under pressure. EP20090160876 Rock, Moshe discusses the inclusion of a fire retardant (FR) fiber in a knitted or woven fabric that is in a fleece formation so that the FR element is on the outside of the fabric. The technology discussed is applied to a finished textile.

PCT/US1999/021616 Rearick et al discusses the binding mechanism of a carboxylic acid-containing compound and a suitable catalyst for coupling the compound to some or all of the hydroxyl groups present on the materials and esterifying the hydroxyl groups to all allow for attachment of a fire retardant compound on cellulose.

U.S. patent 4600606 to Mischutin relates to a process for rendering non- thermoplastic fibers and fibrous compositions flame resistant when contacted with a hot molten material that involves the application thereto of a flame retardant composition incorporating a water-insoluble, nonphosphorous, solid, particulate mixture of brominated organic compound and a metal oxide or a metal oxide and metal hydrate.

U.S. patent 4552803 to Pearson relates to fire retardant compositions in the form of a powder that are produced from the following components: TBL _Component Parts by Weight aldehyde 70-140 ammonium phosphate 50-250 ammonium, alkali metal or 50-250 alkaline earth metal compound or salt urea reactant 70-190 hydroxy reactant 20-60 phosphoric acid 150-250. Also provided are retardant compositions containing the powder and methods for treating substrates, such as paper or wood, as well as cotton, wool, and synthetic textiles to impart fire retardant properties thereto.

U.S. patent 4468495 to Pearson relates to fire retardant compositions in the form of a powder which are produced from the following components: TBL Component Parts by Weight aldehyde 70-1 10 ammonium phosphate 120-180 ammonium sulfate 120-180 urea 120-180 alkanolamine 35-50 phosphoric acid 100- 150. Also provided are fire retardant compositions containing the powder, and methods for treating substrates such as paper or wood to impart fire retardant properties thereto.

U.S. patent no. 4990368 relates to flame retardant properties which are imparted to a textile substrate by application of a powdered flame retardant in solid form, which is then fused or melted onto the textile to durably attach the flame retardant to the textile. The process is especially adapted for water insoluble solid flame retardants, such as hexabromocyclododecane, currently applied in dispersion or emulsion form.

In IL 2009/00645 Gedanken et al., Sonochemical Coating of Textiles with Metal Oxide Nanoparticles for Antimicrobial Fabrics, a laboratory process is described wherein a textile substrate approximately 100 square centimetres in size is placed in a beaker of water. Nanoparticles were used in the process and the description demonstrates a 1 hour dwell time for a full coating of the textile substrate. In the case of the treatment only the external surfaces of the textile receive the coating. In Gedanken only the surface of the fabric is coated and therefore can only result in a textile with a rough texture. Also, the process is very slow. Further, in Gedanken the end product is a textile wherein the surface of the textile, not the surface of the fibers, is treated. This means that all the deposition of the chemical compounds is external. As a result, the fabric is rough to the touch and has a color.

US 5,681 ,575 Burrell et al discloses antimicrobial coatings and a method of forming the same on medical devices. The coatings are formed by depositing a biocompatible metal by vapor deposition techniques to produce atomic disorder in the coating such that a sustained release of metal ions, sufficient to produce an antimicrobial effect, is achieved. The medical device may be made of any suitable material, for example metals, including steel, aluminum and its alloys, latex, nylon, silicone, polyester, glass, ceramic, paper, cloth and other plastics and rubbers, and the coating is formed by physical vapor deposition, for example coating of one or more antimicrobial metals on the medical device by vacuum evaporation, sputtering, magnetron sputtering or ion plating.

W02007/032001 Gedanken et al discusses a master batch level application using nanoparticles of silver. The targeted polymer is treated in pellet form using a sonochemical system and such pellets are then subsequently added to the slurry of a production system. Polymer pellets are treated for inclusion in a slurry, and this reference does not teach or suggest the attachment of desired chemicals through sonification directly to fibers. Thus, said reference is directed to a system for the inclusion of a nanoparticle particle in a master batch. For the above reasons someone familiar with the art will not treat fibers atopically because of the aforementioned inherent problems involved in such treated fibers. The present invention seeks to overcome the problems associated with the prior art.

The present invention provides a method of binding an insoluble chemical to a fiber characterised in that the insoluble chemical is applied to the fiber using surface cavitation. The surface cavitation eliminates the use of any binders or encapsulating treatments which can adversely affect the chemical to be applied to the fiber.

In a preferred embodiment, the insoluble chemical is a flame retarding composition. The flame retarding composition preferably has at least one water of hydration. The water of hydration of an inorganic compound controls the combustion rate of the fiber to which it is attached. It is known that waters of hydration are removed at varying temperatures. It is the waters of hydration which retard combustion rates and permit non-ignition of the fibers. As an example, a molecule with a pentahydrate or a decahydrate attachment will have five or ten water molecules respectively attached to it. The mechanism for the release of these water molecules is generally exposure to varying levels of heat. In most cases, as a temperature rises, the compounds will lose more and more waters of hydration until the compound is fully depleted of waters of hydration. The fiber to which the flame retarding composition having waters of hydration has been attached will be protected from carbonisation because of these waters of hydration. When the final water of hydration is removed, the substrate will be consumed by heat to which it is exposed. As long as the last water of hydration is removed at a temperature which is higher than the carbonisation temperature of the fiber, there will be an instantaneous conversion of the fiber to carbon. Whilst there will be no flame or smoke, the substrate will immediately char. Once converted to carbon there can be no flame or spread of a flame and the fiber is rendered inflammable. The flame retarding composition having waters of hydration can be selected from: borax pentahydrate, huntite, hydromagnesite and alumina trihydrate. Preferably the flame retarding composition having waters of hydration is attached directly to the fibers with no binder.

In a preferred embodiment, the flame retarding composition having waters of hydration also include at least one additional compound that allows control of afterglow and smoke reduction of the substrate when exposed to a flame. In a preferred embodiment, the additional compound is an organic phosphorus ester such as tri- phenyl phosphate.

A preferred method includes the steps of (a) adding a powdered flame retarding composition having waters of hydration to an aqueous medium, (b) adding the fiber or fibers to be treated to the aqueous medium, (c) exposing the aqueous medium to a predetermined wavelength to effect surface cavitation. The method may also include further steps of moving the fibers by a conveyor belt. Step (a) may be conducted at ambient temperature or the aqueous medium may be heated. A preferred temperature range of the aqueous medium is 20° to 60 °C. In a preferred embodiment, the aqueous medium is exposed to a series of piezoelectric transponders transmitting at a predetermined wavelength. A preferred wavelength range is 15 to 30 KHz. In order to speed up the cavitation process the temperature of the aqueous medium can be raised and/or 1 % of an ethanol solution can be added to the aqueous medium. For best results, the aqueous medium should be anionic. A surfactant may also be added to speed the cavitation process.

The fiber to be treated is carried by a conveyor throughout the surface cavitation process. The length of the conveyor used is a factor in determining the amount of time taken to expose the fiber to the insoluble chemical. The method of applying an insoluble chemical to a fiber can take place in as little as 15 minutes and preferably in less than one hour. It has been found that no more than 10% of a treated fiber in any application is necessary to render a textile produced from these fibers effective.

The fibers are first treated by surface cavitation before being formed into a textile. The present invention also relates to a fiber and resulting textiles made from any fibers which have been treated in accordance with the method described herein. These fibers can be natural or artificial and cellulosic or polymeric.

In order to overcome the problems of having a rough fabric, the treated fibers of the present invention are blended into a yarn. A spun yarn can contain any amount of treated and untreated fiber. An example of a material which is flame retardant contains 10% treated fiber and 90% untreated fiber. Therefore, the roughness and discolouration associated with the prior art are greatly reduced or completely eliminated. The outcome is a soft, pliable effective product capable of being mass produced.

The present invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a fiber using insoluble chemicals and sonic cavitation to impart other desirable properties to a fabric.

Antibacterial fabrics are widely used for production of outdoor clothes, underwear, bed-linen, and bandages. Antimicrobial resistance is very important in textile materials, having effects amongst others on comfort for the wearer. The deposition of metal oxides known to possess antimicrobial activity, namely zinc oxide, magnesium oxide and copper oxide, can significantly extend the end uses of textile fabrics and prolong the period of their use.

Copper oxide is widely cited in the literature for its antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral qualities. It is also cited as an anti-mite fabric (The FASEB Journal, article 10.1096/fj.04-2029 Published online September 9, 2004). Zinc has also been recognized as a mild antimicrobial agent, non toxic wound healing agent, and sunscreen agent because it reflects both UVA and UVB rays (Godrey H.R. Alternative Therapy Health Medicine, 7 (2001 ) 49).

Antibacterial, wound healing, dust mite inhibition, medical compound delivery, and UV inhibition qualities can also be applied to cellulose or polymeric fibers using the method described herein with the application of metal oxides, such as zinc oxide, magnesium oxide, copper oxide and metals such as silver. In treating at the fiber level the present invention provides for a greater control of dosage of the antimicrobial compounds or UV inhibition compounds. It was found that a fabric containing 10% of the fibers treated with a copper oxide was sufficient to produce a homogenous pad that was effective as a wound healing device. At the same time, other elements can be added to the pad, should they be desired, by simply adding different treated fibers. In theory, one could add a fire retardant (FR) quality to a fabric that is treated to destroy microbes which would find use in hospitals and public institutions.

A further advantage of the invention is that the method is relatively inexpensive so fire retardant and/or antibacterial fabrics can be produced at an affordable cost.

The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures and examples so that it may be more fully understood.

With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of one of the methods of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the attached figures making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

Figure 1 is a side view of a conveyor system with transducers;

Figure 2 is a side view of a conveyor system with a drying oven and sliver collection;

Figure 3 is a view of the conveyor belt of Figure 1 and from above having zones of irradiation; and

Figure 4 is cross section view of the belt of Figure 1 and the positioning of the transducers of the conveyor system of Figure 1 .

In the figures the following numerals have been used to designate the following parts:

#2 - sliver barrel

#3 - conveyor table

#4 - sliver support

#6 - conveyor belt

#8 - water spray

#10- pressure rolls

#12- squeeze rolls

#14- chemistry collection barrel

#16 - conveyor for drying line

#18- drying oven

#20- sliver guide #22- collection barrel for sliver

#24 - separators for conveyor belt

#26- bottom of conveyor belt

#28- circular zones that demonstrate the range of irradiation

#30- Transducers for sonochemical irradiation

Referring now to the figures in detail cellulose or polymeric fibers are combed and formed into sliver 2 (seen in Figure 2). The sliver should preferably weigh between 3 and 8 grams per running meter. There should be a minimum twist to the sliver. Fiber length is not a factor and can be adjusted according to the yarn desired.

Referring to Figure 1 , fibers are kept in barrels (2) as is standard in yarn spinning. Fibers are placed on a guide (sliver support 4) which is elevated and allows the orderly placement of the multiple slivers to be dropped on to the conveyor belt without tension in order to facilitate placement on the conveyor belt (6). Water is sprayed by two high pressure nozzles (8) while fibers are being deposited on the moving belt 6. To keep fibers immersed two rolling pins (10) are placed on the conveyor. The fibers exit the moving belt to squeeze rollers (12). Excess chemicals run off the belt 6 and are collected in barrel (14).

Referring to Figure 2 the fibers pass from the squeeze rollers 12 to the conveyor belt (16) of the drying line. The fibers pass through the oven (18) and are dried upon exit. The fibers then go into a sliver guide (20) which places the fibers in a collection barrel (22) in an orderly fashion. Referring to Figure 3 the first conveyor described herein is preferably 37 cm wide and 15 meters long although other configurations and dimensions are also possible. Thus, the length can vary depending on the speed of the reaction. The width of the conveyor can be any width as long as the canals are approximately 3 to 8 cm (26) wide with approximately 2 cm walls (24) separating each canal (26). The height of the canal walls are preferably at least 5 cm high and capable of holding water that has in it a sliver of a staple fiber which will soak in the water. The fibers are placed in the moving conveyor belt (6) and the application speed of the sliver and the speed of the conveyor are preferably, substantially the same. The sliver is placed on the conveyor (6) so that no pull on the sliver is experienced, which would break the sliver and require repair before being introduced into standard filament blending before being spun into yarn. The zone of the irradiation of each transducer is designated by the large circles (28).

Referring to Figure 4, before the sliver is placed on the dry conveyor belt (6), a very small amount of the hydrated compound or metal oxide or organic compound is placed on the bottom of the dry conveyor belt (6). This powder will be partially used in the sonochemical transfer and recovered after the fibers are treated as will the water which is applied as per Figure 1 .

Along the underside of the conveyor are the sonochemical transducers (30) which are transmitting an ultrasonic wavelength, preferably of between 15 and 20 kHz into the canals (26) of water. The transducers are held under the conveyor (6) and broadcast upwards. The fibers run along the conveyor (6) while the reaction takes place. It is most preferable that the fibers be allowed to open slightly to allow for treatment and exposure to 100% of the surface area of each fiber, otherwise only the external fibers will be treated and the internal fibers will not. At this point the fibers will be in a very fragile state since they will be free floating in the liquid but will still be orderly.

At the end of the line, the belt 6 turns under the conveyor table (3) to which the transducers (30) are attached. The water and the residual chemical compounds are collected in a chemical collection barrel (14) for reuse. The fibers then, preferably continue straight onto a second conveyor (figure 2) and, preferably immediately enter the first of a series of squeeze rollers (12). The first set of squeeze rollers (12) preferably are of high pressure to remove no less than 98% of the water and also provide a pressure sufficient to compress the fibers so that their fragility is reduced. A galvanized rubber or a roller made from a material such as EVA, or PU but not limited to only these materials can be used for the squeeze rollers (12). The fibers then continue through a drying oven (18) on a conveyor (Fig. 2) that allows hot air to blow on the fibers from below and above at the same time. The sliver is then returned to its original circular barrel form which is the form into which it is used for spinning yarns.

Example 1

A sliver is prepared so that it has a slight twist (around 4 twists per meter) and weighs 3 to 3 grams per meter. The sliver can be made from any staple fiber such as but not only cotton, rayon, polyester, and nylon. The sliver is run through the system described but just previous to the sliver being placed in the canals of the belt a very small amount of an activating chemical compound in the form of a fine powder, usually no more than 5 microns in size, is placed on the dry belt. This powder can also be placed in the water source that will be the liquid medium of the process. The powder can be any hydrated insoluble compound such as but not limited to borax pentahydrate or alumina trihydrate. The amount is not critical because the fiber will pick up what is given off by the irradiation and what is left in the canal will be collected after the wet process is complete. No more than 1 gram of powder per meter is required for the process. The sliver travels along the conveyor belt for as little as 15 minutes but no more than 1 hour and is exposed to the irradiation. A bubbling around the fibers will be observed indicating that cavitation is taking place. The fibers in the sliver will immediately begin to drift within the canal and separate. It is this separation that will allow for complete coverage of the fibers with the hydrated compound for deposition. It is important to make sure that the fibers remain orderly while in the canal and so rollers are preferably placed no less than every meter to assure that the fibers remain submerged. The transducers are activated just before the sliver and water and hydrated compound are added to the conveyor belt. The transducers will continue their work the length of the conveyor belt which is adjusted to assure an even coating over 100% of the fibers. After the coating is complete the loose fibers are then quickly squeezed to remove almost all the water but more importantly to solidify the sliver once again so that it will have its own integrity which will allow it to be moved to the drying station.

Non-ignition or fire retardant properties are imparted to a cellulose or polymer fiber substrate to create a cellulose or polymer fibrous 'substrate by application of a powdered insoluble chemical, containing waters of hydration, which chemical is in solid form and which chemical is then fused or melted onto the cellulose or polymeric substrate to durably attach the chemical to the substrate. The process is especially adapted for water-insoluble solid compounds such as borax pentahydrate or any insoluble compound with waters of hydration.

The chemical compound can be attached to the substrate using a sonochemical process as described above. According to the present invention there is also provided a way of using a sonochemical process for the addition of the chemical to the substrate while producing a soft fabric that has apparel applications as opposed to a sonochemical plated product which is very rough to the hand and inappropriate for apparel end-uses.

Example 2

A sliver is prepared so that it has a slight twist (around 4 twists per meter) and weighs 3 to 8 grams per meter. The sliver can be made from any staple fiber such as but not only cotton, rayon, polyester, and nylon. The sliver is run through the system described but just previous to the sliver being placed in the canals of the belt a very small amount of an activating chemical compound in the form of a fine powder, usually no more than 5 microns in size, is placed on the dry belt. The powder can be applied to the water that will be used as the medium for the cavitation process. The powder can be any form of insoluble copper but in preferred embodiments should be cuprous oxide with no less than a 97% purity level. Other metals and metal oxides can be used such as silver, zinc, or zinc oxide by way of example. The amount of the activating chemical compound is not critical because the fiber will pick up what is given off by the irradiation and what is left in the canal will be collected after the wet process is complete. No more than 1 gram per meter of powder is required. The sliver travels along the conveyor belt for as little as 15 minutes but no more than 1 hour and is exposed to the irradiation. A bubbling around the fibers will be observed which indicates the cavitation is taking place. The fibers in the sliver will immediately begin to drift within the canal and separate. It is this separation that will allow for complete coverage of the fibers with the activating chemical compound for deposition. It is important to make sure that the fibers remain orderly while in the canal and so rollers are preferably placed no less than every meter to assure that the fibers remain submerged. The transducers are activated just before the sliver and water and activating chemical compound are added to the conveyor belt. The transducers will continue their work along the length of the conveyor belt which is adjusted to assure an even coating over 100% of the fibers. After the coating is complete the loose fibers are then quickly squeezed to remove almost all the water but more importantly to solidify the sliver once again so that it will have its own integrity which will allow it to be moved to the drying station. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative examples and attached figures and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiments and figures be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being made to the appended claims, rather than to the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.