CA1091407A - Process for producing a product having a dyed, fibrous surface - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The disclosure describes an improvement in a process for producing a product having a dyed fibrous surface and being formed by supplying a polymer intermediate a backing material and a movable, heatable drawing surface, heating the polymer to render the polymer molten, separating the backing material from the drawing surface to provide a fiber-forming region in which fibers are formed from the molten polymer and adhere to the surface of the backing material, and introducing a cooling fluid into the fiber-forming region to stabilize the fibers as their viscosity increases following formation, the improvement comprising:
(a) applying at least one vaporizable dye to at least one member of the group consisting of the polymer, the backing material and the drawing surface;
(b) in the case where the dye is applied to the backing material, contacting the dye and the polymer prior to heating the polymer to render it molten; and (c) rendering the polymer in contact with the dye molten by heating to a temperature of at least the melting point of the polymer, whereby color is imparted to the polymer prior to stabilization of the fibers.

Description

- 10914(~7 BACKGROUND OF TH~ INVENTION
The prior art describes processes wherein plasticized polymers, in the form of thermoplasts, are applied to a heated roller or a heated belt and are exposed to temperatures at which the polymer fuses or begins to fuse, such that a carrier web can be placed against a melt formed in this way. In the course of these processes, the polymer adheres, on the one side, to the contact surface of the drum or belt facing toward the same, and on the other side, to the carrier web. By pulling the polymer away from an adhesive face, the polymer is, either completely or partially converted into fibers; varied forms of fiber configurations can be obtained by carrying out the appropriate modifications of the process steps. By modifying the available process parameters, it is possible to influence the structure, density, length, properties of the fibers, and also visual appearance of the nap and fibers. As a result, it is possible to use fibers of this type for producing a particularly inexpensive article of clothing, and also for technical purposes, such as for producing filters, or for decorating purposes, for example, for wall and ceiling coverings of all types, It will be apparent from the extremely broad field of application (which has not been described in great detail) that it is important to develop methods for dyeing the fibers which will provide a durable and qualitatively satisfactory finish.
Of the known dyeing processes, those which might be considered are the use of pigments to dye the polymer before it is converted into fibers, or dyeing processes to be used after conversion. Each type of process is very complicated and does , -2-bm:

~09141~7 not invariably produce suitable results. If uniform dyeing were carried out prior to the fiber forming process~ the dye would have to be added to the polymer in the extruder or during granulation, which can have an adverse effect on successive processing stages of the polymer. If the dyeing process is carried out after the fiber forming process, additional devices are required, which, to obtain satisfactory dyeing results, represent a prohibitive expenditure in economic terms, quite apart from the fact that difficulties which cannot be readily overcome tend to occur when dyeing fibers consisting for example, of polyethylene. A known process in the textile industry, is the use of transfer papers, which are coated with thermo-and/or pressure-vaporizable dye. Textile products can be subsequently dyed with these transfer papers, using ironing presses or manual ironing. These thermo-and/or pressure-vaporizable dyes possess the property of being converted into a vaporous or gaseous state under the influence of heat. The dyes will then diffuse into the textile fibers unless additional sublimation processes and other physical and/or chemical processes are employed. Quite surprisingly, it has been found that the underlying principle of transfer papers can be used, not only to completely obviate the difficulties and disadvantages of other processes, but also to achieve a technical advance, which far surpasses the properties which could be attained by using the different processes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to obtain high quality dyeing of products having fibrous contact surfaces without having to modify the apparatus and the steps of the bm:

4~7 process which produces these products, while avoiding unnecessarily high expenditure for machinery. The process to be developed should also provide a simple method, a means by which not only uniform (monochromatic) dyeing of the contact surfaces can be effected, but also a means by which any desired creative (imaginative) patterns, preferably in the form of pictorial illustrations requiring half-tones, can be applied, The proposed process will continuously produce plain or pattern - dyed products. These products have fibrous surfaces, are formed by pulling apart plasticized polymeric foils, and may comprise a support for the fibers. The fibers of the product which are in statu nascendi are stabilized in the fiber forming region by means of cooling. The proposed process is distinguished from the prior art in that upstream of, or directly at the point where the polymer is inserted, between the drawing surfaces, vaporizable dye is provided on the support and this is subsequently united with the fibers by increasing the temperature in the plasticizing zone of the polymer, thus simultaneously dyeing the fibers; the dye is preferably forced into the fibers by diffusion and/or onto them by sublimation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
There are many varied modes of implementing the process according to the invention, including pressure processes, more specifically high and low pressure processes, brush application, layer application, sprinkling, spreading, spraying and all the other surface finishing processes.
Furthermore, varied forms of support or backing can also be used - such as textile webs, fleece, paper, pasteboard, bm:

woven ~abrics, textured fabrics, irregular layered materials, nets, mesh, foils, non-woven goods and all other materials, which can be used in surface finishing processes.
The following considerations, inter alia, govern the selection of polymers:
A low melt viscosity improves the adhesion so that much more fiber nuclei are formed than in the case of a high melt viscosity;
A molten material at a high temperature results in a lower melt viscosity so that the fiber-drawing time is prolonged, and this prolongation provides for a longer time in which measures to control the process can be carried into effect.
It is necessary according to the invention that only a part of the polymer is converted into fibers in the fiber-forming region. The fiber-forming process of the invention is carried out in such a manner that the forces of cohesion in the polymer cause the solidifying fibers to visibly contact near but before the point of contact with the heatable drawing surface, rather than at said point, and then be torn apart cleanly at a distance from the drawing surface.
Polymers which in a molten state have a low viscosity have proved particularly suitable for use in processes according to the invention.
These include, inter alia:
polyethylene having a MFI 190/2 of 10-300 grams-10 minutes;
ethylene/vinyl acetate having a MFI 190/2 above 10 grams-10 minutes;
polypropylene having a MFI 190/5 of 10-70 grams/10 minutes;
polymethylmethacrylate having a MFI 210/10 above 10 grams/10 minutes;

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109~407 cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate/butyrate, and cellulose propionate CA, CAB, CP having a MFI 190/2 above 8;
polyoxymethylene having a MFI 190/2 above 13 grams/lO minutes;
polyvinyl chloride/acetate having a K value below 50;
hard polyvinylchloride having a K value below 60 and containing at least 15~ plasticizer;
polyamide 6 having a relative velocity between 2.1 and 3.4;
polyamide 12 having a relative viscosity between 1,7 and 21.1;
and polyethyleneterephthalate having a relative viscosity above 1.6.
Vaporizable dyes used with satisfaction are "disperse"
or "plastosoluble" dyes, often selected from among the nitroaryl amines, the azoics, or the anthraquinones. These dyes, which are obtainable commercially, have a vaporization or sublimation temperature often lying between 170 to 320C., preferably between 170 to 220C., wh1ch thus makes it possible to print numerous materials which do not become altered at these temperatures.
There appear to be no consequences resulting from te~eratures in excess of 320C, The range from L70 to 320C
covers the common melting temperatures for the polymers which are used. The vaporizable dyes must therefore be brought in contact with the polymer between these temperatures, e.g. if the melting point for a polymer is about 190C. and the vaporizing temperature for the dye is about 370C., the dye is ineffectual because it can not vaporize at the melting point of the polymer.
As examples of the vaporizable dyestuffs which can be used in the process of the invention, there may be mentioned bm:

disperse dyestuffs such as are described in, for example, pages 1665 to 1742 of the second edition of the Colour Index which was published in 1956 and the dyes known from Ullmanns Encyclopaedie der Technischen Chemie, Vol. 7, 1956, page 41 et seq. There can also be used vat dyestuffs such as are described in for example, pages 2419 to 2564 of the second edition of the Colour Index. Acid dyes can be utilized also.
These dyes are particularly suitable for dyeing cellulose acetate, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate and polyamide materials.
Specific dyes included are: sublimable dyestuffs which pass into the vapour state at between 170 and 320C. at atmospheric pressure; these dyestuffs can be, for example, sublimable azo or anthraquinone dyestuffs or nitroarylamines, methine dyestuffs, derivatives of quinophthalone, perinones and the like, 1, 4-dimethylaminoanthraquinone, brominated or chlorinated 1,5-diamino-4,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone, 3-hydroxy-quinophthalone, l-hydroxy-3-phenoxy-4-aminoanthraquinone, 4-(4'-methyl-2'-nitrophenylazo)-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone and 1-amino-2-cyano-4-anilido-anthraquinone will be especially mentioned, as well as the dyestuffs, the behavior of which from 180C. to 210C. is very similar, for example, the propyl or butyl ester of 1,4-diaminoanthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid, l-amino-2-cyano-4-cyclohexylaminoanthraquinone and 2-hydroxy-5-methyl-4'-acetyl-amino-azobenzene, and various naphthols.
When used in accordance with the process of this invention, these dyestuffs are particularly suitable for dyeing linear polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate, polyamides, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene and cellulose acetate.

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It is difficult to color non-reactive polymers such as polyethylene, polyvinylchloride, etc. To color these polymers the dyes are mixed with support materials or carriers for example: phenylmethylcarbinol, o-phenyl-phenol, chlorobenzene, benzoic acid, and methyl salicylic acid.
These support materials are used in an amount up to

2% by weight of the dye solution and/or dispersion, The support materials loosen the polymer structure and promote penetration of the polymer by the dye.
The dye is applied to the polymer in an amount sufficient to impart to the dyed fiber 0.01 - 2% by weight, based on the weight of fiber, of pure color. Desired specific colors can be obtained using those dyes indicated in the following Table.
TABLE I
If the procedure of Example 1, which follows, is employed using the dyes shown in the following table, a beautifully colored fibrous product can be obtained having the color corresponding to that shown in the left hand column of the Table.

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10914()7 The vaporizable dyestuffs which can be used, consist of all dyes which are known under this designation, without any limitation to specific colors and application processes, including the cold state, and which possess in their normal state or when brought to higher temperatures, the property of forming a durable bond with polymers regardless of which physical and/or chemical processes are taking place at a particular time.
Hence, the application processess in question may consist of mixing processes and osmosis processes at room temperature, thermo processes, such as sublimation, diffusion, at elevated temperatures, etc.
The process is not limited to the use of the backing, bearing the nap, as the support for the vaporizable dye per se, but the polymer can also be used for this purpose, particularly when it is in the form of a foil, which can then be united with the dye or dyestuffs, using any particular measures according to the surface finishing art. The dye can be applied to the dye-bearing foil, by printing, brushing, coating, spraying, sprinkling or any other suitable method. Application can be effected both directly before the polymer moves onto a device for thermally treating the same, such as a roller or belt, but the vaporizable dye can also be applied to the polymer independently of the successive processing steps, in a separate operation, for example, it can be applied in a multi-color printing machine. The same applies to the preparation of the reactive dye per se, which can be homogenized, sifted, treated on calender rolls, or otherwise rendered into a suitable state in which it can be united with the polymer, either in independent steps or in simultaneous processing operations. These process bm:

10914(~7 modifications are particularly useful when the dyeing patterns or dyes are to be varied independently of the particular polymer being used and the fiber quality and/or properties are to be changed. In such a case, it is necessary to prevent the new pattern from being impaired, blurred or otherwise altered.
This impairment results from residues of previously used dyes or dye compositions which were used in the process done prior to the change. These residues remain attached to the drawing surface and cause the undesirable phenomena because the substances for producing the new dyes or dye compositions mix with the remaining residues. However, the impairment of the new pattern can be avoided by coordinating the position of the pattern produced by the application of dye relative to a point on the circumference of the continuously operating drawing surface disposed opposite the polymer support. ~or example, by means of markings which can be made to cover one another, this synchronization can be achieved on the circumference of the particular roller, such that it is possible, in the normal manner for multi-color printing, to avoid the above-mentioned difficulties by removing the residues located in front of the markings, or by changing the drawing surface and inserting the new drawing surface at the marker point.
Another advantageous process modification is the application of a transfer web, provided with the vaporizable dye, to the surface of a preferably heated drum or belt upstream of the feed zone of the polymer and the support in the fiber forming zone. This web is disposed opposite the support for the polymer, and forms another drawing surface and it is only removed from the drum or belt surface downstream of the fiber bm: -~191407 -forming zone. In this way, very complicated printing processes can be applied to the support in appropriately designed operating units in a very simple manner. As a result, in the fiber-forming process, the pattern will then be repeated constantly in the fiber configuration. Pattern changes could thus also be effected without considerable difficulty during the continuous process. If this moaus operandi is employed, then it is not necessary to establish any form of coordination, The reason is that the roller or belt which is used to raise the temperature of the polymer, has no contact with the polymer which, as yet, has not been rendered into fibrous form and the support, per se, is removed after the fiber drawing process, Lastly, we could point out that the fiber quality can be controlled to the requisite degree by the choice of the type and quality of the support, In one particular aspect the present invention provides in a process for producing a product having a dyed fibrous surface and being formed by supplying a poly~er intermediate a backing material and a movable, heatable drawing surface, heating the polymer to render the polymer molten, separating the backing material from the drawing surface to provide a fiber-forming region in which fibers are formed from the molten polymer and adhere to the surface of the backing material, and introducing a cooling fluid into the fiber-forming region to stabiliæe the fibers as their viscosity increases following formation! the improvement comprising:
(a) applying at least one vaporizable dye to at least one member of the group consisting of the polymer, the bm:

backing material and the drawing surface;
(b) in the case where the dye is applied to the backing material, contacting the dye and the polymer prior to heating the polymer to render it molten; and (c) rendering the polymer in contact with the dye molten by heating to a temperature of at least the melting point of the polymer, whereby color is imparted to the polymer prior to stabilization of the fibers, Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be made apparent in the following detailed description of various embodiments thereof, provided with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. tl), is a schematic diagram of a device for producing a dyed, fibrous product according to the invention, Fig. (2), is a modified version of the device according to Fig. (1), for producing a dyed fibrous product.
Fig, (3), is another embodiment of a device for implementing the process a~cording to the invention, Fig. (4), is another embodiment of the device.
Fig. (5), is a diagram of a device for use when a plurality of backing materials or webs are to be simultaneously provided with a dyed, patterned, fiber nap.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
. . . _ .
The device represented in figure (1), comprises a centrally mounted heatable drum or drawing surface (10), which could also be replaced by a heatable belt or other heated conveying means. Coordinated with the drum (10), are firstly a storage device (11), an applicator device (12), and also a bm:

~191407 roller arrangement (13~, which forms both a feed device and an applicator device, Disposed in series with the parts (11-13) in the path of the workpiece are a take-off device (14) for treated backing material (21), a cooling and deflector device (15), disposed opposite the surface of the drum (10), at a specific distance therefrom, and also a stripping roller (16), with the winding device (17). In practice backing material (21) will generally be a porous web. A web structure facilitates the cooling process.
A dyestuff support or carrier (18), is stored in the unwinding station (11). This dyestuff support or carrier (18), carries concentrations of either a single reactive dye or a plurality thereof in the form of a desired image when a colored or multi-colored pattern is being produced or in the form of individual regions (19) when scripts are being reproduced, The support or carrier (18), for the vaporizable dyes, encircles drum (10), over the illustrated angular region, and it is then guided by the stripping roller (16), to the winding device (17), The applicator device (12), is used to apply a polymer in the form of a thermoplastic foil or a thermoplast in the form of a granulate or paste to the contact surface of the support or carrier (18), facing toward the polymer. As a result of the fact that the temperature of the polymer is raised by drum (10), the polymer fuses or begins to fuse while in contact with the surface of the drum and the fibers are drawn within the zone (22).
Backing material (21) which forms part of the workpiece, and which consists of a supporting web for the fiber nap to be produced, is applied by means of another device (13), ,:

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1C~91407 to the fiber producing web (20), consisting of the polymer.
A bundle of layers consisting of the webs (18, 20 and 21), and the dye application regionS (19) iS drawn by means of the drum (10), which in this case acts as the conveyor to the cooling and deflecting device or nozzle (15), and subsequently to a take-off device in the form of a take-off roller. As indicated by the design of the cooling and deflecting device (lS), this device comprises a nozzle which is in contact with backing material (21). This nozzle contains the outlet for the cooling medium and it also directs the entire bundle of layers toward the take-off roller (14). Cooling is thus effected through the backing material t21), so that , at the fiber-forming point, formed by the deflecting region, the fibers which have just been pulled apart are cooled effectively, and are thus stabilized, This is essential because a plasticized polymer, which has been formed into thin layers, or threads and fibers, has a tendency to contract, which can cause premature tearing of the fibers, if the aforementioned stabilizing measures were not provided, Thus, it will be realized that the particular configuration, adjustment, and hence, the particular state of the device for effecting the process steps, give rise to process parameters which govern the length, strength, density and other features of the fibers, This means that the position of the cooling and deflecting device (15), must be adjustable with respect to the bundle of layers. The same applies to the type of cooling medium, which is used, with respect to its pressure, its rate, its temperature, etc. This also applies to the nature of the coolant stream, which is to a large extent influenced by the bm:

form of the outlet nozzles and their dimensions, in so far as the device (15) is concerned, The same applies to the devices which are disposed in the path of the workpiece, upstream of the cooling and deflecting device~ The take-off device (14), is responsible for producing specific tensions in the individual webs of the layer bundle. As a result, the configuration and particular adjustment of the take-off device (14), is extremely important. This also applies to the configuration of the entire drum (10). The latter is also di.sposed upstream of the cooling and deflecting device in the path of the workpiece.
By regulating the angular region over which the layer bundle encloses the conveying, heating and fusion drum (10), it is possible to adapt the degree of plastification, and the fusion commencing and/or melting stage of the polymer ~20), to the requirements of the process. The application zones (19), produced on the web (18), are also affected by the rising temperature and, if they consist of vaporizable dyestuffs, they are also activated. It is important to remember that because of the pressing force at (12) and (13), and also because of the tensions produced in the layer bundle under the influence of the take-off device (14), mechanical forces may be produced which can affect the degree of activation of the vaporizable dyes. Accordingly, these forces are controllable and can be used to influence the course of the process. Another source of influence over the process is provided by the adhesion forces produced between the layers or the ~ndividual webs of the layer or web bundle This is important in that, by adjusting the adhesion forces produced in relation to one bm:

another, it is possible to ensure that after the supporting web or backing material (18) has been removed by means of the devices (16) and (17), from the conveying, heating and possibly melting roller (10), by means of the take-off device (14) and the winding of the supporting web (18) on the winding device (17), no further polymer residues can be found in the region between the devices (12) and (16). In terms of the above-mentioned elimination of the change in vaporizable dyes or patterns, this means that it is not necessary to maintain pattern/roller coordination when an unused supporting web (18) comes under the influence of parts ~10), (12) of the device.
In the embodiment accordinq to Fig. (21, a thermoplastic foil (25), constituting the polymer and in turn bearing a vaporizable dyestuff application (26), is supplied to the drum (10) by means of the applicator device (12) Backing material (2~) is applied by a roller (13) similar to counter-clockwise rotating roller (13) of Fig. (1) A device, as shown in Fig. (2), is thus simplified in the manner represented over the device according to Fig. (1). However, it is essential that the position of the pattern to be applied, should be coordinated with the circumference of the drum (10), in the above described manner.
In the embodiment shown in Fig. (31, a backing material (28) is to be provided with a coating which, in turn, bears the application of vaporizing dye (29) This means that a foil (30), consisting of a polymer, can be directly supplied to the drum (10)! by means of the device (12). The same device can be used to apply a two-color print, in which different vaporizable dyes or dyeing zones are produced on bm:

10914(~7 the backing material (28), and on the polymer (30). However, in both cases, their positions must be regulated according to existing conditions in the manner described.
In the embodiment according to Fig. (4), the method of applying the vaporizable dyes or dye compositions (31) has been modified in such a way that these are now disposed on the drum (lO). A printing device (33), which is not represented in great detail, and which is disposed immediately upstream of the feed zone of the polymer foil (32), is used for applying the dye. Apart from cases in which no uniform dyes are being applied, it is again necessary to synchronize the determining conditions in such a way that the necessary coincidence is obtained in reproducing the pattern.
The embodiment shown in Fig. (5), is designed for producing a plurality of webs with naps of different colors and/or patterns. In this case, a plurality of webs are passed over the roller (40); these webs consist of a first support (41), or a first fiber nap of a first polymer foil (42), a support (43) comprising on both sides, applications (44), (45), consisting of a single vaporizable dye of a plurality of vaporizable dyes or dye zones. Also present are a second polymer foil (46), and a second support (47) for a fiber nap.
In the region of a common cooling and deflecting device (48), the entire bundle of webs or entire groups of layers is pulled away from the roller (40) in the manner illustrated in the drawing in such a way that the two fiber supports (41) and (47) acquire a patterned fiber nap (49), (40) corresponding to the dye bearing surfaces (44, 45). In addition, by bm:

10914~7 selecting the deflection angle (51), (52) of the fiber supports (41), (47) with respect to the support (43) and by adjusting the cooling intensity of the cooling and deflecting device (48), possibly of an additio~al cooling means (53) for c~nducting a cooling medium into the gap (53) intended for fiber production, the features of the fiber configuration on the two fiber supports can be varied and can be maintained for a long period of time, using the variable adjustment means provided for this purpose.
The embodiments represented in the drawings disclose a plurality of features which can be interchanged; therefore, it was not considered necessary to provide a repeated description thereof within the context of each individual figure. For example, the features described in Fig. (2) and

(3) can also be used within the scope of Fig, (4), In this case, the support (43) is only used to provide a drawing surface for forming fibers; the support (43) being disposed between the fiber supports (41) and (47), and being effective on both sides. Furthermore, by varying the surface configuration of the support (43), it is possible to vary the nature of the fibers on each of the two fiber supports.
As a result of the fact that a plasticized or fusible polymer is exposed to intensive turbulence and powerful mechanical stresses, more particularly, shearing forces in the fiber forming region, the vaporizable dyes are activated to an unprecedented extent and intensive mixing processes take place in the fiber-forming region. As a result, hitherto unknown coloring effects are obtained, which are also visually pleasing.
It is not only possible to use a polymer in the form hm ~

10914~7 of a single foil or of a uniform granulate, etc,, in the fiber forming process, but it is also possible to simultaneously process a plurality of polymers so as to produce compound fibers which can be defined as having a combination of the properties to be realized. In further developing the theory of the invention, this possibility can be implemented in the case of vaporizable dyes and/or patterns which, in the last-mentioned embodiment, are produced in a natural profusion which is very difficult to 'match even using considerable imaginative skill. Although different dyes are used in the process, an unexpected degree of fastness and hence durability of the dyeing effects is obtained in the fiber nap, which can be extremely important in certain cases.
EXAMPLE
1. Using the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1, any of the aforementioned dyes can be supported by a carrier (18) which encircles the roller (10) and is guided by the take-off roller (16) to the winding device (17). The applicator device (12) applies a polymer in the form of a thermoplastic foil to the contact surface of the carrier (18) which is facing the polymer. Subsequent to the contact of the dye and the polymer; the drum or drawing surface (10) raises the temperature of the polymer to a temperature of 170 - 320C, Fibers adhering to backing material (21) are drawn in the fiber forming zone (22) at the point of separation of drum (10) and backing material (21). The dye in contact wlth the polymer sublimes and then diffuses into the drawn fibers. The fibers are then stabilized by cooling air blown from nozzle (15) through the backing material, and the dyed fibrous product is taken off by bm:

10914~7 by roller (14).
In the foregoing example the backing material can be flexible supporting layers such as paper, plastic and metal foils, textile products such as woven materials, textured fabrics, fleece, materials with irregular thread layers, nonwoven materials and the like.

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Claims (12)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In a process for producing a product having a dyed fibrous surface and being formed by supplying a polymer intermediate a backing material and a movable, heatable drawing surface, heating the polymer to render the polymer molten, separating the backing material from the drawing surface to provide a fiber-forming region in which fibers are formed from the molten polymer and adhere to the surface of the backing material, and introducing a cooling fluid into the fiber-forming region to stabilize the fibers as their viscosity increases following formation, the improvement comprising:
(a) applying at least one vaporizable dye to at least one member of the group consisting of the polymer, the backing material and the drawing surface;
(b) in the case where the dye is applied to the backing material, contacting the dye and the polymer prior to heating the polymer to render it molten; and (c) rendering the polymer in contact with the dye molten by heating to a temperature of at least the melting point of the polymer, whereby color is imparted to the polymer prior to stabilization of the fibers.

2. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein the dye is applied on a support web to the drawing surface.

3. A process as recited in Claim 2, wherein said dye is applied to a plurality of distinct regions on the drawing surface, whereby said dye contacts the polymer in distinct separate areas according to said regions, resulting in a pattern.

4. A process as recited in Claim 3, wherein said pattern is positioned by registry of a point on the length of the pattern with a point on the circumference of the drawing surface.

5. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein said dye is applied to the backing material.

6. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein the polymer is heated to a temperature of 170°C to 320°C.

7. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein the dye is applied in the form of a film-type layer.

8. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein the dye is applied in separate regions in layers of varying thickness.

9. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein a plurality of backing materials are simultaneously used in superimposed assembly, each backing material being in association with a polymer and a vaporizable dye, whereby a corresponding plurality of dyed products are formed simultaneously.

10. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein a porous web is used as backing material.

11. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein a plurality of vaporizable dyes are used.

12. A process as recited in Claim 1, wherein said dye contacts the polymer in restricted areas by application of templates to the polymer surface.