Novel water-absorbing acrylic fibers

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
Water-absorbing acrylic fibers consisting of more than 90 weight % on an acrylonitrile polymer and less than 10 weight % of a water-absorbing resin, which fibers have a surface resistance not larger than 1.
times.
10.
sup.
9 .
OMEGA.
and a water-holding ratio not less than 25%, the decrease in the water-holding ratio of the fibers after a dry heat treatment at 120.
degree.
C.
for one hour being not more than 10%, and which fibers are produced by the steps of wet-spinning a spinning solution of an acrylonitrile polymer mixed with a water-absorbing resin, water-washing and stretching the resulting fibers, dry-compacting the fibers if desired, subjecting the fibers to a wet-heat relaxing treatment, imparting to the fibers less than 1.
5%, by weight of the fibers, of a spinning oil, and drying the fibers in a temperature range of from 105.
degree.
to 170.
degree.
C.
, said water-absorbing resin having 1 to 15 cross-links for 400 repeating units of the polymer forming said resin, and being a resin having a particle diameter less than 0.
5.
mu.
in absolute dryness and a degree of water-swellability within the range of from 20 to 300 cc/g.
2.
The water-absorbing acrylic fibers as claimed in claim 1 wherein the acrylonitrile polymer is a copolymer of not less than 80 weight % acrylonitrile and the remainder % of another vinyl monomer.
3.
The water-absorbing acrylic fibers as claimed in claim 1 wherein the water-absorbing resin is a resin in which a cross-linked acrylonitrile copolymer coexists.
4.
The water-absorbing acrylic fibers as claimed in claim 1 wherein the compounded ratio of the water-absorbing resin is from 1 to 6 weight %.
5.
The water-absorbing acrylic fibers as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wet-heat relaxing treatment is carried out at a temperature of above 110.
degree.
C.
in a saturated steam atmosphere.
6.
The water-absorbing acrylic fibers as claimed in claim 1 wherein the wet-heat relaxing treatment is carried out at a temperature above 120.
degree