Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) fibers, their manufacture and use
View Patent ↗A process for preparing poly(trimethylene terephthalate) fibers comprising (a) providing a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprising about 0.05 to about 5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units and (b) spinning the polymer composition to form fibers. Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) fiber comprising poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprising about 0.05 to about 5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units, as well as yarns, fabrics (e.g., woven, knitted, and nonwoven fabrics) and carpets. A poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprising about 0.05 to about 5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.
1. A process for preparing poly(trimethylene terephthalate) fibers comprising (a) providing a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprising about 0.05 to about 5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units and (b) spinning the polymer composition to form fibers.
2. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprises about 95 to about 99.95 mole % of the trimethylene terephthalate units and about 5 to about 0.05 mole % of the tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.
3. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprises about 70 to about 99.95 mole % of the poly(trimethylene terephthalate), about 5 to about 0.05 mole % of the tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units, and, optionally, up to 29.95 mole % of other polymeric units.
4. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprises about 0.5 to about 3 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.
5. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprises about 1 to about 2.5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.
6. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprises about 1.5 to about 2.5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.
7. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprises about 97.5 to about 99 mole % of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and about 2.5 to about 1 mole % of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate).
8. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprises about 97.5 to about 98.5 mole % of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and about 2.5 to about 1.5 mole % of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate).
9. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprises a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) copolyester containing about 1.5 to about 2.5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.
10. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition further comprises styrene polymer.
11. The process of claim 10 when the styrene polymer is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, alkyl or aryl substituted polystyrenes and styrene multicomponent polymers.
12. The process of claim 10 wherein the styrene polymer is polystyrene.
13. The process of claim 1 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of hexamethylene diamine, polyamides, delusterants, nucleating agents, heat stabilizers, viscosity boosters, optical brighteners, pigments, and antioxidants.
14. The process of claim 1 wherein the fibers are in the form of multifilament yarn.
15. The process of claim 14 wherein the multifilament yarn is partially oriented yarn and the spinning comprises extruding the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition through a spinneret at a spinning speed of at least about 3,000 m/m.
16. A process for preparing poly(trimethylene terephthalate) multifilament textured yarn comprising poly(trimethylene terephthalate) multiconstituent filaments, comprising (a) preparing a package of partially oriented poly(trimethylene terephthalate) multifilament yarn by the process of claim 15 , (b) unwinding the yarn from the package, (c) drawing the multiconstituent filaments yarn to form a drawn yarn, (d) false-twist texturing the drawn yarn to form the textured yarn, and (e) winding the yarn onto a package.
17. The process of claim 14 wherein the multifilament yarn is partially oriented yarn comprised of about 0.5 to about 2.5 dpf filaments and is spun at a spinning speed of at least about 2,500 m/m.
18. The process of claim 14 wherein the multifilament yarn is spun drawn yarn and the processing comprises drawing the filaments at a draw speed, as measured at the roller at the end of the draw step, of about 2,000 to about 8,000 meters/minute.
19. A process for preparing poly(trimethylene terephthalate) multifilament textured yarn comprising poly(trimethylene terephthalate) multiconstituent filaments, comprising (a) preparing a package of spun drawn poly(trimethylene terephthalate) multifilament yarn by the process of claim 18 , (b) unwinding the yarn from the package, (c) false-twist texturing the yarn to form the textured yarn, and (d) winding the textured yarn onto a package.
20. The process of claim 14 wherein the multifilament yarn is bulked continuous filament yarn, and the processing comprises drawing, annealing, bulking, entangling (which can be carried out in one step with bulking or in a subsequent separate step), optionally relaxing, and winding the filaments.
21. A poly(trimethylene terephthalate) fiber comprising poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprising about 0.05 to about 5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.
22. A poly(trimethylene terephthalate) multifilament yarn comprising fibers as claimed in claim 21 .
23. A fabric comprising the yarn of claim 22 .
24. A carpet made from the yarn of claim 22 .
25. A poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition comprising about 0.05 to about 5 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.
26. The poly(trimethylene terephthalate) composition of claim 25 comprising about 1.5 to about 3 mole % tetramethylene terephthalate repeat units.