FIBERS AND FABRICS WITH NITROGEN-CONTAINING ADDITIVES
This disclosure relates to a process for making flame retardant fibers comprising the steps of combining a flame retardant masterbatch with a polymer to form a polymer composition and forming the flame retardant fibers from the polymer composition. The masterbatch comprises greater than 10 wt % of a nitrogen compound having a melting point less than 400° C.; and a masterbatch polymer, with the weight percentages based on the total weight of the masterbatch. The flame retardant fibers pass the flame retardancy standards of ASTM D6413 (current year).
1 . A process for making flame retardant fibers comprising:
combining with a polymer a flame retardant masterbatch comprising:
greater than 10 wt % of a nitrogen compound having a melting point less than 400° C.; and
a masterbatch polymer, with the weight percentages based on the total weight of the masterbatch, to form a polymer composition, and
forming the flame retardant fibers from the polymer composition,
wherein the flame retardant fibers pass the flame retardancy standards of ASTM D6413 (current year).
2 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant masterbatch comprises greater than 10 wt % masterbatchpolymer, based on the total weight of the masterbatch.
3 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant masterbatch comprises greater than 50 wt % of the nitrogen compound having a melting point less than 400° C.
4 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition further comprises an AM/AV compound and wherein the flame retardant fibers demonstrate a toilet odor reduction greater than 50%.
5 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the AM/AV compound comprises a zinc compound, a copper compound, or a combination thereof.
6 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant masterbatch comprises less than 90 wt % nitrogen compound, based on the total weight of the masterbatch.
7 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen compound comprises melamine or a melamine-based compound.
8 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen compound comprises triazine and/or triazine derivatives.
9 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the nitrogen compound comprises particles having an average particle diameter of less than 2 microns.
10 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises polyamide.
11 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymer comprises PA6, PA66, or a combination thereof.
12 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the masterbatch polymer comprises PA6, PA66, or a combination thereof.
13 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the flame retardant fibers have an average fiber diameter less than 25 microns.
14 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymer composition has an RV less than 90 as measured via the formic acid method.
15 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises forming multicomponent fibers and wherein the fibers demonstrate antistatic performance.
16 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises forming first fibers comprising a first polymer and a first flame retardant masterbatch and combining the first fibers with second fibers.
17 . The process of claim 1 , wherein the forming comprises forming first fibers comprising a first polymer and a first flame retardant masterbatch and combining the first fibers with second fibers comprising cotton.
18 . The process of claim 17 , wherein the first polymer comprises polyamide.
19 . A garment or uniform having antiodor properties and flame retardancy properties comprising fibers made from the process of claim 1 .
20 . A garment or uniform having antistatic properties and flame retardancy properties comprising fibers made from the process of claim 1 .