High crimp bicomponent fibers
A bicomponent fiber wherein (a) the first component comprises from about 90 to 100 wt. % poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and (b) the second component is a polymer composition comprising (i) poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and (ii) polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units. Yarn, fiber, fabrics and carpets comprising the bicomponent fiber, as well as the process of making the bicomponent fiber, yarn, fabric, and carpet.
1. A bicomponent fiber wherein (a) the first component comprises poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and (b) the second component is a polymer composition comprising (i) poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and (ii) polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units.
2. The bicomponent fiber of claim 1 wherein the first component comprises from about 90 to 100 wt. % of the poly(trimethylene terephthalate), by weight of the polymer in the first component.
3. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the weight ratio of the first component to the second component is from about 30:70 to about 70:30.
4. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the weight ratio of the first component to the second component is from about 40:60 to about 60:40.
5. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the bicomponent fiber is a side-by side bicomponent fiber.
6. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the bicomponent fiber is a sheath-core bicomponent fiber.
7. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units is a poly(alkylene ether) glycol.
8. The bicomponent fiber of claim 7 wherein the alkylene groups of the poly(alkylene ether) glycol contain from 2 to 10 carbon atoms.
9. The bicomponent fiber of claim 7 wherein the poly(alkylene ether) glycol is poly(trimethylene ether) glycol.
10. The bicomponent fiber of claim 7 wherein the poly(alkylene ether) glycol is poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol.
11. The bicomponent fiber of claim 7 wherein the poly(alkylene ether) glycol is polyethylene glycol.
12. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the polymers containing polyalkylene ether repeating units are copolymers made from poly(alkylene ether) glycol and at least one other polymer or monomer unit.
13. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units is polyether ester copolymer.
14. The bicomponent fiber of claim 13 wherein the polyether ester copolymer is a copolymer of (a) polyester selected from the group consisting of poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(trimethylene terephthalate), poly(tetramethylene terephthalate), and copolymers and blends thereof; and (b) poly(alkylene ether) glycol selected from the group consisting of poly(trimethylene ether) glycol, poly(propylene ether) glycol, poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol, and copolymers and blends thereof.
15. The bicomponent fiber of claim 13 wherein the polyether ester copolymer is a copolymer of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene ether) glycol.
16. The bicomponent fiber of claim 13 wherein the polyether ester copolymer is a copolymer of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) and poly(trimethylene ether) glycol.
17. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units is polytrimethylene ether ester amide.
18. The bicomponent fiber of claim 13 wherein the polyether ester copolymer is a copolymer of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) and poly(tetramethylene ether) glycol.
19. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 wherein the second component comprises from about 0.1 to about 30 wt. % of the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units.
20. The bicomponent fiber of claim 1 wherein the second component contains from about 99.9 to about 70 wt. % poly(trimethylene terephthalate), by weight of the polymer used for the second component and about 0.1 to about 30 wt. % of the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units, based on the weight of the polymer used for the second component.
21. The bicomponent fiber of claim 1 wherein:
a. the first component comprises from about 95 to 100 wt. % poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and does not contain the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units; and
b. the second component contains from about 99.5 to about 80 wt. % poly(trimethylene terephthalate), by weight of the polymer used for the second component and about 0.5 to about 20 wt. % of the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units, based on the weight of the polymer used for the second component.
22. The bicomponent fiber of claim 1 wherein:
a. the first component comprises from about 98 to 100 wt. % poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and does not contain the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units; and
b. the second component contains from about 97.5 to about 85 wt. % poly(trimethylene terephthalate), by weight of the polymer used for the second component and about 2.5 to about 15 wt. % of the polymer containing polyalkylene ether repeating units, based on the weight of the polymer used for the second component.
23. The bicomponent fiber of claim 2 having a crimp contraction from about 10% to about 90%.
24. The bicomponent fiber of claim 19 wherein the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) used for the first component and the second component are the same.
25. The bicomponent fiber of claim 1 which is a continuous filament.
26. The bicomponent fiber of claim 1 which is a staple fiber.
27. Fabric comprising the bicomponent fiber of claim 1 .
28. Nonwoven fabric comprising the bicomponent fiber of claim 1 .
29. Carpet comprising the bicomponent fiber of claim 1 .