Abstract: A pressure process for preparing a hydroxyalkyl ester monomer and oligomer that can be used to prepare a polyester such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is disclosed. The process includes the steps of reacting, by ethoxylation, dicarboxylic acid and alkylene oxide in the presence of a compressed gas medium to form a specified mixture of monohydroxyalkyl ester and bishydroxyalkyl ester. The reaction pressure is such that the density of the gas medium is greater than or equal to half the critical density of the compressed gas medium. The mole ratio of the alkylene oxide to the dicarboxylic acid is less than about 2:1, and preferably 1.1:1.2. The DP of all reaction products is less than 5. The reactant product may be polymerized into a polyester. The process may optionally employ catalysts such as amines or amino acids. The compressed gas medium can be a solvent and an optional cosolvent. The temperature of reaction is from about 100° C. to 240° C. at a pressure of 50-5000 psi.

Abstract: Copolyesters comprising monomeric units derived from norbornane compounds such as 2,3-norbornane dicarboxylic acid anhydride or dicarboxylate exhibit amorphous characteristics. Exemplary copolymers are obtained by polycondensation of ethylene glycol, terephthalic acid, and up to about 40 mole % cis-norbornane-endo-2,3-dicarboxylic acid anhydride or dimethyl trans-norbornane 2,3-dicarboxylate or mixtures thereof, based upon the total moles of ester forming components of the polyester. The copolymers containing monomeric units derived from norbornane dicarboxylic acid or dicarboxylate can be obtained by melt polymerization and exhibit no or very low crystallinity. The copolyesters may be used to produce transparent, optically clear amorphous articles of manufacture such as containers, extruded objects, and packaging by melt processing techniques such as injection molding, blow molding, extrusion or thermoforming.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of making a copolyester and a resulting copolyester fiber that has increased dyeability and dye retention properties while maintaining good physical properties for textile applications. The fiber may be formed from a mixture comprising terephthalic acid and its ester equivalent in combination with ethylene glycol, and to which is added about 2-4 mole percent of at least two dicarboxylic acids, or their anhydride or ester equivalents excluding terephthalic acid and its ester equivalent, and between about 100 to 700 ppm pentaerytoritol, both being based on the amount of the terephthalic acid and its ester equivalent The dicarboxylic acids and pentaerytliritol may be added before esterification, or after esterification and before polycondensation.

Abstract: An antistatic bicomponent fiber comprises a nonconductive first component made of a first polymer and a conductive second component made of a second polymer containing a conductive material, where the second polymer has a lower melting point than the first polymer. The bicomponent fiber is made by co-extruding the two polymers at a temperature above their melting points, stretching the extruded fiber to increase the tensile strength, and heat treating the fiber at a temperature between the melting point of the first polymer and the melting point of the second polymer to improve the conductivity of the conductive second component. The bicomponent fiber is preferably a sheath/core fiber.

Abstract: A for the production of polymeric fibers in the form of a tow includes drawing and heat setting, with and without crimping, in which the tow has a constant denier per inch during the processing. The process permits very large drawn tows to be produced having a thickness of at least 150,000 denier per inch of width during processing through the production equipment/apparatus. The production apparatus includes a conventional stacker, followed by drawing apparatus, followed by heat setting apparatus, and optionally followed by crimping apparatus. Positioning the stacker before the drawing apparatus allows very large tows to be produced using drawing and heat setting apparatus having rolls significantly shorter than is conventionally known.

Abstract: The esterification of a carboxylic or polycarboxylic acid, such as terephthalic acid, with ethylene oxide is conducted in the presence of a supercritical or near critical fluid with an esterification catalyst to form a monoester such as 2-hydroxyethylterephthalate (MHET). The monoester can be easily removed from the involatile terephthalic acid/catalyst bed by continuous extraction with supercritical fluid before subsequent reaction to the diester occurs. The esterification catalyst, such as quaternary ammonium salts, are at least substantially insoluble in the supercritical fluid and capable of withstanding prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures. The process is highly selective to formation of monoesters, and economical. The process can be modified for production of bis-esters or higher esters. The monoesters are polymerizable and can be used as monomers in the production of polyesters such as polyethylene terephthalate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for melt spinning molten polymeric material into filaments, preferably embodied in the form of a spin pack assembly, utilizes an annular polymer filter formed of a screen mesh material to have a U-shaped axial cross-section defining an open end oriented to face upwardly for receiving polymer within the annular interior of the screen to flow outwardly therefrom to a downstream spinneret for extrusion. The filter eliminates any need to utilize sand or other filter material contained by the screen as a primary or auxiliary filtration medium and enables effective polymer flow substantially through the entire surface area of the screen without stagnation of material flow.

Abstract: A calendering apparatus and method for heatsetting a traveling multi-filament tow basically utilizes plural heated rolls about which the tow travels in a sinuous path to be conductively heated by the rolls and, at each roll, a plurality of infrared lamps in an arcuate arrangement facing the portion of the respective roll in contact with the tow simultaneously applies infrared radiation to the opposite side of the tow. In one embodiment, this arrangement of infrared lamps is retrofitted to a conventional calendering apparatus. An alternative embodiment provides for reducing or eliminating the number of calender rolls followed by a series of infrared heating tunnels collectively effective to accomplish heatsetting of the tow. The speed and/or throughput rate of each calendering apparatus and method is effectively twice that of conventional equipment of similar size.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for steam-treating yarn, films, fibers, fiber tow and other polymeric articles is described. The apparatus includes a first orifice for generating minimum pressure areas and a second orifice to provide a sonic shock region operative to isolate the pressure in one chamber from the pressure in another chamber.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for the production of terephthalic acid and esters thereof from p-tolualdehyde or mixtures of p-tolualdehyde and p-xylene. The process of the invention can be carried out at lower temperatures and faster throughput than conventional processes using p-xylene. The use of p-tolualdehyde facilitates safety considerations by eliminating the induction period and high oxiding fluid concentrations encountered in typical oxidation reactions which use only p-xylene as the terephthalic acid or ester precursor.

Abstract: The invention is directed to improved poly(terephthalic acid diester)-poly(isophthalic acid diester) resins, and in particular to improved polyethylene terephthalate-polyethylene isophthalate resin formulations, the improved formulations containing nucleating and chain-branching agents. The improved formulations of the invention have particular utility in the manufacture of plastic bottles.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the preparation of a polyester polymer or polyester copolymer under superatmospheric pressure conditions in a pipe or tubular reaction under turbannular flow conditions. Reaction material having a glycol equivalents to carboxylic acid equivalents mole ratio of from 1.0:1 to 1.2:1, together with a superatmospheric dense gaseous medium are fed co-currently to the reactor. Dicarboxylic acid and/or diol raw materials may be injected into any of the reaction zones in the process during operation to achieve the overall desired mole ratio balance. The process operates at temperatures of from about 220.degree. C. to about 320.degree. C., with turbannular flow achieved before the polymer product and gas exit the reactor process. The pressure in the reaction zones can be in the range from 15 psia to 2500 psia.

Abstract: In an improved power transmission belt, the circumferentially disposed reinforcing cords are made from multi-filament yarns of heterofilaments. These cords, when fused, have good inter-filament bonding without the solvent of the solvent/adhesive systems.

Abstract: A catalytic process for production of biphenyl and its derivatives by coupling of substituted or unsubstituted monoaryl compounds in the presence of a catalytic system comprising at least one Pd (II) compound and a strong acid or a mixture of acids. The process provides high conversions and high selectivity under mild temperature conditions and short reaction times. The strong acid or mixture of acids has a Hammett acidity of less than about -10, and contains a predominant amount of counterions which form a weak ligand complex with palladium (II). The method is highly selective to formation of desired biaryl isomers, such as 4,4'-isomers, and allows control of the relative amounts of isomers of biaryl compounds and substituted monoaryl compounds in the final product.

Abstract: A process for producing yarn, fiber or filament with substantially improved whiteness, reduced yellowness, reduced abrasiveness, reduced static and softer hand includes melt-blending a masterbatch of zinc sulfide and a polyester with a fiber-forming polyester followed by melt-spinning the blend. The invention additionally provides for polyester yarn, fiber, or filament produced by the process.

Abstract: In the instant invention, drawn yarns, with the following properties, are obtained: tenacity of at least 8.5 gpd; initial modulus of at least 150 gpd/100%; and shrinkage of less than 6%. Alternatively, the yarn may be characterized as: tenacity of greater than 10 gpd; initial modulus of greater than 120 gpd/100%; and shrinkage of less than 6%. These yarns are made by a process directed mainly toward affecting the yarn properties as they are spun.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device, in particular for the treatment of low-viscosity polymer melts, containing a vessel (1) with a stirrer element, the stirrer element (6) essentially comprising a support structure which passes through the vessel and on which surface formers (8) are arranged. According to the invention, the support structure is designed as a cage-like rod frame (7).This results in the following advantages:1. Owing to the now possible continuous wetting or wiping of the surfaces, encrustations and inhomogeneities are avoided.2. Due to enhanced cascading with weir plates, the residence time spectrum can be controlled, which likewise improves the product quality.3. The flexing of the stirrer element is reduced.