Abstract: A self-coating stabilizing yarn for use with conventional effect yarns in the construction of outdoor fabrics. The self-coating yarn includes a low melt constituent and a high melt constituent. After being woven with the effect yarns and exposed to a preselected heating temperature, the low melt constituent melts, flows through the fibers or filaments of the stabilizing yarns and onto the adjacent effect yarn, thus forming bonds and stabilizing and strengthening both the stabilizing yarns, the effect yarns, and the resulting fabric.

Abstract: A polytrimethylene terephthalate fiber composed of a polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) comprising not less than 95 mole % of a polytrimethylene terephthalate repeating unit and having an intrinsic viscosity of from 0.7 to 1.3, wherein the fiber satisfies the following features: (1) a degree of crystalline orientation of from 88% to 95%, (2) a peak value of dynamic loss tangent (tan &dgr;) max of from 0.10 to 0.15, (3) a peak temperature Tmax (°C.) of dynamic loss tangent 102 to 116° C., (4) an elongation at break of from 36 to 50%, (5) a peak value of thermal stress being between 0.25 and 0.38 g/d, (6) a fiber to fiber dynamic frictional coefficient of from 0.30 to 0.50; and the PTT fiber having an excellent processability can be obtained through a drawing process in which the undrawn yarn can be stably drawn. The PTT fiber can be produced by melt-spinning PTT having an intrinsic viscosity of 0.7-1.

Abstract: A biodegradable complex fiber which retains excellent biodegradability and hydrolyzability and has high strength and high melting temperature suitable for practical use and a method for producing the biodegradable complex fiber are provided. The biodegradable complex fiber comprises at least one polymer material selected from the group consisting of a polyglycolic acid, a poly(glycolic acid-co-lactic acid) and polylactic acid as a core component or as a shell component and a polymer material of poly(3-hydroxybutyric acid) groups or a polymer material of an aliphatic polyester consisting of a dibasic acid and a diol as a shell component or as a core component. The method comprises producing the biodegradable complex fiber by melt spinning.

Abstract: A process of producing a synthetic ultrafine endless yarn on the basis of polyester or polyamide in the range from 0.25 to 0.9 denier per POY filament by melt spinning at draw-off speeds between 2000 and 6000 m/min with a high spinning safety. To the polyester or polyamide a second immiscible amorphous polymer may be added in an amount of 0.05 to 5 wt %. One feature of the invention is the adjustment of a balanced temperature profile in the cross-section of the filament bundle before reaching the draft zone, as well as the suitable adaptation between snap-back length and the draft point of the filaments in the quench duct.

Abstract: Charged, high-strength, high-modulus, melt-processed microfibers, films having a charged, microfibrillated surface, and methods of making the same are described. Charged microfibrillated articles of the invention can be prepared by imparting fluid energy, typically in the form of high-pressure water jets, to a highly oriented, highly crystalline, melt processed film to liberate microfibers or microfibrous flakes therefrom. Microfibrillated articles of the invention find use as tape backings, in the preparation of woven or nonwoven articles, filters for particulate contaminants, such as face masks and water or air filters, fibrous mats, such as those used for removal of oil from water, wipes for dust or debris removal, and thermal and acoustical insulation.

Abstract: The invention is aimed to provide a core-sheath type composite filament, in which a functional component is hardly lost due to volatilization during the melt forming; bleeding of the internally added functional component is effectively inhibited; the internally added functional component does not adversely affect spinning properties, stretching properties, strength and dimensional stability; the use of the functional component can be greatly reduced, leading to a reduction of production cost; superior functionalities of deodorizing properties and antimicrobial properties can be exhibited to a maximum extent; even when contacting with water, the functionalities can be kept over a long time; and the composite filament is highly safe to a human body. The invention is also aimed to provide a process for the production of the core-sheath type composite filament as well as a heat fused article obtained from the composite filament.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus to produce space dyed yarns. A yarn sheet passes over a yarn-driven roll equipped with a digital sensor that tracks the position of the sheet as it then passes through a dyeing apparatus. A computer precisely controls the spray application of dyes at the desired locations on the length of the yarn sheet to produce space dyed POY and FOY yarns.

Abstract: The invention is a side by side nylon/nylon bicomponent yarn with desirable stretch and recovery and retractive force characteristics, and the process for manufacturing this yarn.

Abstract: An electrically-conductive composite fiber composed of an electrically-conductive polyamide layer (A) containing 15-50 wt % of electrically-conductive carbon black and which is three or more times exposed at the fiber surface and a protective polyamide layer (B) which covers no less than 60% of the periphery of the fiber cross section and accounts for 50-97 wt % of the total fiber weight, does not exhibit component separation during spinning, retains its good initial conductive performance for a long period of time, and exhibits good color fastness.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a split conjugated fiber.

Abstract: Provided is a fire resistant corespun yarn. The yarn includes a core of high temperature resistant continuous inorganic filaments; a first sheath of staple fibers surrounding the core, wherein the staple fibers comprise fibers of at least one fire resistant material selected from the group consisting of meta-aramids, para-aramids, fluoropolymers and copolymers, chloropolymers and copolymers, polybenzimidazole, polyimides, polyamideimides, partially oxidized polyacrylonitriles, novoloids, poly (p-phenylene benzobisoxazoles), poly (p-phenylene benzothiazoles), polyphenylene sulfides, flame retardant viscose rayons, polyvinyl chloride homopolymers and copolymers, polyetheretherketones, polyketones, polyetherimides, polylactides, and combinations thereof; and a second sheath of staple fibers surrounding the first corespun yarn. This yarn may be woven and knit in fine, non-plied or plied form and extends the range of fineness of fabrics below heretofore achievable limits.

Abstract: An elastic polyurethane fiber excellent in chlorine resistance, which contains particles of a metal compound selected from oxides and hydroxides of a metal selected from zinc and magnesium, and composite oxides of zinc and magnesium, a treating agent selected from a fatty acid, a styrene/maleic anhydride copolymer or its esterified products and a phosphoric ester adhering to the surface of the particles. The elastic polyurethane fiber is appropriate for an elastic fiber material for swimwear used in a swimming pool. The elastic polyurethane fiber can be produced by spinning a polyurethane spinning dope containing the metal compound particles to which such a specific treating agent as mentioned above adheres. The spinning dope suppresses secondary agglomeration of the metal compound particles and enables stabilized spinning of a modified polyurethane fiber.

Abstract: A thermoplastic polymer monofilament oriented from 3.0-6.0 times its original length having a diameter of 125-600 microns and containing 0.2-5.0% by weight, based on the weight of the monofilament, of glitter particles or film particles having a particle size of 50-400 microns in its longest diameter, a thickness of 2-50 microns and having a diameter to thickness ratio of at least 2 to 1 and wherein the longest diameter of the particle is not greater than 80% of the diameter of the monofilament and that provide the monofilament with an attractive appearance. A core sheath monofilament is also part of this invention wherein the core is a thermoplastic polymer monofilament having a sheath of the same or different thermoplastic polymer containing the above described particles. These monofilaments are particularly useful in toothbrushes and cosmetic brushes.

Abstract: Bicomponent fibers of isotactic polypropylene and syndiotactic polypropylene, methods of making such fibers and products made thereof.

Abstract: A bristle comprises a core of a comparatively rigid, bending-elastic plastics material and at least one layer of a rubber-like plastics material, which is profiled by stamping or embossing against the core. To said layer can be applied a further film-like coating smoothing the profiling. Such a bristle is produced by the co-extrusion of the core and the rubber-like layer and the subsequent stamping thereof against the core. The film-like coating is applied following stamping.

Abstract: Multicomponent superabsorbent fibers are disclosed. The multicomponent fibers comprise at least one acidic water-absorbing resin and at least one basic water-absorbing resin. Each fiber contains at least one microdomain of the acidic resin in contact with, or in close proximity to, at least one microdomain of the basic resin. Blends of multicomponent superabsorbent fibers with particles of a second water-absorbing resin also are disclosed. Articles containing the multicomponent superabsorbent fibers also are disclosed.

Abstract: Crimped polyester fibers which comprise a polytrimethylene terephthalate-based polyester and have three-dimensional crimps with a number of crimps of 9 to 30 peaks/25 mm and a crimp ratio of 20 to 50% and further a crimp modulus of elasticity of 80% or above. A fiber structure wherein the weight ratio of staple fibers of the above crimped polyester fibers to heat-bonding conjugated staple fibers is 30:70 to 95:5 and heat-bonded spots are formed at least partially in contact points of both the staple fibers and/or contact points of the mutual heat-bonding conjugated staple fibers.

Abstract: Disclosed are carbon fibers consisting of a plurality of single filaments, wherein the carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand are characterized by satisfying the following relations: &sgr;≧11.1-0.75d where &sgr; is the tensile strength of said carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand in GPa, and d is the average diameter of said single filaments in &mgr;m, and RD≧0.05 where RD is the difference in crystallinity between the inner and outer layers of each of the single filaments evaluated with RAMAN, and an acrylic fibers for producing the carbon fibers and a process for producing the acrylic fibers.

Abstract: The present invention provides nonwoven fabrics formed of hollow filaments and/or hollow staple fibers and processes for producing the same. The hollow spunbonded filaments and hollow staple fibers are formed of a polypropylene composition. The resultant fabrics of the invention can be useful in numerous applications, such as components of medical garments and disposable absorbent products.

Abstract: The present invention includes carbon nanotubes whose hollow cores are 100% filled with conductive filler. The carbon nanotubes are in uniform arrays on a conductive substrate and are well-aligned and can be densely packed. The uniformity of the carbon nanotube arrays is indicated by the uniform length and diameter of the carbon nanotubes, both which vary from nanotube to nanotube on a given array by no more than about 5%. The alignment of the carbon nanotubes is indicated by the perpendicular growth of the nanotubes from the substrates which is achieved in part by the simultaneous growth of the conductive filler within the hollow core of the nanotube and the densely packed growth of the nanotubes. The present invention provides a densely packed carbon nanotube growth where each nanotube is in contact with at least one nearest-neighbor nanotube.