Abstract: A nonwoven fabric prepared from fibers which are not substantially fibrillated and have a diameter of less than 20 &mgr;m, by fusing a fiber web comprising fine fibers having a diameter of 4 &mgr;m or less, and adhesive fibers having a diameter ranging from 8 &mgr;m to less than 20 &mgr;m, wherein a maximum pore size in the nonwoven fabric is not more than twice a mean flow pore size of the nonwoven fabric is disclosed.

Abstract: Splittable multicomponent fibers which include polymer segments of different polymeric compositions, in which at least one segment partially overlaps an adjacent segment at the surface of the fiber so as to partially occlude or encapsulate the adjacent segment. The multicomponent fibers of the present invention may be mechanically split into microfilaments formed entirely of the respective components. The fibers of the present invention may be used in a variety of textile applications.

Abstract: In a method for the production of industrial filament yarns, by swirling a polyester multifilament at increased temperature, under a thread traction force of less than 140 cN, in an air-loaded swirl nozzle consisting of a nozzle body with a perforated plate and a baffle plate, the heat is directly transmitted to the polyester multifilament and the air is directly transmitted, via the nozzle body, to a highly heat-conductive metal block which is connected directly to the baffle plate and in which a bore is provided for receiving a heating body.

Abstract: Disclosed are melt processable multicomponent fibers in which at least one component includes a polyacrylonitrile polymer and at least one component includes a polyolefin polymer. The melt processable multicomponent fibers of the present invention may be mechanically split into microfilaments formed entirely of the respective components. The fibers of the present invention may be used in a variety of textile applications, including in electret filter media.

Abstract: The invention resides in a novel ignition resistant activated biregional fiber that is extremely flexible due to the presence of an inner core of a thermoplastic polymeric composition in the fiber that is surrounded by an outer sheath of activated carbon. The invention also discloses a process for the manufacture of flexible activated biregional fiber(s) by heating oxidation stabilized biregional fibers or carbonaceous biregional fibers in an activating atmosphere for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to form an activated carbonaceous outer region in the fiber while the inner core of the fiber remain as a thermoplastic polymeric composition. The activated biregional fibers are particularly characterized by having a highly porous internal structure with an internal surface area of from about 50 m2/g to greater than 2000 m2/g depending on fiber diameter.

Abstract: A synthetic fiber which is excellent in moisture-absorbing/releasing property and exhibits high elongation and high stretch recovery, characterized in that it has moisture absorption ratios of 0.5 to 4.0% by weight in environments of 20° C.×65% RH and that of 4.5% by weight or more in environments of 30° C.×90% RH, respectively, and also has a difference between the absorption ratios in both the environments of 4.0% by weight or more. The representative examples of such fibers include polyurethane synthetic fiber and polyether synthetic fiber. The synthetic fiber maintains a high strength at break of an elastic fiber component thereof also in the state of having absorbed moisture, is excellent in color fastness to rubbing, and can be used for manufacturing a stretch fiber fabric product excellent in comfort through blending with another fiber material.

Abstract: The present invention offers polypropylene terephthalate textured yarn which has little dyeing unevenness or fibrillation, and is outstanding in its product quality, by carrying out texturing at the same time as drawing under specified conditions using polypropylene undrawn yarn; together with a method for the production thereof.

Abstract: A core-sheath composite type polyester monofilament for use in a screen gauze in which the sheath ingredient is a polyester formed by adding and copolymerizing, based on the polyester, 2 to 10% by weight of a polyalkylene oxide with a coloration degree (APHA) after heating at 175° C. for one hour of 30 or less and having a number average molecular weight of from 300 to 4000 and having a peak temperature (Tmax) of a dynamic loss tan (tan &dgr;), at a measuring frequency of 110 Hz of from 97 to 120° C. which is lower by 10° C. or more than that for the core and the area ratio of core to sheath is within a range from 60:40 to 90:10. The polyester monofilament for use in a screen gauze is a monofilament for use in the high mesh screen gauze capable of completely preventing formation of scams during weaving, satisfactory in the gauze tension and excellent in the dimensional stability of gauze and in the adhesion to the photosensitive resin.

Abstract: This invention relates to a polyethylene composite fiber comprising two kinds of polyethylene resin components having different melting points and a non-woven fabric using the same, wherein the low melting component (A) comprises a polyethylene (a) polymerized with a metallocene catalyst, and having a density of 0.850 to 0.930 g/cm3 and a Q value (number average molecular weight/weigh average molecular weight) of 3.0 or less, and the high melting component (B) is a polyethylene (b) having a density of 0.940 g/cm3 or more, and preferably analysis of the fiber using a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) shows specified thermal property. The fiber of this invention can be easily processed into a non-woven fabric at a wide range processing temperature, and suitably used for medical materials such as being disinfected under radiation.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to thermo-expandable fibers and to the expanded hollow fibers or microtubes, microcellular foam or foamed composite material that results upon heating the expandable fibers. The thermo-expandable fiber of the present invention is characterized by having a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets or particles of blowing agent or propellant within the fiber. The polymeric wall may have reactive functional groups on its surface to give a fusible fiber. When the expandable fibers are heated, they expand to form hollow fibers or microtubes comprising polymeric shells surrounding one or more internal gaseous voids, and when the fibers are expanded while in contact with each other, a microcellular foam may be formed. The foam consists of a plurality of hollow fibers fused together, optionally aided by functional groups present on the surface of the heated fibers that act to crosslink the material.

Abstract: Fine denier poly(trimethylene terephthalate) feed yarns and drawn yarns wherein the drawn yarns are characterized by a denier per filament less than 1.5 and are drawn such that the actual draw ratio is within 10 percent of the predicted draw ratio determined according to: [(elongation to break of the feed yarn)+115]/[(elongation to break of the drawn yarn)+115)] are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polyurethane based fiber containing 0.1-25 percent poly(vinylidene fluoride) and a method of making the same.

Abstract: Fire retardant and heat resistant yarns, fabrics, felts and other fibrous blends which incorporate high amounts of oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers. Such yarns, fabrics, felts and other fibrous blends have a superior LOI, TPP and continuous operating temperature compared to conventional fire retardant fabrics. The yarns, fabrics, felts and other fibrous blends are also more soft and supple, and are therefore more comfortable to wear, compared to conventional fire retardant fabrics. The yarns, fabrics, felts and other fibrous blends incorporate up to 99.9% oxidized polyacrylonitrile fibers, together with at least one additional fiber, such as p-aramid, in order to provide increased tensile strength and abrasion resistance of the inventive yarns, fabrics, felts and other fibrous blends. The yarns may be woven, knitted or otherwise assembled into a desired fabric.

Abstract: A non-crimping polyester monofilament having an excellent resistance to abrasion and satisfactory mechanical strength and modulus has a intrinsic viscosity distribution such that the farther the location of a part of the monofilament from the longitudinal axis of the monofilament, the lower the intrinsic viscosity of a portion of polyester resin located in the part of the monofilament, wherein a peripheral part of the monofilament formed from a portion of the polyester resin having a lowest average intrinsic viscosity of 0.6 to 1.1 and concentrically surrounds a center part of the monofilament formed from another portion of the polyester resin having a highest average intrinsic viscosity, and the intrinsic viscosities the polyester resin portions for the peripheral and center parts of the monofilament is controlled by controlling the heat history of each of the portions of the polyester resin in a melt spinneret for producing the monofilament.

Abstract: A nylon 66 filament yarn having a tenacity of at least 60 cn/tex, an elongation of 10 to 25% and a hot air shrinkage of 7-11% (160 C).

Abstract: There are disclosed polyester fibers that are composed of at least 90% by weight of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and have a limiting viscosity of 0.4-2, being characterized by containing a phosphorus compound at 10-250 ppm in terms of weight of elemental phosphorus, containing no more than 3 wt % of cyclic dimers, containing no more than 2 wt % of bis(3-hydroxypropyl) ether copolymerized with the poly(trimethylene terephthalate), and having a birefringence of 0.03 or greater. The polyester fibers are poly(trimethylene terephthalate)-based fibers with excellent whiteness and tenacity, which are obtained by melt spinning of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) resin composition with improved whiteness, melt stability and spinning stability.

Abstract: A three-dimensionally shaped fiber network structure having both resiliency and improved softness and aesthetic properties is composed of a deformed textile fabric formed from at least one monofilament and at least one multifilament yarn and having a plurality of deformations formed as a two-dimensional array in a base region of the deformed textile fabric. The deformed textile fabric is preferably a knitted or a woven fabric. The network structure is made by forming a deformable fabric from the monofilament and the multifilament yarn and then subjecting the deformable fabric to an area-enlarging deformation process, e.g., a thermomechanical process, to produce the deformed textile fabric having the deformations formed in a base region thereof. The three-dimensional network structures may be used in a variety of articles, including cushioning materials, impact-absorbing materials, and load-bearing materials.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the materials used in a gland packing made from expansive graphite, the gland packing made from expansive graphite using the materials and a producing method of the gland packing made from expansive graphite, with producing facility in addition to sealing ability, heat resistance, chemical resistance and such properties and with causing no electrolytic corrosion to shaft and apparatus casing, and braiding thread which constructs these is braiding thread wherein a strip laminated sheet comprising an expansive graphite sheet laminated with a film made from polytetrafluoroethylene on one side thereof and is set with polyvinylalcohol layer on the other side thereof, is twist processed so that the film made from polytetrafluoroethylene positions on the outside.

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: Provided is a fire resistant corespun yarn. The yarn includes a core of a high temperature resistant continuous filament comprising fiberglass and a low temperature synthetic continuous filament selected from nylon, polyester, polyethylene and polyolefin, the core being two-plied. A first sheath of blended staple fibers surrounds the core. The fibers include modacrylic fibers and melamine fibers. A second sheath of staple fibers surrounds the first corespun yarn. This double corespun 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. Also provided is a fire resistant fabric which includes a fire resistant fabric substrate formed from the fire resistant corespun yarn, as well as a product upholstered with the fire resistant fabric.