Abstract: A process for the production and for the winding of one polyester yarn, preferably multi-filament yarn, which comprises at least about 85 weight %, in relation to the total weight of the polyester yarn, of polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) wherein said process is characterized in that filaments of said polyester yarn is heat-treated, before it is wound on a bobbin, at a temperature in the range of about 70° C. to about 180° C. The method of accomplishing this is by heating the godets that are used in the spinning part of the process, preferably the last pair of godets, to relax the yarns so that the yarn package will not shrink significantly during storage and/or transportation. It is thus possible to obtain at least one PTT yarn package with long-term stability during storage and which is insensitive against elevated temperatures during storage and transport.

Abstract: Described are a process for producing elastane yarn having a linear density of at least 2500 dtex by the wet spinning process and the thereby producible coarse linear density elastane yarn having a wide cross section and a low residual solvent content. The process comprises the steps of spinning an up to 35% strength by weight stable-viscosity elastane solution into a coagulation bath, washing and optionally drawing, drying by contact heating, setting, spin finishing and winding the yarn, the filaments leaving the coagulation bath passing around a diverting roller disposed just above the coagulation bath liquid, the as-spun filament linear density amounting to not more than 1% of the value of the final linear density, the jet stretch ratio being within the range from 0.5 to 50, the contact heating temperature being at least 220° C. and the contact time of the elastane yarn being at least 2 seconds.

Abstract: A method including forming a semi-crystalline polymer material into a lamella; and stretching the lamella into a polymer comprising a node of folded lamella and a fibril orientation. A method including extruding a pseudo-gel comprising an ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene material into a lamella; stretching the lamella into a polymer comprising a node of folded lamella and a fibril orientation; and annealing the polymer at a temperature sufficient to define the node and fibril orientation. An apparatus including a body portion formed of a dimension suitable for a medical device application and comprising a semi-crystalline polymer arrayed in a node of folded lamella and a fibril orientation. An apparatus including a body portion comprising an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene material arrayed in a node of folded lamella and a fibril orientation.

Abstract: Hollow extrusions are formed by initially extruding a plurality of separate strands adapted to form segments of the completed hollow extrusion in their positions corresponding to the locations of those segments in the finished extrusion. Webs between these strands are then formed by feeding an afterflow of the melt at press pressure into the shaping channel in the calibrator downstream from the die zone so that under the pressure of this melt and the melt heat, the webs fuse to the ends of ribs of the separate strands.

Abstract: To produce meta aramid filaments having a good quality from a polymer solution of a meta aramid produced by a solution polymerization method, with high efficiency, (1) a meta aramid is prepared by polymerization-reacting a aromatic meta-diamine with a aromatic meta-dicarboxylic acid chloride in a polar organic solvent; (2) hydrogen chloride contained in the resultant polymer solution is neutralized with a neutralizing agent containing an alkali metal hydroxide which can react with hydrogen chloride to produce a salt thereof insoluble in the polymerization solvent; (3) the salt deposited from the polymer solution is removed by filtration; (4) the resultant polymer solution is mixed with water and a polar organic amide solvent to prepare a spinning solution; (5) the resultant meta aramid spinning solution is directly extruded in the form of filamentary streams into an aqueous coagulation liquid, to coagulate the extruded filamentary streams of the polymer solution into the form of filaments; (6) the coagulated

Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-layered biaxially-oriented film, mainly made of a crystallizeable thermoplastic polyester and economically produceable with a high surface quality, i.e. without pinning bubbles and without electric arcing and film breaks, at production speeds of 340 m/min or higher. According to the invention the multi-layered polyester film has an average specific electrical melt resistance over its total thickness which lies within a range from 1.5×107 to 30×107 &OHgr;×cm. The invention also relates to a method of production of the film.

Abstract: A method of producing a microporous membrane comprising the steps of: extruding a polymer at a temperature of from (polymer melting point +10° C.) to (polymer melting point +100° C.); drawing the extruded polymer at a rate of 5˜120 m/min in 10˜150° C. to obtain a polymer film; annealing the polymer film at a temperature of from (polymer melting point −100° C.) to (polymer melting point −5° C.) for 10 seconds to 1 hour; irradiating both surfaces of the annealed polymer film with an ion-particle amount of 102˜1020 ion/cm2 energized at 10−2˜107 KeV, at an irradiating distance of 5˜100 cm under a vacuum of 10−2˜10−[torr; cold stretching the irradiated polymer film at a temperature of from −20° C. to (polymer melting point −40° C.); hot stretching the cold stretched polymer film at a temperature of from (polymer melting point −40° C.) to (polymer melting point −5° C.

Abstract: Improved polypropylene fibers exhibiting greatly reduced heat- and moisture-shrink problems are provided. Such fibers require the presence of certain compounds that quickly and effectively provide rigidity to the target polypropylene fiber after heat-setting. Generally, these compounds include any structure that nucleates polymer crystals within the target polypropylene after exposure to sufficient heat to melt the initial pelletized polymer and upon allowing such a melt to cool. The compounds must nucleate polymer crystals at a higher temperature than the target polypropylene without the nucleating agent during cooling. In such a manner, the “rigidifying” nucleator compounds provide nucleation sites for polypropylene crystal growth. After drawing the nucleated composition into fiber form, the fiber is then exposed to sufficient heat to grow the crystalline network, thus holding the fiber in a desired position.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to absorbable, autoclaveable, monofilament fibers prepared from absorbable glycolide-rich polymers, in which the fibers are oriented in the total draw ratio range 4.1 to 5.9X, and are annealed at a temperature between about 165° C. and about 185° C; to brachytherapy seed spacers manufactured from the absorbable, autoclaveable, glycolide-rich polymers, monofilament fibers; and to methods of manufacturing such fibers and brachytherapy seed spacers.

Abstract: A moisture-crosslinkable polyolefin material, comprising a silane-grafted polyolefin blend, and coatings or insulations, including heat-shrinkable coatings and insulations, prepared therefrom. The coating material is formed by a process comprising: (a) reacting a pre-blended mixture of polyolefin and polypropylene, or higher polyolefin, resins and optional compatibilizing agent, with an appropriate silane and silane-grafting initiator to produce a silane-modified polyolefin blend composition; (b) forming the coating or insulating material by melt processing the composition produced in step (a) with a silanol condensation catalyst; and (c) crosslinking the formed coating or insulating material by exposing it to moisture, preferably at an elevated temperature.

Abstract: An elastic breathable film is disclosed. The film is formed from a thermoplastic elastomer that contains a filler. Once the film is formed, the film is stretched causing the formation of micropores. The thermoplastic elastomer then undergoes phase separation between hard segment blocks and soft segment blocks which restores elasticity to the film. In one embodiment, the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer.

Abstract: Several methods and machines for continuously forming a fastener product having an array of fastener elements extending from a continuous, sheet-form base, employing a mold belt on which the sheet-form base of the product is formed and from which it is subsequently stripped. The belt defines an array of cavities extending from its outer surface, for molding either the array of fastener elements or an array of preform stems that are subsequently reformed into the fastener elements. In some cases the cavities are blind, such as for forming hook-type fastener elements; in other cases, the cavities extend through the belt, such as for forming mushroom-type fastener elements. Various belt constructions and fastener element shapes are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to absorbable, autoclaveable, monofilament fibers prepared from absorbable glycolide-rich polymers, in which the fibers are oriented in the total draw ratio range 4.1 to 5.6×, and are annealed at a temperature between about 165° C. and about 185° C.; to brachytherapy seed spacers manufactured from the absorbable, autoclaveable, glycolide-rich polymers, monofilament fibers; and to methods of manufacturing such fibers and brachytherapy seed spacers.

Abstract: A process of making polytrimethylene terephthalate staple fibers, comprising (a) providing polytrimethylene terephthalate, (b) melt spinning the melted polytrimethylene terephthalate at a temperature of 245-285° C. into filaments, (c) quenching the filaments, (d) drawing the quenched filaments, (e) crimping the drawn filaments using a mechanical crimper at a crimp level of 8-30 crimps per inch (3-12 crimps/cm), (f) relaxing the crimped filaments at a temperature of 50-120° C., and (g) cutting the relaxed filaments into staple fibers having a length of about 0.2-6 inches (about 0.5-about 15 cm), and polytrimethylene terephthalate staple fibers, yarns and fabrics. Further, a process of optimizing the crimp take-up of a polytrimethylene terephthalate staple fiber comprising determining the relationship between denier and crimp take-up and manufacturing staple fibers having a denier selected based upon that determination.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermoforming a thermoplastic article comprises an extrusion die for extruding a sheet of thermoplastic and a rotating wheel having at least one mold member. The mold member includes a male mold or forming cavity for receiving at least a portion of a substantially non-oriented (i.e., non-tensioned) thermoplastic sheet. The mold member is selectively heated and/or cooled during thermoforming to maintain the sheet in a molten or thermoformable state. The mold member also comprises a stripper plate maintained at a predetermined temperature or temperature distribution for inducing a predetermined degree of crystallinity to the sheet. The stripper plate enables the articles to be separated from the mold without distortion. In one embodiment, the thermoformed article has at least two and preferably at least three distinct regions of thermally-induced crystallinity.

Abstract: The invention relates to a single-layered or multi-layered biaxially-oriented film, which mainly consists of a crystallizeable thermoplastic polyester and which has a total thickness ranging from 4 to 25 &mgr;m. The film which is provided with a magnetic coating has a skew value of ≦1. The invention also relates to a process for the production of this film which comprises the melting of the thermoplastic polyester in an extruder, extruding it through a flat-film die (slot die), and chilling it thereafter in order to obtain a prefilm. The prefilm is then stretched, the stretched film is thermofixed and the thermofixed final film is seamed and wound up. After the winding process the film roll is, submitted to an aging process.

Abstract: Disclosed are polyester multi-filamentary yarn useful as a reinforcement for tires and a dipped cord formed therefrom. The polyester multi-filamentary yarn comprises at least 90 mol % of polyethylene terephthalate and has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.70-1.2 and a tenacity of 5.5-8.5 g/d with an intermediate elongation difference (E1−E0) between intermediate elongations E0 and E1 amounting to 6% or greater. The polyester dipped cord is produced by subjecting at least two strands of polyester multi-filamentary yarn to first twisting and second twisting, the polyester multi-filamentary yarn comprising 90 mol % of polyethylene terephthalate; forming the strands into a fabric; and treating the fabric with blocked isocyanate and resorcinol formaldehyde latex (RFL), wherein the cord satisfies the following characteristics: a) a tenacity of 5.0 g/d or greater, b) a dimensional stability index (E4.5+SR) of less than 7.

Abstract: The present invention improves the bowing phenomenon of a biaxially stretched polyester film which comprises stretching the longitudinally stretched cast film laterally at a temperature higher than the glass transition temperature of the polyester film from by 5° C. to by 50° C., staying the laterally stretched film in an intermediate zone for a period from 3 to 30 seconds which has been controlled at a temperature from higher than the lateral stretching temperature by 20° C. or more to lower than a heat setting temperature by 20° C. or less, and then heat-setting at the heat setting temperature which is lower than the melting point of the polyester film from by 30° C. to by 5° C.

Abstract: Highly crimped, fully drawn bicomponent fibers, prepared by melt-spinning, followed by gas-flow quenching, heat treatment and high speed windup, are provided, as are fine-decitex and highly uniform polyester bicomponent fibers.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for the high speed extrusion of profile ele-ments for home storage units such as reclosable thermoplastic bags. Interlocking elements or plastic zipper strips are extruded directly into a waterbath to be quenched, and drawn through said bath for a distance sufficient to cool said elements to below the softening point of the extruded material. Collection rates of from about 200 to about 350 linear feet per minute are achieved by passing the elements through a depth of at least 3 feet of water prior to their first contact with a solid handling element.

Abstract: A fiber-reinforced depolymerizable and repolymerizable thermoplastic composite that is encased in a depolymerizable and repolymerizable thermoplastic resin exhibits the strength and stiffness that make the encased composite particularly suitable for a wide array of applications that require very high strength, stiffness, and exceptional impact, together with complex shape. Examples of such applications include bumper beams, pedals, car door structures, instrument panels, and seating structures for automotive use. Other applications include window profiles, skis, ski poles, mast stays, tent poles, concrete reinforcement, crash barriers, window or door lineals, cable trays, cable for optical fibers, bicycle wheels and frames, and pipe.

Abstract: A method for preparing industrial polyester fibers involving melt-spinning polyester chips through a nozzle, oiling the resultant filaments with an aqueous emulsion oiling agent, and producing, from the filaments, multifilament yarn at a speed of 2000-3300 m/min.

Abstract: A method of converting a plastics material into a yarn includes heating the material to melt it and pumping the melted material through an extrusion die (114) to form an extruded filament (116). The extruded filament is cooled and passed through a first draw roller assembly (122) while elevating the temperature of the filament. The filament (116) is heated in a heating zone (126) as it exits the first draw roller assembly. Thereafter the filament is passed through a second draw roller assembly (134) operating at a different linear speed to the first draw roller assembly (122). The filament (116) is spooled after exiting the second draw roller assembly (134).

Abstract: A method for making bioabsorbable block copolymer includes extruding a mixture of first polymeric component particles with second polymeric component particles under conditions sufficient to cause transesterification. The resulting block copolymer filaments can be used to form surgical sutures.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of producing a fastener product having a multiplicity of fastening members with stems integrally molded with a strip-form base, along with a product and a preform product so produced. Molten resin is applied to a rotating mold roll having an outer surface for forming one side of the base, and a multiplicity of cavities extending inward from the outer surface for molding the stems. A preform product is stripped from the mold roll having a multiplicity of upstanding, preform stems extending from a side of the base. The preform product is passed through a post-forming nip between a heading roll and a backing member to form overhanging heads at the distal ends of the upstanding stems. The heading roll has a multiplicity of cavities about its periphery for forming the heads. Various means are disclosed for aligning the preform stems and the heading roll cavities.

Abstract: A method of forming a fastener is provided, including (a) forming, from a thermoformable material, a preform product having a sheet-form base and an array of preform stems integrally molded with and extending from the base to corresponding terminal ends; (b) heating the terminal ends of the stems to a predetermined softening temperature, while maintaining the sheet-form base and a lower portion of each stem at a temperature lower than the softening temperature; and (c) contacting the terminal ends with a contact surface that is at a predetermined forming temperature, lower than the softening temperature, to deform the terminal ends to form heads therefrom that overhang the sheet-form base. Fasteners and other methods of forming them are also provided.

Abstract: A polyolefin porous material is produced by synthesizing silica particles, polysiloxane particles or crosslinked vinyl polymer particles having an average particle diameter of 0.01 to 0.1 &mgr;m in a molten polyolefin to obtain a polyolefin composition. The polyolefin composition is subsequently subjected to molding and stretching to obtain a polyolefin porous material. The obtained polyolefin porous material contains fine particles dispersed therein, substantially without forming agglomerates, and has an average pore diameter of 0.005 to 0.1 &mgr;m. The small pore diameter allows the material to be used as a liquid/liquid separation membrane, a base material for precision filtration, or a separator for batteries.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing thermoplastic resin film which allows a biaxially oriented polyester film to be formed at a high speed of 400 m/min or more. In the method, a molten thermoplastic resin film is brought into contact with a cooling medium, to be cooled and solidified, for producing a cast film. The method is characterized by keeping the surface temperature of the cooling medium in the region immediately before the melt reaching position at not lower than the glass transition temperature and not higher than the melting point of the thermoplastic resin. The apparatus is characterized by a cooling medium having a heater and a cooler to ensure that the surface temperature of the cooling medium in the region immediately before the melt reaching position is kept at the requisite temperature, and by a surface temperature of the cooling drum in the region immediately before the film leaving position being maintained lower than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin.

Abstract: A method of shaping three-dimensional products by manipulating an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene tubular body into a desired three-dimensional conformation. The present invention entails radially expanding a longitudinally expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) tube to form a radially expanded ePTFE (rePTFE) tube, engaging the rePTFE tube circumferentially about a shaping mandrel, heating the assembly to a temperature below the crystalline melt point temperature, or sintering temperature, of polytetrafluoroethylene to radially shrink the diameter of the rePTFE tube into intimate contact with the shaping mandrel, and heating the assembly to a temperature above the crystalline melt point temperature of polytetrafluoroethylene to amorphously lock the microstructure of the shaped polytetrafluoroethylene body.

Abstract: Permanently crimped fibres produced by three-dimensional texturing, and a method for making same, are disclosed. The fibres are advantageously produced by spinning and optionally stretching a filament roving. The roving is then fed to a three-dimensional texturing station then to a cutting device for cutting the roving into fibres having a predetermined length. The resulting fibres have high bulkiness and enable the production of non-woven surfaces having a remarkable abrasiveness as well as carpets with enhanced wear properties.