EP0918889B1 - Produits files eclair - Google Patents

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Publication number
EP0918889B1
EP0918889B1 EP97938395A EP97938395A EP0918889B1 EP 0918889 B1 EP0918889 B1 EP 0918889B1 EP 97938395 A EP97938395 A EP 97938395A EP 97938395 A EP97938395 A EP 97938395A EP 0918889 B1 EP0918889 B1 EP 0918889B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
sheet material
material according
polymer
flash
orifice
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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EP97938395A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP0918889A1 (fr
Inventor
Larry Ray Marshall
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EIDP Inc
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EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
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Publication date
Priority claimed from US08/825,266 external-priority patent/US5851936A/en
Application filed by EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co filed Critical EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Publication of EP0918889A1 publication Critical patent/EP0918889A1/fr
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
    • D01F—CHEMICAL FEATURES IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBON FILAMENTS
    • D01F6/00—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof
    • D01F6/02—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from homopolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds
    • D01F6/04—Monocomponent artificial filaments or the like of synthetic polymers; Manufacture thereof from homopolymers obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds from polyolefins
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
    • D01D—MECHANICAL METHODS OR APPARATUS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF ARTIFICIAL FILAMENTS, THREADS, FIBRES, BRISTLES OR RIBBONS
    • D01D5/00—Formation of filaments, threads, or the like
    • D01D5/11—Flash-spinning
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
    • D04H1/70—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres
    • D04H1/72—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres the fibres being randomly arranged
    • D04H1/724—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres the fibres being randomly arranged forming webs during fibre formation, e.g. flash-spinning

Definitions

  • This invention relates to flash-spun plexifilaments and particularly to nonwoven flash-spun sheets or fabrics made with flash-spun plexifilaments.
  • Tyvek® spunbonded olefin E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) has been making Tyvek® spunbonded olefin for a number of years. Tyvek® spun bonded olefin is used as a fabric for garments, especially for use in protective apparel for chemical or hazardous exposure, as an air infiltration barrier for construction applications, as medical packaging, and also for envelopes such as overnight express envelopes. New applications for Tyvek® spunbonded olefin are always being considered and developed.
  • Tyvek® spunbonded olefin such as high strength, low basis weight, high barrier, low cost, high opacity, porosity, the ability to accept printing with vivid results and many other qualities, make it quite unique. No other product has been commercially available with a combination of properties comparable to Tyvek® spunbonded olefin. However, DuPont is always looking to improve its product offerings and it is quite desirable to push the properties of Tyvek® spunbonded olefin beyond its current limits.
  • Break elongation is the percentage the sheet material stretches before it breaks. It is desirable to increase break elongation to provide the nonwoven sheets with some give prior to breaking. For example, as a garment for protective apparel, the wearer may stretch his arm outwards from the body and then bend it at the elbow. If the garment is at all tight fitting, the fabric of sleeve, under this circumstance, would be stretched. However, it is preferred that the fabric give or yield rather than rip or break. High break elongation also tends to increase another related property called toughness. In general toughness is a measure of a combination of tensile strength and break elongation. Materials that have high toughness tend to have substantial tensile strength with the ability to stretch before failure.
  • U.S. Patent 4,554,207 discloses lightweight nonwoven sheets of polyethylene plexifilamentary film-fibril strands made by a stretching-and-bonding operation in which the unit weight of the sheet is decreased in stages while at a temperature within 3° to 8°C of the melting point of the polyethylene.
  • DE-A1-3 826 621 discloses a spinneret plate characterised in that it consists of a synthetic polymer, preferably a carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone or polyphenylene sulphide.
  • the spinneret passageways preferably have a length/diameter ratio from 5:1 to 50:1.
  • U.S. Patent 3,774,387 discloses textile products comprising an assembly of fibrils.
  • the assembly can be in the form of a yam, plexifilament, fabric or the like, and is at least staple fibre length.
  • the fibrils are of irregular cross-section and are composed of a non-cellosic, synthetic organic polymer, and most are interconnected to form a plexus.
  • U.S. Patent 5,250,237 discloses a process for flash-spinning plexifilamentary film-fibril strands of a fiber-forming polyolefin from a C 1-4 alcohol or a C 1-4 alcohol/co-solvent spin liquid.
  • a flash spun polymeric sheet material having an opacity of greater than 85% characterised in that said sheet material has a basis weight greater than 30 g/m 2 but less than 100 g/m 2 , and an average break elongation measured according to ASTM D1682-64 of greater than about 30%.
  • Said sheet material preferably has a Spencer puncture measured according to ASTM D-3420-91 procedure B of greater than 0.34 Nm/cm 2 (20 in-lb/in 2 ).
  • the invention further relates to a flash spun polymeric envelope material having an opacity greater than 85%, characterised in that said material has a basis weight greater than 30 g/m 2 but less than 100 g/m 2 , a Spencer puncture measured according to ASTM D-3420-91 procedure B of greater than 0.34 newton-meter/cm 2 and an average break elongation measured according to ASTM D1682-64 of greater than about 35%.
  • the invention further relates to a process for flash spinning polymer and forming sheet material as previously described, the improvement comprising mixing the polymer in a hydrocarbon spin agent at a ratio of less than about 16% polymer, and emitting the polymer solution through a spin orifice at a temperature of at least about 180°C, wherein the spin orifice has a length to diameter ratio of at least 2.0.
  • the invention further relates to a process for flash spinning polymer and forming fabric from a sheet material according to the invention, the improvement comprising spinning a polymer solution through a spin orifice having length to diameter ratio of at least 2.0 and an inline mixer in a letdown chamber upstream of the spinning orifice.
  • the basic process is illustrated in Figure 1 and is similar to that disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,860,369 to Brethauer et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference.
  • the flash-spinning process is normally conducted in a chamber 10, sometimes referred to as a spin cell, which has an exhaust port 11 for exhausting the spin cell atmosphere to a spin agent recovery system and an opening 12 through which non-woven sheet material produced in the process is removed.
  • a solution of polymer and spin agent is provided through a pressurized supply conduit 13 to a letdown orifice 15 and into a letdown chamber 16.
  • the pressure reduction in the letdown chamber 16 precipitates the nucleation of polymer from a polymer solution, as is disclosed in U.S. Patent 3,227,794 to Anderson et al.
  • One option for the process is to include an inline static mixer 36 (see Figure 2) in the letdown chamber 16.
  • a suitable mixer is available from Koch Engineering Company of Wichita Kansas as Model SMX.
  • a pressure sensor 22 may be provided for monitoring the pressure in the chamber 16.
  • the polymer mixture in chamber 16 next passes through spin orifice 14.
  • the polymer strand 20 discharged from the spin orifice 14 is conventionally directed against a rotating lobed deflector baffle 26.
  • the rotating baffle 26 spreads the strand 20 into a more planar web structure 24 that the baffle alternately directs to the left and right.
  • the web is passed through an electric corona generated between an ion gun 28 and a target plate 30.
  • the corona charges the web so as to hold it in a spread open configuration as the web 24 descends to a moving belt 32 where the web forms a batt 34.
  • the belt is grounded to help insure proper pinning of the charged web 24 on the belt.
  • the fibrous batt 34 is passed under a roller 31 that compresses the batt into a sheet 35 formed with plexifilamentary film-fibril networks oriented in an overlapping multi-directional configuration.
  • the sheet 35 exits the spin chamber 10 through the outlet 12 before being collected on a sheet collection roll 29.
  • the sheet 35 is subsequently run through a finishing line which treats and bonds the material appropriate for its end use.
  • a significant part of the Tyvek product line is hard product which is pressed on a smooth heated bonder roll.
  • the hard product has the feel of slick paper and is used commonly in overnight mailing envelopes and for air infiltration barriers in construction applications.
  • both sides of the sheet are subjected to generally uniform, full surface contact thermal bonding.
  • the sheet 35 is typically point bonded to have a softer, fabric like feel. The intent is to provide closely spaced bonding points with unbonded fiber therebetween in an aesthetically pleasing pattern.
  • DuPont uses one particular point bonding pattern where one side of the sheet is contacted by a quite undulated surface thermal bonder providing portions having very slight thermal bonding while other portions are more clearly subjected to the bonding. After the sheet is bonded, it is often subjected to mechanical softening to remove some harshness that may have been introduced during the bonding.
  • the spin orifice 14 may be characterized as having a length to diameter ratio.
  • the diameter of the spin orifice 14 is indicated by the letter “ d ".
  • the length of the spin orifice 14 is indicated in the figure by the letter “ l “ and relates to the length of the spin orifice which has the diameter " d ".
  • the conventional spin orifice has a length to diameter ratio of 0.9. Thus the length of the orifice is slightly less than its diameter. It has been found that a spin orifice that is much longer than its diameter creates webs that when laid down into fabric sheets have much higher elongation properties. This will be further discussed in relation to examples below.
  • Examples 1-7, Tables I and II were formed in the hydrocarbon spin agent system with high density polyethylene, a spin orifice L/D ratio of 5.1 and point bonded with a linen and "P" point pattern at 5515 kPascals (800 psi) on a 86.4 cm (34") bonding calendar with steam pressure at 483 kPascals-gauge (70 psig) without mechanical softening.
  • Examples 8-14, Tables III and IV were formed in the hydrocarbon spin agent system with high density polyethylene, a spin orifice L/D ratio of 5.1 and point bonded with a rib and bar pattern at 5515 kPascals (800 psi) on a 86.4 cm (34") bonding calendar with steam pressure at 483 kPascals-gauge (70 psig) without mechanical softening.
  • Ex. 10 Ex. 11 Spinning Conditions Concentration (%) 22 18 16 16 Solution Temp.
  • Examples 15-22, Tables V and IV were formed in the hydrocarbon spin agent system with high density polyethylene, a spin orifice L/D ration of 5.1 and area bonded using a thermal bonder.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Nonwoven Fabrics (AREA)
  • Artificial Filaments (AREA)
  • Spinning Methods And Devices For Manufacturing Artificial Fibers (AREA)

Claims (25)

  1. Matériau en feuille polymère filé éclair possédant une opacité de plus de 85%, caractérisé en ce que ledit matériau en feuille possède un poids surfacique supérieur à 30 g/m2 mais inférieur à 100 g/m2 et un allongement à la rupture moyen mesuré suivant la méthode ASTM D1682-64 de plus d'environ 30%.
  2. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel le matériau en feuille comprend un polymère d'oléfine.
  3. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 2, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est un polyéthylène haute densité.
  4. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel l'allongement moyen est de plus d'environ 35%.
  5. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel l'allongement moyen est de plus d'environ 40%.
  6. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est de moins de 85 g/m2.
  7. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est de moins de 70 g/m2.
  8. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est substantiellement exclusivement des fibres non tissées.
  9. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel l'opacité est de plus de 90%.
  10. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel le matériau en feuille comprend des fibrilles-film plexifilamentaires filées éclair qui ont été collées par zones.
  11. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est collé par points.
  12. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 1, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est composé d'une feuille unitaire de fibres plexifilamentaires filées éclair collées par points, où les points de collage sont partiellement rompus pour être plus souples.
  13. Matériau d'enveloppe polymère filé éclair possédant une opacité de plus de 85%, caractérisé en ce que ledit matériau possède un poids surfacique supérieur à 30 g/m2 mais inférieur à 100 g/m2, une perforation Spencer mesurée suivant la méthode ASTM D-3420-91 procédure B de plus de 0,34 newton-mètre/cm2 et un allongement à la rupture moyen mesuré suivant la méthode ASTM D1682-64 de plus d'environ 35%.
  14. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 13, dans lequel le matériau en feuille comprend un polymère d'oléfine.
  15. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 14, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est un polyéthylène haute densité.
  16. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 13, dans lequel l'allongement moyen est de plus d'environ 35%.
  17. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 13, dans lequel l'allongement moyen est de plus d'environ 40%.
  18. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 13, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est de moins de 85 g/m2.
  19. Matériau en feuille suivant la revendication 13, dans lequel le matériau en feuille est de moins de 70 g/m2.
  20. Procédé pour le filage éclair d'un polymère et la formation d'un tissu à partir d'un matériau en feuille suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 19, dans lequel une solution de polymère est filée à travers un orifice de filage (14) présentant un rapport de longueur sur diamètre d'au moins 2,0 et un mélangeur en ligne (36) dans une chambre de détente (16) en amont de l'orifice de filage (14).
  21. Procédé suivant la revendication 20, dans lequel le rapport de longueur sur diamètre de l'orifice de filage (14) est de plus de 3,0.
  22. Procédé suivant la revendication 20, dans lequel le rapport de longueur sur diamètre de l'orifice de filage (14) est de plus de 4,0.
  23. Procédé pour le filage éclair d'un polymère et la formation d'un matériau en feuille suivant l'une quelconque des revendications 1 à 19, dans lequel le polymère est mélangé dans un agent de filage de pentane à un rapport de moins d'environ 16% de polymère et la solution de polymère est émise à travers un orifice de filage (14) à une température d'au moins environ 180°C, dans lequel l'orifice de filage (14) présente un rapport de longueur sur diamètre d'au moins 2,0.
  24. Procédé suivant la revendication 23, dans lequel le polymère est filé à travers un orifice de filage (14) présentant un rapport de longueur sur diamètre de plus de 3,5.
  25. Procédé suivant la revendication 24, incluant en outre un mélangeur statique (36) dans la chambre de détente (16).
EP97938395A 1996-08-19 1997-08-19 Produits files eclair Expired - Lifetime EP0918889B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US69928196A 1996-08-19 1996-08-19
US699281 1996-08-19
US825266 1997-03-27
US08/825,266 US5851936A (en) 1996-08-19 1997-03-27 Elongation for flash spun products
PCT/US1997/014518 WO1998007907A1 (fr) 1996-08-19 1997-08-19 Produits files eclair

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0918889A1 EP0918889A1 (fr) 1999-06-02
EP0918889B1 true EP0918889B1 (fr) 2004-10-13

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97938395A Expired - Lifetime EP0918889B1 (fr) 1996-08-19 1997-08-19 Produits files eclair

Country Status (5)

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EP (1) EP0918889B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP4083808B2 (fr)
CA (1) CA2260862A1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69731211T2 (fr)
WO (1) WO1998007907A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE29720192U1 (de) 1997-11-14 1999-03-25 Eduard Küsters, Maschinenfabrik, GmbH & Co. KG, 47805 Krefeld Kalander zum Behandeln einer Bahn
BRPI0409518B1 (pt) * 2003-04-03 2014-08-19 Du Pont Processo, aparelho de fiação rotacional e folha não tecida fibrosa
DE102020212266B4 (de) * 2020-09-29 2023-11-16 Abf Diagnostics Gmbh Mit vliesstoff verschlossener behälter
CN113355755A (zh) * 2020-12-15 2021-09-07 浙江青昀新材料科技有限公司 闪蒸法制备的聚合物片材
DE102022001897A1 (de) 2022-05-31 2023-11-30 Oerlikon Textile Gmbh & Co. Kg Schmelzblasdüsenvorrichtung und Verfahren zur Herstellung einer Vielzahl von Fasersträngen aus einer Polymerschmelze
CN115142142B (zh) * 2022-06-24 2024-01-12 厦门当盛新材料有限公司 一种喷头及设有该喷头的闪蒸纺丝设备
CN116590846B (zh) * 2023-07-11 2023-10-20 江苏青昀新材料有限公司 一种具有较佳韧度的闪纺聚乙烯膜材料及其制造方法
CN117449037B (zh) * 2023-12-26 2024-03-15 江苏青昀新材料有限公司 一种闪纺膜材及其制造方法

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3774387A (en) * 1970-09-11 1973-11-27 Du Pont Hydrophilic textile products
US4554207A (en) * 1984-12-10 1985-11-19 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Stretched-and-bonded polyethylene plexifilamentary nonwoven sheet
DE3826621A1 (de) * 1988-08-05 1990-02-08 Akzo Gmbh Spinnduesenplatte
US5250237A (en) * 1992-05-11 1993-10-05 E. I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Alcohol-based spin liquids for flash-spinning polymeric plexifilaments

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1998007907A1 (fr) 1998-02-26
JP2002501580A (ja) 2002-01-15
DE69731211T2 (de) 2006-03-09
JP4083808B2 (ja) 2008-04-30
CA2260862A1 (fr) 1998-02-26
EP0918889A1 (fr) 1999-06-02
DE69731211D1 (de) 2004-11-18

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