JPH04289217A - Multiple color fine/thick yarn - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To produce a melt-colored fiber of a synthetic polymer exhibiting improved light fastness of dye and having non-uniform denier, its filament and a cloth made thereof without using a dyeing process. CONSTITUTION: A carbon black pigment is added as a melt-coloring agent to molten polyethylene terephthalate(PET). A PET yarn is produced by melt- spinning the molten PET/carbon black pigment mixture and winding the produced fiber. The obtained feeder yarn is subjected to a thick/thin drawing process in a drawing zone at an ambientd temperature. The drawn yarn is a thick/ thin yarn having improved light fastness and composed of randomly distributed light and dark sections.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to melt-pigmented synthetic polymer yarns containing fibers or filaments having randomly distributed light and dark areas. More particularly, the invention relates to fibers or filaments of this type, which are produced without dyeing and correspond to variable sizes or areas of irregular size in the axial direction of the fiber or filament. The invention also relates to yarns made from these fibers or filaments and methods of making such yarns.

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Man-made fibers are generally produced by spinning and drawing. In most cases, fibers produced in this manner are substantially uniform in thickness. However, in certain applications it is important that the yarn contains filaments with variable fineness. For example, such yarns are useful in obtaining a means of creating varying textures in fabrics made from them, and those fabrics containing such yarns have an attractive appearance, i.e.
It has a "busy" fabric appearance and a pleasant feel.

It is known in the art that these fabrics of variable fineness can be dyed, thus producing mottled effects or other novel effects due to the varying rate and degree of absorption of dye by the different fineness sections. It is publicly known. These normally dyed fine/thick yarns are currently in great demand, but the additional dyeing steps after the initial spinning and drawing of these variable fineness yarns add extra steps to their manufacturing process and increase costs. It will create a factor. Additionally, dye lightfastness issues of the fabric become a concern when dyes are applied at the post-spinning-drawing stage. The fabric produced in this way is suitable for weaving apparel products, but is not so suitable for automobile fabrics, upholstery fabrics, curtain fabrics, etc.

0004

There is therefore a need in the art to develop variable size fibers of these synthetic polymers which exhibit improved dye lightfastness, filaments thereof, and fabrics made therefrom which can be produced without the need for dyeing. There is a need for a way to do this.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention involves preparing a melt-pigmented synthetic polymer mixture, spinning a melt-pigmented yarn from the melt-pigmented synthetic polymer mixture, and spinning the melt-pigmented synthetic polymer yarn into a fine/pigmented/pigmented synthetic polymer yarn. Thick stretching process (t
hick and thin drawing pro
cess) to produce a filamentary yarn with variable fineness, which has a randomly distributed light and dark color area produced without dyeing, with improved dye lightfastness. The present invention provides a method for producing variable size filamentary yarns of melt-pigmented synthetic polymers.

Preferred synthetic polymers include linear terephthalate polyesters (PET), which are polyesters of glycols containing from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and dicarboxylic acid compounds containing at least about 75% terephthalic acid. The remainder of the dicarboxylic acid, if present, can be any suitable dicarboxylic acid. A preferred polyester is poly(ethylene terephthalate). This feeder yarn used to produce the yarns and filaments of the present invention
yarn) has a birefringence in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.05. A preferred melt colorant is a colored pigment in a polyethylene carrier. The most preferred melt colorant is a colorant in a PET carrier.

DEFINITIONS The term "fiber" as used herein includes fibers of extremely long or infinite length (ie, filaments) and fibers of short length (ie, staples). The term "yarn" as used herein refers to a continuous strand of fibers.

[0008] The term "fabric" as used herein includes textile fibrous structures consisting of mechanically interlocked fibers or filaments. This structure can be nonwoven, woven, and knitted.

As used herein, the term "multifilament yarn" refers to a yarn consisting of a plurality of individual filaments or strands.

The term "glass transition temperature" (Tg) refers to the temperature at which the amorphous region of an amorphous or partially crystalline polymer transitions from a hard, relatively brittle state to a more flexible or rubbery state. means its temperature changes. At sufficiently low temperatures, the amorphous regions of amorphous or semicrystalline polymers all have the properties of glass, such as hardness, stiffness, and brittleness. Polymers are characterized by a lower coefficient of volumetric expansion in a glass state than in a fluidized state. In this respect, polymers in a glass state are similar to crystalline polymers, which also have a low volumetric expansion coefficient. The temperature interval at which the volume expansion coefficient of the amorphous polymer changes from a large value to a small value is the glass transition temperature range.

[0011] Birefringence (Δn) can be obtained as follows.

Using sodium D line (wavelength: 589 millimicrons) as a light source, filaments are placed at diagonal positions. The birefringence (Δn) of the test filament is calculated from the following equation.

[Formula 1]

[0013] In the formula, n is the interference fringe caused by the degree of orientation of the polymer molecular chains, and r is the degree of retardation obtained by measuring the orientation that does not appear in the interference fringe using a Berek compensator. where a is the diameter of the filament and λ is the wavelength of the sodium D line.

Many methods are known in the art for producing filaments with variable fineness. One such method is described, for example, in Stannko et al., US Pat. No. 4,906,519. Fiber-forming synthetic polymers suitable for use in the present invention include those having a glass transition temperature (Tg) of at least 30°C.

A preferred synthetic polymer is a linear polyester terephthalate (PET), ie, a polyester of a glycol containing from 2 to 20 carbon atoms and a dicarboxylic acid component containing at least about 75% terephthalic acid. The remainder of the dicarboxylic acid components, if present, are sebacic acid, adipic acid, isophthalic acid, sulfonyl-4,4
-Dibenzoic acid or 2,8-dibenzofurandicarboxylic acid.

Examples of linear terephthalate polyesters that can be used are poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene terephthalate/5-chloroisophthalate) (85/
15), poly(ethylene terephthalate/5-[sodium-sulfo]isophthalate) (97/3) or poly(cyclohexane-1,4-dimethylene terephthalate/hexahydroterephthalate) (75/25).

A preferred polyester is poly(ethylene terephthalate) in which at least about 85% of the repeating structural units have the formula:

Included are linear polyesters that are ethylene terephthalate having the following formula:

More preferably, the linear polyester contains at least 90% repeating structural units of ethylene terephthalate. In particularly preferred embodiments of the process of the invention, the polyester is substantially all poly(ethylene terephthalate). polyethylene terephthalate)
Up to 15 mol% of other copolymerizable ester units
can exist up to.

The feeder yarns used to make the yarns and filaments of the present invention have sufficient molecular orientation (
It must have a birefringence Δn). The birefringence value of the feeder yarn is in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.05, more preferably in the range of about 0.015 to 0.031, and most preferably 0.018.

[0020] In order for the feeder yarn to have sufficient molecular orientation, the take-up speed generally ranges from about 1,600 to about 4,0
00 meters/min, preferably in the range of about 1,800 to about 2,800 meters/min, most preferably in the range of about 2,800 meters/min,
000 meters/min.

[0021] To achieve the maximum difference between the thick and thin sections of the yarn, the feeder yarn should be aged for a sufficient period of time, typically about 24 hours to about 7 days.

The variable fineness filament of the present invention is a feeder yarn having the above-mentioned molecular orientation (birefringence) having a length of about 15.2 to 100° C. at ambient temperature, that is, 15 to 30° C.
about 1.27 to about 2.07 in a stretching zone of about 300 cm
It is manufactured by stretching at a stretching ratio of . The draw ratio is about 1.69 to about 1.97, and the length of the draw zone is about 30
．． 5 to about 81.3 cm is more preferred. Stretch ratio approximately 1.9
7. A stretching zone length of 61 cm is most preferred.

The resulting thin/thick filaments are preferably about 3.6 to 78.5 cm (1.4 to 30.9 inches).
The average slab length is approximately 23.1~
The filament is about 9.1 to 16.2 inches long and contains a slab that accounts for about 16.4 to about 49.8% of the filament's long axis. The occupancy, slab length and average slab length described above are obtained by measuring at least ten randomly selected 50 foot filaments.

Melts suitable for use in the present invention
Colorants are inorganic and organic pigments in thermoplastic carriers. The carrier can be PET, nylon, polyethylene or any other suitable carrier suitable for dispersing pigments. Examples of melt-colorants are carbon black pigment in a PET carrier and navy blue pigment in a PET carrier. A preferred melt-coloring agent is a colored pigment in a polyethylene carrier. The most preferred melt-colorant is a colored pigment in a PET carrier. Yarns consisting of filaments of variable fineness can be processed into fabrics which find particular use in curtains, upholstery and automobile upholstery.

[0025]

EXAMPLES The following examples are given to illustrate the invention and are non-limiting embodiments thereof.

Example 1 Melt-spun molten PET, and the yarn was 1600-27
PET yarns were produced by winding at various winding speeds ranging from 25 mpm. Carbon black pigment was added to the molten PET prior to spinning in concentrations ranging up to 0.25% by weight. The feeder yarns were then drawn at a draw ratio range of 1.69 to 2.07 and 61 cm (2
Stretching was performed at ambient temperature using a 4 inch stretch zone.

[0027]

[Table 1] Test sample winding speed (mpm)
Birefringence Pigment (wt%)
1 1600
0.014 0.1
0 2 200
0 0.015 0
．． 10 3 2
400 0.023
0.10 4
2725 0.031
0.10 5
1600 0.014
0.17 6
2000 0.015
0.17 7
2400 0.02
3 0.17
8 2725 0.
031 0.17
9 1600
0.014 0.25
10 2000
0.015 0.25
11 2400
0.023 0.25
12 2725
0.031 0.25

0028
Yarns produced under these conditions had a random distribution of light and dark areas without the need for dyeing and exhibited improved dye lightfastness.

Example 2 PET yarn was produced by melt spinning molten PET to which 0.20% by weight of navy blue pigment was added before spinning. The yarn was wound at 1600 mpm and drawn at ambient temperature with a draw ratio of 2.02 and a draw zone of 61 cm (24 inches).

[0030]

[Table 2] Test sample winding speed (mpm)
Birefringence Pigment (wt%)
1 1600
0.014 0.1
0 2 160
0 0.014 0
．． 20 3 1
600 0.014
0.25

A yarn having improved dye lightfastness with random dark and light blue areas was produced without dyeing.

Claims (17)

[Claims] 1. Preparing a melt-pigmented synthetic polymer mixture, spinning a melt-pigmented yarn from the melt-pigmented synthetic polymer mixture, and subjecting the melt-pigmented synthetic polymer yarn to a fine/thick drawing process. , a melt-pigmented synthetic polymer characterized in that it produces filamentary yarns with variable fineness exhibiting improved dye lightfastness, with a random distribution of light and dark areas produced without dyeing. A method for producing filamentary yarn with variable fineness. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the melt-pigmented synthetic polymer is pigmented in a concentration of up to 5% by weight. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the melt-colorant is selected from the group consisting of carbon black pigment and navy blue pigment. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the melt-pigmented synthetic polymer of the melt-pigmented synthetic polymer mixture is a polyester. 5. The polymer is poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene terephthalate/5-chloroisophthalate) (8
5/15), poly(ethylene terephthalate/5-[sodium-sulfo]isophthalate) (97/3) and poly(cyclohexane-1,4-dimethylene terephthalate/hexahydroterephthalate) (75/25) 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is selected from: 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the preferred melt-pigmented synthetic polymer of the melt-pigmented polymer mixture is a linear terephthalate polyester. 7. Suitable dicarboxylic acids are selected from the group consisting of sebacic acid, adipic acid, isophthalic acid, sulfonyl-4,4-dibenzoic acid and 2,8-dibenzofurandicarboxylic acid. The method described in. 8. A melt-colored synthetic polymer mixture of about 1
. , 600 mpm to about 3,000 mpm to form the yarn. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the thin/thick drawing process is carried out at ambient temperature. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the ambient temperature ranges from about 15°C to about 30°C. [Claim 11] The take-up speed is approximately 1,600 mpm.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the speed ranges from about 4,000 mpm to about 4,000 mpm. 12. More preferably, the take-up speed is
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the flow rate is from about 1,800 mpm to about 2,800 mpm. 13. The feeder yarn has a birefringence index of about 0.
．． 01 to about 0.05. 14. More preferably, the birefringence of the feeder yarn is from about 0.015 to about 0.031.
The method according to claim 1. 15. Stretch ratio is about 1.27 to about 2.07.
The method according to claim 1. 16. More preferably, the stretching ratio is about 1.
69 to about 1.97. 17. An article of manufacture containing a filamentary yarn made according to the method of claim 1.