TW201807274A - Light color/low resistance anti-static fiber and textiles incorporating the fiber - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bi-component anti-static fiber produced by means of a conjugate/melt extrusion spinning process where the fiber comprises TiO2 and nylon with carbon black as the conductive component of the fiber. At TiO2 loadings in the range of 20-30% by weight, the TiO2 camouflaged the normally black surface carbon stripes, and the resultant light colored yarn was comparable in conductivity to darker yarns. The resulting yarn is suitable for use in light colored apparel, especially where certain surface resistance levels are required in light colored fabrics.

Description

Light/low-resistance antistatic fiber and fabric with the fiber [Priority statement]

The present application claims the priority of the U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/319, filed on Apr. 6, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

This invention relates to two-component antistatic fibers produced by a conjugant/melt extrusion spinning process wherein the conductive component is comprised of carbon black strips on the surface of the fibers. Fibers are suitable for a variety of applications, especially where light surface fabrics require certain levels of surface resistance.

In fabric applications using synthetic fibers, friction creates static electricity. Electrostatic effects cause fiber sticking in the fabric, dust adhering to the fabric, and annoying electrical shocks caused by people walking past unprotected carpets. It can also cause more serious consequences and damage to equipment and/or individuals due to electrostatic discharge. For example, electrostatic discharge can harm computers and other electronic devices. In some cases, such as in a flammable atmosphere, an electrostatic discharge can cause a fire or an explosion. Electrostatic accumulation and discharge can also affect the efficiency and productivity of fiber conversion processes such as knitting and weaving.

The use of antistatic fibers in fabrics has demonstrated the success of solving a variety of electrostatic problems problem. Typically, carbon black is used as an antistatic agent compounded in a polymer such as nylon to cause the charge to disappear. Increasingly, fiber producers realize the potential benefits of antistatic fibers or fibers with electrical elimination properties, while the desired materials typically contain carbon black. Alternatives to carbon black can be metal oxides (such as tin oxide) or woven or knitted into a fabric using metal wires.

The use of carbon black can cause problems in terms of color and ability to dye the resulting fabric to a light color.

In many cases, TiO _{2 is} mixed with a non-conductive component to mask or mask the carbon component. A variety of TiO ₂ types are available for fiber production. The type used will affect the aesthetic properties. For example, an anatase or rutile TiO ₂ type in a polymer compound for fiber applications can affect the fiber color to be more blue or whiter. The type and amount of TiO ₂ affects the fiber dyeing power; therefore, the dyeing method will be different. On a typical fiber it has been considered "bright" 0 percent of the gloss of TiO _2, and is regarded as "dull" luster of 0.32% of TiO _2. In the carbon antistatic fiber, the non-conductive polymer component contains up to 30% of TiO ₂ .

Previous development efforts have focused on meeting surface testing requirements or designed for use in light-colored fabrics that do not require surface resistance testing. In previous development efforts, the two separate preferences were mutually exclusive. Therefore, no light-colored fabric meeting the surface resistance requirements has been seen before.

Traditionally, most of the antistatic fibers developed for lighter colored fabrics have conductive components located in the fiber core. In many of these cases, the conductive core is also made of a non-carbon material such as TiO ₂ and a tin oxide compound. The purpose of these implementations is to mask or mask the carbon components and make the fibers lighter. Since the conductive core material is insulated by the polymer sheath, these products do not perform well in the case where surface resistance measurement is required. These polymeric sheaths hinder the test probe probe from properly contacting the conductive material. Although they do not meet the surface resistance requirements, these types of products can effectively eliminate static charges. Test methods more suitable for core conductor products include static decay method EN 1149-3 (Static Decay Methods EN 1149-3) and Fed Std 191 Method 5931 (Fed Std 191 Method 5931).

Products developed for surface resistance requirements have traditionally been dark or nearly black. These types of products generally meet the requirements of test methods such as AATCC Method 76, but due to their dark color, these types of products are typically not used in light colored fabrics due to certain aesthetic preferences.

This art is full of patents, applications, and references to fibers that are coated with a resistive component, core/sheath type fibers to improve the electrical resistivity of the fibers, and the use of carbon black to improve electrical resistivity in combination with polymeric and natural fibers. Representative examples are found in the following U.S. Patents: 5,744,090; 5,820,805; 6,083,562; 7,767,298 and 7,824,769. In some cases, as seen in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,969,559 and 4,248,934, TiO ₂ acts as a matting agent together with carbon black. These references do not disclose solutions to the problem of meeting the surface resistance requirements of light colored fibers or resulting fabrics.

There has always been a demand for clothing fabrics that are low in electrical resistance and permanently capable of maintaining a light color. The subject matter of the present invention is a "dual target" product that meets surface resistance requirements and customer expectations for light colored fabrics.

For example, the existing No-Shock® product sold by Ascend Performance Materials is a bicomponent fiber having two components in the same fiber/silk. In some cases, all No-Shock® fibers/filaments are the same within a particular product, so each fiber/filament contains the same material and has the same two-component configuration/profile. Although the ingredients are similar, their proportions will vary slightly depending on the functional requirements of the application, and the raw materials will be extruded into a variety of profiles specified by No-Shock® fiber/filament end use. Any No-Shock® surface release wire is inherently black and therefore limited in use. Although the bicomponent fiber art Many known products, however, disclosed herein is a novel product, the product comprising the novel two-component melt-spun products, each having a high loading of carbon black and TiO _2, but still Maintain a light-colored appearance and industry-accepted standards for anti-electric fiber products.

The products of the present invention exhibit a surprising combination of whiteness and antistatic properties. This result is particularly surprising based on the non-conductive, fiber-forming component having a high loading of insulating material TiO ₂ . As seen in the examples described below, the antistatic bicomponent fibers of the present invention provide low surface resistance values, as well as very short electrostatic decay times and debonding times, despite the high matting agent content.

In one aspect, the present invention provides a pale antistatic two-component fiber comprising: a conductive component and a non-conductive fiber-forming component, wherein: (a) the conductive component comprises a matrix polymer and carbon black; and (b) The non-conductive fiber-forming component comprises a TiO ₂ matte fiber-forming polymer, the TiO ₂ being present in an amount of at least 2% by weight based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component, the non-conductive fiber-forming component defining an antistatic bicomponent fiber The elongated fiber structure, the antistatic bicomponent fiber is further characterized in that the conductive component is disposed in at least three individual conductive surface strips extending along the length of the fiber, the strips being outside the antistatic bicomponent fiber They are separated from each other and separated by a non-conductive fiber-forming component that acts to provide antistatic properties to the antistatic bicomponent fiber.

The present application thus relates in particular to bicomponent fibers comprising two components, wherein one component contains a conductive component and the second component contains a non-conductive component. In a wide variety of embodiments, the antistatic product is characterized by: a. The conductive component comprises a polymer having at least 3 carbon black surface strips having greater than 2% by weight carbon black; preferably 2-30 In the range of % by weight, more preferably about 15-25% by weight, particularly preferably 25% by weight carbon black; b. The non-conductive component comprises TiO2 matte polymer having a TiO2 content of more than 2% by weight; preferably In the range of 2-30% by weight, more preferably about 15-25% by weight, particularly preferably 25% by weight of TiO2 content; the product has the following characteristics: Test Method A is measured using a Keithly 6517 electrometer The resulting resistance is less than 1 x ^{10 10} ohms/cm; the ASTM D 2101-72 standard test method for tensile properties of the artificial monofilaments taken from the yarn and the yarn bundle is measured to have an elongation of less than 85%; and has an L* target The color value is greater than 50, and in the range of about 50-60 L*, preferably a color value of 55.

The light-colored polymer of the conductive and non-conductive fibers of the present invention is composed of one or more polyesters, polyamines, polyolefins, polyacrylic, preferably nylon-6 and nylon-66. In one embodiment, one set contains 70 to 98% by weight of nylon-66 doped with about 2 to 30% by weight of TiO ₂ , and the other component constituting the remaining percentage of the product includes about 2 to 30. % by weight of nylon-6/carbon ink composition. The nylon-6/carbon black surface strip in the product can provide a denier range (according to test method ASTM D 1577) of greater than 15, preferably in the range of about 15-100, more preferably in the order of 15- The range of 20, the best system has about 20 Danny products. The test method using Keithly 6517 electrometer A, the product (fiber) having a preferred resistance of about 5x10 ⁶ ohm / cm to less than the range of about 5x10 ⁹ ohm / cm is. In general, the fibers have a resistance of from about 10 ⁶ ohms/cm to less than about 10 ¹⁰ ohms/cm, typically in the range of from about 10 ⁶ ohms/cm to about 10 ⁷ ohms/cm. The product has about 3 or more strips of conductive composition of carbon black surface strips, typically 3 to 5 strips, and is preferably prepared in a composite/melt extrusion spinning process.

The fibrous product of the present invention is substantially arbitrarily material in the art, meaning that various types of polymers may be used herein, which may be separate, or extruded, mixed, or kneaded together, but still Maintain color-resistance characteristics. It has been found that a range of carbon loading and TiO ₂ content can be obtained for the disclosed characteristics. The resulting fiber product can provide a variety of Dani values to suit the desired application, as described herein, and is typically used in fabrics. Although the target application is consumer clothing, especially intimate clothing, it is also desirable to form a customized fiber product to meet the needs of industrial applications (eg, for dust-free rooms or dust-free rooms).

The fibers of the present invention can be incorporated into a wide variety of fabrics, including multifilament yarns, fabrics, and the like.

10‧‧‧Fiber

12‧‧‧ Conductive components

14‧‧‧Non-conducting fiber-forming components

16‧‧‧Long fiber structure

18‧‧‧ Conductive strip

20‧‧‧ Conductive strip

22‧‧‧ Conductive strip

24‧‧‧ outside

30‧‧‧ outer surface

32‧‧‧ outer surface

34‧‧‧ outer surface

36‧‧‧Internal

38‧‧‧Internal

40‧‧‧Internal

L‧‧‧ length

The novel features of the invention are particularly disclosed in the scope of the appended claims. Here, the embodiments of the present invention are illustrated with the accompanying drawings, but are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. In the drawings, the same reference numerals represent the same elements, wherein: FIG. 1 has three carbon black surface strips. A perspective view of an antistatic bicomponent fiber of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an antistatic bicomponent fiber having the carbon black surface strip of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is an anti-invention of the present invention having a carbon black surface strip A photomicrograph of the cross section of the electrostatic bicomponent fiber; and Fig. 4 is a photograph showing the standard fiber spool (dark color) on the right side and the fiber spool (lighter color) of the present invention on the left side.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the <RTIgt; For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures are exaggerated relative to the other elements to assist in understanding the invention.

Some of the additional components described herein may not be shown in the drawings. In the case of this component, it is not shown in the drawings, and it should not be seen that the design is omitted from the description. The invention will be described in relation to the requirements applicable to intimate apparel, but those skilled in the art will appreciate that the fiber product can be modified to meet the needs of the user. Thus, without limitation, some examples of industrial garments, safety garments, and children's wear, etc., are examples of fibers suitable for use in the present invention. The only definition presented here is that the fibers and finished garments are surface charge resistant.

The singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are used in the singular and singular terms. For example, an article may contain a majority of items unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

"Antistatic bicomponent fiber" means having two or more different components defining at least one conductive component and at least one relatively non-conductive component.

As used herein, the term "conductive component" means a component having a lower resistivity than the "non-conductive fiber-forming component". "Electrically conductive" and like terms mean an antistatic composition and a more conductive composition, such as an electrostatic discharge (ESD) composition having a volume resistivity of slightly less than about 10 ¹² ohms/cm. The antistatic composition typically has a volume resistivity of from about 10 ⁸ ohms/cm to slightly less than about 10 ¹² ohms/cm, and the ESD composition has a volume resistivity of from 10 ² ohms/cm to 10 ⁸ ohms/cm. . Parts of the non-conductive group generally having a volume resistivity greater than 10 ¹⁰ or 10 ¹² ohms / cm, and in any event, higher than the conductive component parts. Depending on the loading of the carbon black, the conductive component typically has a volume resistivity in the range of from about 10 ² ohms/cm to 10 ¹⁰ ohms/cm, while the associated non-conductive component has a higher volume resistivity. The overall resistivity of the fiber reflects the resistivity of the component.

"Consisting essentially of" and like specific language means the recited components and the exclusion of other elements that substantially alter the basic and novel characteristics of the composition, the article, or the process. Unless otherwise indicated or clearly indicated, when a composition or article contains 90% by weight or more of the recited or listed components, the composition or article consists essentially of the recited or listed group. Composition. That is, this representation excludes more than 10% of unlabeled components.

"Fiber" and like terms mean filament (continuous) fibers and staple fibers. Most natural fibers such as cotton and wool are short fibers. Synthetic fibers such as nylon and polyester are considered as silk fibers. Natural fiber silk is also a silk fiber, but when silk fibers are cut short, they are also considered short fibers. Short fiber lengths are typically less than 7.5 cm (3 Å).

The polymer of conductive and non-conductive fibers may be comprised of one or more of nylon-6, nylon-66, polyester, polyamide, polyolefin, and/or polyacrylic acid. Preferred polymers are nylon-6 and nylon-66. The bicomponent fiber product has a component comprising from about 70 to 98% by weight of fibers composed of nylon-66 doped with about 2 to 30% by weight of TiO ₂ and the other component is from about 2 to 30 parts by weight of the product. % consists of a nylon-6/carbon black composition. The surface layer of nylon-6/carbon black in the two-component product produced has a Dani range of about 15-100 denier for the two-component product, and is preferred for monofilament and twin yarn products. 20-25 Danny. It has been found that despite the high loading of carbon black, it is still light, with an L* target color value of 55. This fiber resistivity pale fiber product is between about 5x10 ⁶ ohm / cm to less than about 5x10 ⁹ ohm / cm. The fabric test method that can be used according to the user's requirements includes the following: electrostatic attenuation method - EN 1149-3, surface resistance AATCC method 76, electrostatic attenuation method - Fed Std 191 method 5931; electrostatic adhesion of cloth, cloth to metal test AATCC Method 115. The fiber product of the present invention achieves a maximum elongation of about 85%, and it has been found to have at least 3 or more carbon black strips to achieve better electrical resistance.

The polymeric component of the composition can be comprised of any suitable melt-spun or thermoplastic fiber-forming polymer and copolymer. "Fiber-forming" means a linear, high molecular weight polymer that allows it to form fibers of useful strength and toughness. Suitable polymers include polyolefins such as polyethylene and polypropylene; polyamines and copolymerized guanamines (nylons) such as polyhexamethylenediamine (nylon-66), polymeric ε-caprolactam (nylon) -6), a polymer of polyamineundecanoic acid, bis-p-aminocyclohexylmethane and undecanoic acid; polystyrene; polyester, such as polymeric hydroxycarboxylate and terephthalic acid or isophthalic acid Polyester formed by lower alkanediol (such as ethylene glycol and tetramethyl glycol); polyurethane; polyurea; polycarbonate; polyethylene halide; polyvinylidene halide )and many more. For better adhesion of the components in the silk, it is preferred that the two component polymers are selected from the same polymer species. The polymer can be modified by incorporating a matting agent, a dye reinforcing material, an anti-dye material, and the like. Preferred polymers are polyesters, nylon-6 or nylon-66, nylon-66 to contain not more than about 30 wt% TiO ₂ matting agent generated light colored yarn.

The carbon black compounded in the polymer of one of the components must be of a conductive type and should maintain its conductive nature in a fabric that is at least partially formed from bicomponent filaments. "Conductive carbon black" means any carbon black having a specific resistivity less than 200 ohms/cm as measured by ASTM method D991-68. A resistance of less than 1 x 10 ⁸ ohms/cm is preferred. If at least 3 of the final results are found on the formed monofilament, the carbon black can be dispersed in the polymer forming the conductive component of the bicomponent filament by a conventional mixing procedure. Since the conductivity of carbon black is substantially reduced by trimming, excessive trimming of carbon black is avoided. The carbon black should be fully dispersed in the polymer under conditions that minimize the conductivity of the carbon black.

The amount of carbon black compounded in the polymer of one of the components should only be sufficient to impart the desired low electrical resistance to the conductive component. It should be understood that there are various "conducting" definitions in this technique. Here, the term "conducting" is intended to mean a material that allows a moderate amount of current to flow.

The bicomponent filaments are preferably circular in cross section, however, the multilobal profile is desirable for certain end uses. However, it is important that the cross-sectional area of the conductive component includes only a small portion of the total cross-sectional area of the wire. The cross-sectional area of the component can be directly converted to the volume of the individual components that make up the filament. The cross-sectional area of the conductive component should constitute about 1 to 30% of the cross-sectional area of the filament. It is preferably from 3 to 12%. Below 1%, the utility of static dissipative is too low for many applications; and, depending on the low volume of the conductive component, it can be difficult to ensure that the conductive component can be completely encapsulated by the non-conductive polymer component. Since most of the tensile strength of the filament is derived from the non-conductive component, when the cross-sectional area of the conductive component exceeds 30%, the adhesiveness of the component and the tensile strength of the filament are lowered. No-Shock® fibers and most antistatic competing products typically have low tenacity values and are typically in the range of about 2.0-4.0 g/d.

The interface of the two components of the present invention should be curved. The cross-section of the non-conductive component typically has a shape such that the non-conductive component partially encapsulates the conductive component. Providing this profile configuration ensures better adhesion between the two dissimilar components and reduces the apparently low carbon black component on the silk surface to only low visibility streaks. The non-conductive component partially encapsulates at least 50% of the carbon black containing component. Preferably, the average percent encapsulation should be between about 66-95. As shown and described below, "encapsulated percentage" means the percentage around the extrusion of the stripe occupied by the non-conductive component.

The present invention is not directed to a sheath-core type of fiber or technique because these types of fibers have a conductive component that is sheathed within the non-conductive polymer such that the conductive portion is not at the surface. The invention is related to surface conductive components and techniques.

In determining the characteristics of the antistatic bicomponent fibers and cloth of the present invention, the following test methods can be used.

testing method

Unless otherwise indicated, any industry standard test method means to be in 2017 The test was performed on April 1st and was performed at least at 50% RH and 21 °C, allowing for balance. Unless otherwise stated, at least 3 samples of each sample were tested.

Fiber resistivity was measured by Test Method A: Fiber or yarn resistivity was measured using a Keithley Model 6517 electrometer. The equipment and procedures are as follows:

device

1.Keithley Model 6517 Electrometer

2. Shield test cover with semi-automatic clamping device

3.100 million ohm resistor

4. Window software for operating the electrometer

set up

1. Electrode spacing is 7.5cm

2. Set the air pressure on the cylindrical fixture to 30 psi to open the exhaust

3. Configure the configuration with Windows software

program

1. Press the Resistance Meter Icon twice to turn on the application.

2. There will be a "Calibrate" and "Enter New Merge" box on the left side of the screen. Press the "New Merge Retrieve Results" box. You will be able to enter new merge or retrieve information (you cannot change any pre-existing information for results that have already been executed).

3. Open the door cover, place a 100 MΩ resistor between the clamps, and turn the switch over to close the fixture. Note: The pressure gauge should be set at 30 psi.

4. When the resistor is in place, close the door and press "Calibrate". If the correction is within the limits, the "Calibration is in Limits" box will pop up. Press "Okay" and start the test. If the calibration exceeds the limit, press "Okay" and check the resistor to make sure it is in good contact and then recalibrate.

5. The resistor reading should be between (9.8 x 10 ⁹ +/- 0.2). Note: When the test is complete, Calibration will print out the results table.

6. Open the door and remove the resistor and close the door.

7. Open the lid and pull the fiber through the pre-tension guide and into the aspirator. Make sure the wire or yarn is on the fixture. If the sample has been set, it is integrated with the yarn.

8. Close the lid.

9. Pull the air to the left side of the table. Peel off for 20 to 30 seconds.

10. Stop the yarn before turning the switch to close the clamp. It may need to be slightly reversed. The sample should be at the center of the fixture and not loose.

11. Turn off the exhaust.

12. There will be three boxes "Cancel Testing", "Read Resistance" and "Recheck" at the bottom of the screen.

13. Press "Read Resistance". Note: Each spool runs only once, and some spools require additional inspection. Check the sampling schedule, SI, or RSA for test specifications. The result will be displayed in the white field to the right of the screen. If the result is out of specification, the system will print the result in bold, highlighting that the specification has been exceeded.

14. Repeat until all spools have been tested.

15. Press the box in front of the reading outside the specification, vent the spool, refill the same spool, and press "Recheck".

16. Repeat steps 7-15 for each spool you want to test.

Fiber Tensile Properties - ASTM D 2101-72 standard test method for tensile properties of yarns derived from yarns and yarn bundles was used to measure fiber tensile properties.

Surface Resistance - The surface resistance of the cloth was measured using the AATCC method 76. At least 3 samples of each sample will be averaged; only the lowest value will be reported for product board testing. The samples were conditioned and tested at 50% RH and 21 °C. The surface resistance of the cloth is reported in ohm per square.

Electrostatic Decay Method - Fed Std 191 Method 5931 was used to measure the disappearance of static charge from the surface of the cloth. This method can be used for surface conductive or core conductive fibers. After application and removal of full charge, the cloth must be discharged within <0.5 seconds. Test method EN 1149-3 is also used to measure the disappearance of static charge from the surface of the fabric. This method can be used for surface conductive or core conductive fibers. After application and removal of full charge, the cloth must be discharged within <0.4 seconds.

Electrostatic Adhesion of Fabric: Cloth to Metal - AATCC Method 115 is used to assess the relative adhesion tendency of certain fabrics. The test incorporates the effects of parameters (cloth weight, stiffness, construction, surface characteristics, processing applications, and other fabric parameters) that affect the tendency of the fabric to adhere. Only averages are reported. Tests and conditions were performed at 50% RH and 21 °C.

Color test for L* values - L* is determined according to the CIELAB 1976 L*a*b* colorimetric system. The L* in the full spectrum of the color test, the third axis measures the whiteness of the material. The L* value measures the relative difference between black=0 and white=100. Use the Byk-Gardner chromospheric color system, especially with the Byk-Gardner TCS 8800 colorimeter or equivalent. Measurements were made at room temperature (i.e., at about 23 °C) using a compression cell with 5 grams of silk fiber sample therein, fluffy air to form an entangled substrate for analysis. Perform a test on the replicated sample.

Danny (ASTM D 1577) is the linear density of the fiber, expressed as the gram weight of the 9000 meter fiber. Typically, when the monofilament is placed more than ten days after manufacture, the fiber package is placed at 75 ° ± 2 ° F and 55 ± 2% relative humidity for fiber conditioning for a specific length of time, typically 24 hours. A 0.9 meter monofilament was sampled and weighed, and Danny was calculated to be a gram weight of 9000 meters. The Danny multiple (10/9) is equal to the dtex. The Danny and toughness tests performed on short fiber sampling are performed under standard temperature and relative humidity conditions specified by the ASTM methodology. In particular, standard conditions mean a temperature of 70 +/- 2 °F (21 +/- 1 °C) and a relative humidity of 65% +/- 2%.

1. Fiber construction and preparation

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the antistatic bicomponent fiber 10 is shown to comprise a conductive component 12 and a non-conductive fiber forming component 14. The conductive component comprises a matrix polymer that is added with carbon black to provide electrical conductivity. The non-conductive fiber-forming component 14 includes a polymer such as nylon which is matted with TiO ₂ . TiO ₂ is present in an amount of at least 2% by weight based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component 14. It will be appreciated that the non-conductive component 14 is the majority of the fibrous material (greater than 50% by weight of the fiber) and defines the elongated fibrous structure 16 generally shown in FIG. The antistatic bicomponent fiber 10 is further characterized in that the electrically conductive component 12 is disposed in three individual, equally spaced, electrically conductive strips 18, 20 and 22 extending along the length L of the antistatic bicomponent fiber 10. The conductive strips 18, 20 and 22 are spaced apart from each other on the outer periphery 24 of the fibers 10 such that the outer surfaces 30, 32 and 34 of the conductive strips 18, 20 and 22 are exposed and the inner portions 36, 38 and 40 are at least partially and Most preferably, it is encapsulated by a non-conductive component 14 (Fig. 2). These conductive strips are thus separated by a non-conductive component 14.

The antistatic bicomponent fibers 10 have a substantially uniform cross section along their length. The degree of encapsulation of the conductive component 12 (expressed as a percentage) is calculated by summing the cross-sectional perimeters of the conductive strips in contact with the non-conductive fiber-forming component 14 and dividing by the total length of the cross-section of the conductive strips ( It is wrapped Sealed and unencapsulated parts) and multiplied by 100%.

The antistatic fibers of the present invention are preferably manufactured using a conjugant melt extrusion spinning process as known in the art and described in the above-referenced references, particularly U.S. Patent No. 3,969,559. In a spinning apparatus having a co-extrusion capability and a spinneret suitable for conjugate into a desired structure, an antistatic double group is appropriately completed by melt co-extruding a plurality of different polymer components. Spinning of the filaments. Spinning nozzles typically employ a plurality of convergent branching capillaries of appropriate size and geometry that will conjugate the components into the desired structure upon extrusion.

Figures 1 and 2 show monofilaments which are produced by a two-melt flow together in a conjugant melt extrusion spinning process. In any embodiment, the antistatic bicomponent fiber of the present invention comprises a plurality of surface strips, at least two, but preferably three or more surface strips. Black bars contain carbon black. The non-conductive component is white with about 25% by weight of TiO ₂ mixed with nylon-66. When the fiber is unwound from the bobbin, the dark and light colors are contained in the same filament.

Figure 3 shows a typical multifilament profile. Note the 3 carbon strips around the wire. The more the number of bars of equidistant spacing is found, the lower the resistance measurement. The important value of this new product is caused by the combination of raw materials and the combination of carbon strips in the fiber.

Figure 4 is a photograph of a bicomponent fiber spool comparing the typical multiple products on the right side with the products of the present invention on the left side. Although the resistance values are somewhat similar, the colors are significantly different. Although not limited by theory, it is believed that the high loading of TiO ₂ is sufficient to mask the high load of carbon black without affecting the dyeing power of the fiber. As will be seen below, the fibers of the present invention exhibit surprisingly low surface resistance values when incorporated into the fabric despite the high loading of the insulating material TiO ₂ .

2. Fiber examples

A 20 denier/2 filament product having 3 surface strips containing between 7 and 15% carbon was produced using a conjugate melt spinning process. Make three versions. The lightest color products have been found to have high resistance values for a variety of applications. The product with the lowest resistance was found to have the darkest color. When TiO ₂ (rutile) was used as a matting agent (about 10% of the composition), it was found to provide an advantageous multifunctional use. TiO ₂ (anatase), which accounts for 7% and 15% of the composition, respectively, results in darker blue fibers, which are expected to be due to the use of dark-type TiO ₂ . TiO ₂ (rutile) lighter in color caused by products having similar as shown in FIG. Ascend Performance Material of dark fibers on the bobbin 4 in the most resistive conductive black products (see Example 3B).

These examples use nylon-66 as the matrix polymer and fiber-forming polymer. A cube-like nylon-66 polymer sheet was prepared using a conventional polymerization autoclave, a quenching device, and a cutter. These sheets are suitable for melt melt spinning into filaments. The nylon-66 polymer thus produced was filled with conductive carbon black, which is a carbon black of the trademark Vulcan C sold by Massachusetts Cabot Corporation. Carbon black has the following reported analysis:

The carbon black was dispersed in the polymer by the following procedure. A predetermined amount of nylon and carbon black is fed to a No. 6 Ferrel continuous mixer, and a No. 6 Ferrel continuous mixer operates in a normal manner in which carbon black is compounded to a high molecular weight linear polymer. The output of the mixer is fed to an extruder equipped with a multi-strand die. Squeezing with a diameter of about 3 mm The rolls are cut into small cylinders having an average length of about 3-6 mm.

The dipolymer component was spun into an antistatic bicomponent fiber having the geometry shown in Figures 1-3 using a conjugate melt spinning process.

3. Comparative example

The data in Table 1 illustrates the existing Ascend Performance Material No-Shock® fibers with three surface strips and no TiO ₂ matting agent. Provide this information for comparison. As shown in Fig. 4, fibers having a carbon black-like content are black in appearance and thus are not suitable for light-colored cloth or other fabrics.

Words in Table 1: Spinning (POY) Continuous Silk Nylon No-Shock® Products: Carbon Conductive, Polyamide (Nylon) Substrate Stretch (FDY) Continuous Silk Nylon No-Shock® Products: All Conductive Media, All Polymerization Substrate

All products are bicomponent fibers having a conductive material dispersed (not filled or coated) in a polymeric matrix. The description of the color shade is for comparison purposes only.

4. Cloth characteristics

A knitted fabric having a 20 Danny/2 wire product having 3 surface strips containing between 7 and 15% conductive components was produced. The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3 and below. In Tables 2 and 3, 4A fibers is bicomponent fibers having a conductive core and non-conductive sheath, wherein the sheath about 4% of TiO ₂ by the extinction. Fiber 4B is a bicomponent fiber having a conductive core and a non-conductive sheath, wherein the sheath comprises 24% TiO ₂ . The fibers 4C and 3B are bicomponent fibers having the geometry shown in Figs. 1 and 2, wherein the non-conductive component of the fiber 4C contains 24% of TiO ₂ and the non-conductive component of the fiber 3B does not contain TiO. ₂ . The control fiber is mainly formed of a non-conductive component composed of nylon-66.

The color of the fabric of the present invention is lighter than that of the fabric made of the fiber 3B (the dark fiber on the bobbin in Fig. 4). The cloth of the present invention also exhibits a similar color on the fabric as compared to the product comprising the fiber 4A, but is inferior to the fiber 4B. The sample having the antistatic fiber having the configuration of Figs. 1 and 2 showed a lower surface resistivity than the two fabrics of the carbon-based antistatic fiber. The fabric has a static decay time of 0.01 seconds according to the standard Fed Std 191 Method 5931 compared to a control fabric that does not contain an antistatic yarn. According to the AATCC115 test method, the fabric also showed no adhesion.

Fabrics (3A and 3B) made in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, despite the high loading of TiO ₂ , exhibit electrostatic decay performance similar to the currently available No-Shock® spinning. The sample also showed an improvement over the control sample ~800. The surface resistance of the fiber also shows an improvement over the control sample. The yarn of the present invention is satisfactorily suitable for use in a knitting process.

It is apparent from Tables 2 and 3 that the antistatic bicomponent fibers of the present invention provide surprising properties to the fabric. In particular, the present invention provides a surface resistivity of less than even the non-conductive parts of the dark fiber group no TiO _2, and the present invention is to provide a very short time adhesion. This result is particularly unexpected because the material loaded with TiO2 is expected to exhibit a higher surface resistance.

5. Fiber blending

The antistatic bicomponent fibers of the present invention can be blended with non-conductive fibers to produce yarns suitable for use in garments and carpets, if desired. The bicomponent fibers of the present invention are particularly useful for addition to a relatively large bundle of generally non-conductive synthetic filaments or fibers prior to spinning or during stretching or stretching. The bicomponent fibers in the form of silk fibers can be cut to the desired staple length and blended with the non-conductive staple fibers using conventional mechanisms. The blended fibers are then spun into yarns having antistatic qualities. The yarn strands of the present invention may be used alone or preferably with other strands when suitable fabrics are manufactured by standard weaving, tufting, knitting, flocking, netting, knitting and other techniques. As low as about 0.1% by weight of the fabric can be composed of the bicomponent fibers of the present invention, while the remainder of the fabric includes any natural or man-made fibers and filaments; Normally, the fabric does not need to contain more than 10% by weight of bicomponent fibers. Examples of fibers and filaments that are advantageously combined with the antistatic bicomponent fibers of the present invention are olefin polymers, acrylonitrile polymers, nylon polymers, guanamine polymers, polyethylene terephthalate polymers. Producer, as well as cotton and wool.

The antistatic bicomponent fibers of the present invention can be conveniently and advantageously incorporated into continuous filament carpet yarns prior to their stretching, without the need for costly precautions to ensure that the antistatic bicomponent fibers do not break. A wide variety of stretch entanglement techniques can be used. For example, one or more unstretched antistatic bicomponent fibers with appropriate individual deniers (1-30) are directed to the yarn feed mechanism, and the yarn feed mechanism supplies 800-4000 final Danny carpets. The yarn is supplied to various stretching and slinging devices. The tensile splicing device comprises a mechanically fed or hot jet fed hot drawn gear crimping machine, a stretching false twisting machine, and an extended stuffing box, and a stretch jet suction device. Spinning and drawing can be coupled in a continuous operation.

Invention embodiment

In an embodiment 1, an antistatic bicomponent fiber comprising a conductive component and a non-conductive fiber-forming component, wherein: (a) the conductive component comprises a matrix polymer and carbon black; and (b) is non-conductive The fiber-forming component comprises a TiO ₂ matte fiber-forming polymer, the TiO ₂ system being present in an amount of at least 2% by weight based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component, the non-conductive fiber-forming component defining an antistatic bicomponent fiber An elongated fiber structure; the antistatic bicomponent fiber is further characterized in that the conductive component is disposed in at least three individual conductive surface strips extending along the length of the fiber, the strips being on the outer periphery of the antistatic bicomponent fiber Separate from each other and separated by a non-conductive fiber-forming component, the surface strips act to provide antistatic properties to the antistatic bicomponent fibers.

Embodiment 2 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to Embodiment 1, having 3-5 individual conductive surface strips extending along the length of the fibers, the strips being on the outer circumference of the antistatic bicomponent fibers Separately and separated by a non-conductive fiber-forming component, the surface strips act to provide antistatic properties to the antistatic bicomponent fibers.

Embodiment 3 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to Embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the surface strips are equally spaced on the outer periphery of the fiber.

Embodiment 4 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the conductive surface strips are at least partially encapsulated therebetween by a non-conductive fiber-forming component.

Embodiment 5 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein at least 50% of the conductive surface strips are encapsulated by the non-conductive fiber-forming component therebetween.

Embodiment 6 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein at least 75% of the conductive surface strips are encapsulated by a non-conductive fiber-forming component therebetween.

Embodiment 7 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the matrix polymer of the conductive component and the fiber-forming polymer of the non-conductive fiber-forming component are the same polymerization. Things.

Embodiment 8 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the matrix polymer of the conductive component and the fiber-forming polymer of the non-conductive fiber-forming component are different polymers.

Embodiment 9 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any one of the above embodiments, wherein the matrix polymer of the conductive component and the fiber-forming polymer of the non-conductive fiber-forming component are selected from the group consisting of polyester polymers and poly A guanamine polymer, a polyalkylene polymer, and a polyacrylic polymer.

Embodiment 10 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the matrix polymer of the conductive component and the fiber-forming polymer of the non-conductive fiber-forming component are polyamine polymers.

Embodiment 11 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the matrix polymer of the conductive component is nylon-6, and the fiber forming polymer of the non-conductive fiber-forming component is nylon- 66.

Embodiment 12 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, having a monofilament denier (dpf) of from 2 to 30.

Embodiment 13 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, having a monofilament denier (dpf) of from 5 to 20.

Embodiment 14 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, having a monofilament danny (dpf) of from 7.5 to 15.

Embodiment 15 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the conductive component is present in an amount of from 2% by weight to 30% by weight based on the weight of the fiber, and the non-conductive fiber-forming component is It is present in an amount of from 70% by weight to 98% by weight based on the weight of the fiber.

Embodiment 16 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the conductive component is present in an amount of 5% by weight or more based on the weight of the fiber.

Embodiment 17 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the conductive component is present in an amount of from 7.5% by weight to 15% by weight based on the weight of the fiber.

Embodiment 18 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the TiO ₂ is present in an amount of from 2% by weight to 30% by weight based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component.

Embodiment 19 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the TiO ₂ is present in an amount of 10% by weight or more based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component.

Embodiment 20 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the TiO ₂ is present in an amount of 15% by weight or more based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component.

Embodiment 21 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the TiO ₂ is present in an amount of 20% by weight or more based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component.

Embodiment 22 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the carbon black is present in an amount of 10% by weight to 50% by weight based on the weight of the conductive component.

Embodiment 23 is the antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the carbon black is present in an amount of from 25% by weight to 40% by weight based on the weight of the conductive component.

Embodiment 24 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the antistatic bicomponent fiber exhibits a resistance of less than 1010 ohm/cm when measured by Test Method A using a Keithly 6517 electrometer. .

Embodiment 25 is an antistatic two-component fiber according to any of the above embodiments. Dimensions, wherein the antistatic bicomponent fibers exhibited a resistance of 5 x 106 ohms/cm to 5 x 109 ohms/cm when measured by Test Method A using a Keithly 6517 electrometer.

Embodiment 26 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the antistatic bicomponent fiber exhibits 106 ohm/cm to 107 ohm when measured by Test Method A using a Keithly 6517 electrometer. /cm resistance.

Embodiment 27 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, having a whiteness value L* greater than 50.

Embodiment 28 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, having a whiteness value L* ranging from 50 to 60.

Embodiment 29 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the fiber has an elongation of less than 85% when determined by the test method ASTM D 2101-72.

Embodiment 30 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, incorporated in a Danny multifilament product having a range of 10 to 3000.

Embodiment 31 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, incorporated in a Danny multifilament product having a range of 500 to 3000.

Embodiment 32 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, incorporated in a Danny multifilament product having a range of 15 to 100.

Embodiment 33 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, incorporated in a Danny multifilament product having a range of 15 to 75.

Embodiment 34 is an antistatic double group according to any of the above embodiments. The fiber is incorporated into a Danny multifilament product having a range of 15 to 50.

Embodiment 35 is an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any of the above embodiments, incorporated in a Danny multifilament product having a range of 15 to 25.

The embodiment 36 is a woven fabric product selected from the group consisting of the antistatic two-component fiber rug, woven fabric, and knitted fabric of any of the foregoing Embodiments 1 to 2.

Embodiment 37 is a fabric product according to embodiment 36, wherein the fabric is a cloth exhibiting a static decay time of less than 0.1 seconds when determined according to the test procedure Fed Std 191 Method 5931.

Embodiment 38 is a fabric product according to embodiment 36, wherein the fabric is a cloth exhibiting a static decay time of less than 0.05 seconds when determined according to test procedure Fed Std 191 Method 5931.

Embodiment 39 is a fabric product according to embodiment 36, wherein the fabric is a cloth exhibiting a static decay time of 0.01 seconds or less when determined according to the test procedure Fed Std 191 Method 5931.

Embodiment 40 is a fabric product according to embodiment 36, wherein the fabric is a fabric exhibiting a debonding time of less than 6 seconds when determined according to the test method AATCC 115 for measuring the adhesion time of the cloth to the metal sheet.

The embodiment 41 is a fabric product according to the embodiment 36, wherein the fabric is a fabric exhibiting a debonding time of less than 3 seconds when determined according to the test method AATCC 115 for measuring the adhesion time of the cloth to the metal sheet.

Embodiment 42 is a fabric product according to embodiment 36, wherein When determined according to the test method AATCC 115 for measuring the adhesion time of the cloth to the metal sheet, the fabric is a cloth exhibiting a debonding time of 0.5 seconds or less.

Embodiment 43 is a fabric product according to embodiment 36, wherein the fabric is a fabric exhibiting a surface resistance from 108 to less than 1011 ohms/□ when determined according to test method AATCC 76.

Embodiment 44 is a fabric product according to embodiment 36, wherein the fabric is a fabric exhibiting a surface resistance from 108 to 1010 ohms/□ when determined according to test method AATCC 76.

Embodiment 45 is a fabric product according to embodiment 36, wherein the fabric is a fabric exhibiting a surface resistance from 109 to 1010 ohms/□ when determined according to test method AATCC 76.

Embodiment 46 is a fiber blend comprising bicomponent fibers of any of Embodiments 1 to 2 of Embodiment No. 9 doped with a non-conductive fiber and for forming an antistatic yarn.

Embodiment 47 is a fiber blend according to Embodiment 4, which is incorporated in a multifilament product of any of Embodiments 30 to 3 to form an antistatic yarn.

Embodiment 48 is a method for producing an antistatic bicomponent fiber according to any one of Embodiments 1 to 2, which comprises using a conjugant melt extrusion spinning process.

The present invention has been described in detail, and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. These modifications are also considered Part of the invention. Further explanation is not necessary based on the above discussion, the related knowledge of the art, and the references discussed above, plus the foregoing description including the embodiments and the prior art, which are incorporated herein by reference. In addition, from the above description, it should be understood that the various aspects and aspects of the various aspects of the invention may be combined or interchanged in whole or in part. In addition, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the foregoing description is by way of illustration only and not limitation.

Claims (10)

An antistatic bicomponent fiber comprising a conductive component and a non-conductive fiber-forming component, wherein: (a) the conductive component comprises a matrix polymer and carbon black; and (b) the non-conductive fiber-forming component comprises TiO _a matte fiber-forming polymer, the TiO ₂ being present in an amount of at least 2% by weight based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component, the non-conductive fiber-forming component defining an elongated fiber structure of the antistatic bicomponent fiber The antistatic bicomponent fiber is further characterized in that the conductive component is disposed in at least three individual conductive surface strips extending along the length of the fiber, the strips being on the outer periphery of the antistatic bicomponent fiber Separate from each other and separated by the non-conductive fiber-forming component, the surface strips act to provide antistatic properties to the antistatic bicomponent fibers. The antistatic bicomponent fiber of claim 1, wherein at least 50% of the conductive surface strips are encapsulated by the non-conductive fiber-forming component. The antistatic bicomponent fiber according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the matrix polymer of the conductive component and the fiber-forming polymer of the non-conductive fiber-forming component are polyamine polymers. The antistatic bicomponent fiber according to claim 3, wherein the matrix polymer of the conductive component is nylon 6 and the non-conductive fiber-forming component of the fiber-forming polymer is nylon 66. The antistatic bicomponent fiber according to claim 1, which has a monofilament danny (dpf) of from 2 to 30. The antistatic bicomponent fiber according to claim 1, wherein the conductive component is present in an amount of from 2% by weight to 30% by weight based on the weight of the fiber, and the non-conductive fiber-forming component is based on the fiber The amount of 70% by weight to 98% by weight of the weight is present. The antistatic bicomponent fiber according to Item 6, wherein the TiO ₂ is present in an amount of 10% by weight or more based on the weight of the non-conductive fiber-forming component. The antistatic bicomponent fiber according to claim 1 has a whiteness value L* of more than 50. The antistatic bicomponent fiber of claim 1 is incorporated into a Danny multifilament product having a range of 10 to 3000. A fabric product selected from the group consisting of the antistatic bicomponent fibers of any one of claims 1 to 8 or the carpet, woven fabric and knitted fabric of the multifilament product of claim 9.