WO2000073405A9

WO2000073405A9 - Clay-containing lubricant for synthetic textile material

Info

Publication number: WO2000073405A9
Application number: PCT/US2000/014811
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guzman Ernesto De; G Michael Junkins
Original assignee: Global Chemical Solutions Inc
Priority date: 1999-06-01
Filing date: 2000-05-31
Publication date: 2002-04-18
Also published as: WO2000073405A1; AU5449000A

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention relates to a clay-containing synthetic textile material lubricant composition comprising a synthetic textile material lubricant, clay, and a dispersant in an amount sufficient to stably suspend the clay in the composition. Another aspect of the present invention is a method of lubricating synthetic fibers or filaments used in forming synthetic filaments from the fibers or yarn from a monofilament or multiple filaments or lubricating synthetic filaments or synthetic yarn during subsequent processing or handling, where the method comprises using the composition of the present invention as the lubricant.

Description

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

Clay-Containing Lubricant for Synthetic Textile Material

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a clay-containing composition and method of using it as a lubricant for synthetic textile materials, such as for spin finishing synthetic yarns and other operations in making, processing and handling filaments and yarns.

The manufacture of synthetic filaments and yarns and products made from them, such as fabrics and carpets, involve various well-known techniques, including extrusion, spinning to make yarn from monofilament or multiple filaments, texturizing, winding, and other fiber, filament and yarn-handling operations. So that the fibers, filaments and yarns do not break and are not otherwise damaged during manufacture or subsequent processing or handling involving friction, lubricants are used. Typically, lubricants include various types of hydrocarbon and other organic chemicals which have high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in effluent resulting from the wash and rinse or other treatment to remove the lubricants from the filaments or yarn, or from the fabrics or carpets made herefrom.

There has been a long-felt, but unsolved need for an effective lubricant product for use in manufacturing synthetic filament, yarn and fabrics and carpet made from the filaments and yarn in which the wash and rinse effluent has reduced BOD and COD discharge levels. The present invention solves this long-felt, but unsolved need. The present invention provides more efficient lubrication and other benefits while reducing the BOD and COD discharge levels in any effluent containing the lubricant.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One aspect of the present invention relates to a clay-containing synthetic textile material lubricant composition comprising a heat-stable synthetic textile material lubricant, clay, and a dispersant in an amount sufficient to stably suspend the clay in the composition.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method of lubricating synthetic fibers or filaments used in forming synthetic filaments from the fibers or yarn from a monofilament or multiple filaments, or lubricating synthetic filaments or synthetic yarn during subsequent processing or handling, where the method comprises using the composition of the present invention as the lubricant.

The present invention also provides a composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising a clay mineral selected from the group consisting of kaolin clays, smectite clays, sepiolite clays, pyrophillite clays, talc, mica, vermiculite, chlorite, intrastratified clay minerals, and allophanate clays having an average particle size of less than 100μ, preferably an average particle size of less than 50μ, more preferably an average particle size of less than 20μ, and most preferably has an average particle size in the range of 1 to 15μ. The present invention further provides a composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising a solid selected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulfide, zinc dithiophosphates and thio-phosphonates having a particle size of less than 100μ.

The instant invention is also directed to a composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising an effective lubricating amount of a clay mineral dispersed in an effective amount of a lubricating synthetic or natural liquid or solid medium.

In another inventive feature, the invention is further directed to a lubricant dispersion comprising: (a) 1 % to 50% by weight of a solid lubricant; (b) 10% to 99% by weight of a liquid or solid synthetic or natural lubricating material; and (c) 0.01 % to 40% by weight of a dispersant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and anionic surfactants.

A still further aspect of the invention is a lubricant dispersion comprising: (a) 1 % to 50% by weight of a solid lubricant; (b) 10% to 99% by weight of a liquid or a solid synthetic or natural lubricating material; and (c) 0.01 % to 40% by weight of a dispersant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and anionic surfactants; and (d) optionally a material selected from the group consisting of anti-slinging agents, anti-soiling agents, scrooping agents and corrosion inhibitors.

In a further aspect of the invention, a lubricant dispersion is provided comprising: (a) 1 % to 50% by weight of a solid lubricant; (b) 10% to 99% by weight of a liquid or solid synthetic or natural lubricating material; and (c) 0.01 % to 40% by weight of a dispersant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and anionic surfactants; and (d) up to about 10% of additional lubricating adjuvants; (e) up to about 99% of water; and (f) up to about 5% of a thickener.

The invention also provides a continuous or batch process for increasing the bulking properties of natural and synthetic crimped or uncrimped fibers, which process comprises treating unbulked natural and synthetic fibers during a fiber fiber forming, drawing and bulking operation with an effective amount of a solid lubricating composition comprising a solid having an average particle size of less than 100 microns.

The invention also provides a method for reducing smoke generation during a fiber or yarn forming, drawing and bulking operation which method comprises applying to said fibers a composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising a clay mineral selected from the group consisting of kaolin clays, smectite clays, sepiolite clays, pyrophillite clays, mica, vermiculite, chlorite, intrastratified clay minerals, and allophanate clays having an average particle size of less than 100μ, preferably an average particle size of less than 50μ, more preferably an average particle size of less than 20μ, and most preferably has an average particle size in the range of 1 to 15μ.

Yet, in another important embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for reducing the deleterious effects of oligomers in polyester and polyamide fiber processing operations which method comprises applying to said polyester or polyamide during said fiber processing operations an effective amount of a composition comprising a clay mineral selected from the group consisting of kaolin clays, smectite clays, sepiolite clays, pyrophillite clays, mica, vermiculite, chlorite, intrastratified clay minerals, and allophanate clays having an average particle size of less than 100μ, preferably an average particle size of less than 50μ, more preferably an average particle size of less than 20μ, and most preferably has an average particle size in the range of 1 to 15μ.. In another important aspect of the invention there is provided an environmentally friendly lubricating composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising a clay mineral having an average particle size of less than 100μ.

The invention is further directed to an environmentally friendly process for lubricating natural and synthetic fibers producing an effluent having less BOD and COD which process comprises treating said natural and synthetic fibers during a fiber forming or drawing operation with an effective amount of a solid lubricating composition comprising a solid having an average particle size of less than 100 microns.

The invention further describes a composition for forming fibers comprising: (a) a fiber forming polymer; and (b) a lubricating clay mineral having an average particle size of less than 100μ wherein said fiber forming polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyester and polyamides and wherein said mineral is talc.

The invention is also directed to a composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising an effective lubricating amount of an inorganic platelet forming mineral dispersed in an effective amount of a synthetic or natural lubricating liquid or solid medium.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram generally illustrating a typical yarn forming, processing and handling system, in which the application of the composition of the present invention is shown in two exemplary application areas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a clay-containing composition used as a lubricant for making, processing and handling synthetic textile material, and the method of using it as a synthetic textile material lubricant.

As used herein, "textile material" with respect to the term "synthetic textile material" means any fiber, filament, yarn intermediate or yarn. Included within the term are textured and non-textured filaments and yarn. The textile material is used to make woven, knit or non-woven fabrics and carpeting. Specifically preferred are synthetic textile materials used to make all kinds of carpeting.

As used herein, "synthetic" with respect to the term "synthetic textile material" means any textile material made from manufactured, namely, synthetic, polymeric fiber.

Synthetic material used to make fibers, filaments, yarn intermediates and yarn include acetate, acrylic, modacrylic, nylon, polyolefin, polyester, rayon, triacetate and urethane, among many other well known synthetics used to make textile materials. Polypropylene, nylon and polyester are the preferred materials for the present invention.

As used herein, the terms "percent" and "%" mean the percentage by weight of the indicated component or ingredient within the product or composition in which it is present, without subsequent dilution, unless otherwise indicated by the context in which the term is used.

As used herein, the articles "a" and "the" when used with a noun include both the singular and plural of the noun, unless only one is otherwise specifically indicated. As used herein, "heat-stable" with respect to a lubricant or other product described as being heat-stable, means that the product will not experience significant volatilization or significant breakdown for the time the product is exposed to the formation or processing temperatures involved.

As used herein, the term "stably suspend" with respect to the stable suspension of the claim in the composition, means that the clay is suspended to an extent such that most of the clay is dispersed and retained in suspension in the composition, wherein any portion of the clay which settles may be resuspended readily by simple mixing prior to using the composition.

The present invention was based upon the discovery that finely divided clay could act as an effective inorganic lubricant to replace some of the organic lubricant (typically an ethoxylated long chain alcohol or fatty acids such as lauryl alcohol or lauric acid of the type known as ML-9 for example), used in making filaments and yarn, normal spin finishing and other lubricating operations involving manufacture of synthetic textile material. The discovery that the lubrication effect of such compositions could be enhanced by the use of clay was surprising, since one would expect that the particulate clay would increase friction, rather than reduce it. It was also surprising that comparable levels of lubrication could be achieved using less of the composition of the present invention than the typical lubricants used in making synthetic textile material, such as spin finish lubricants not including clay. Use of the composition of the present invention also provides better bulking and improved frictional properties with respect to forming, processing and handling equipment than conventional lubricants, without adversely affecting the fiber to fiber cohesion used to make filaments and yarn. Additionally, the use of the clay reduces the BOD and COD level of effluents, removed during scouring of the synthetic textile material which is performed to remove the lubricant so that the synthetic textile material can achieve level dyeing and/or uniform finish during subsequent processing. The lower BOD and COD level of effluents resulting from scouring the lubricant from the synthetic textile material is also a significant advantage from an environmental protection standpoint.

The synthetic textile material lubricant composition of the present invention comprises heat-stable synthetic textile material lubricant, clay and a dispersant in an amount sufficient to stably suspend the clay in the composition. Optionally, phosphated alcohol, water, thickener, an antisoiling compound, an antistatic agent, an antislinging agent, a scrooping agent, a corrosion inhibitor, and other finishing compounds known to those skilled in this art also may be included.

The heat-stable lubricant component must be capable of acting as a lubricant between the synthetic textile material and the parts of the equipment used to form, process and handle the textile material. The lubricant component should be heat-stable at the high temperatures associated with melt extrusion, heat setting, spin forming and other processing and handling operations involved with synthetic textile materials such as polypropylene, nylon and polyester, among other synthetic textile materials. Typical temperature ranges involved are about 80 ^*C to about 260 ^, where processing temperatures involving polypropylene are relatively lower, typically about 80 O to about 200 O, and processing temperatures involving nylon and polyester are relatively higher, about 80 tϊ to about 220 ^£C.

The particular heat-stable lubricant component selected, as well as the particular selection of other components, may depend upon the type of synthetic textile material being formed, processed or handled and the particular stage, location or type of formation, processing or handling where the lubricant composition is being used.

The synthetic textile material lubricant component can be a heat-stable ethoxylated alcohol or an ester, such a monoalkyi or dialkyl ester of a polycarboxylic acid of 3 to 18 carbon atoms in the carbon chain, such as adipic, critic, gluconic, stearic, succinic, glutaric or malonic acid, for instance. Additionally, this component can be a polyethylene glycol ester of a fatty acid, such as lauric, myristic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic or pelargonic acid. Other esters are polyol esters of carboxylic acids having 3 to 18 carbon atoms in a linear, branched, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic carbon chain, with neopentyl alcohol, trimethylolpropane and pentaerythritol. Ethylene oxide condensates of the above-identified acids are also included. Preferred ethoxylated alcohols are those having a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated chain of 6 to 16 carbon atoms ethoxylated with about 4 to about 20 moles of ethylene oxide.

The alkyl group in the monoalkyl or dialkyl moiety of the indicated esters can have from 5 to 18 carbon atoms and may be linear or branched. For polyethylene glycol ester derivatives, the polyethylene glycol chain length has a molecular weight of about 200 to 1000. For ethylene oxide condensates of the above-identified acids, the ethylene oxide is present in an amount of about 4 to about 20 moles.

Preferred lubricants include the dialkyl ester of adipic acid, where the alkyl group contains 12 to 14 carbon atoms, and particularly detridecyladipate; the polyethylene glycol ester of lauric acid, where the polyethylene glycol has a molecular weight of about 400 to about 600; and ethoxylated monolauryl alcohols ethoxylated with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, readily available from several sources under the industry designation ML-9.

The synthetic textile material lubricant component is present in the composition in an amount of about 10% to about 90% and preferably about 50% to about 80%. The clay component in particulate form enhances the lubricating effectiveness of the composition, provides enhanced bulking to the filaments and yarn produced using the composition and reduces the BOD and COD values of effluent containing the composition after it is scoured from the synthetic textile material treated with the composition. The clay should have an average particle size of less than about 100 microns, more in particular less than 50 microns, preferably less than about 20 microns, and more preferably, about 10 to about 15 microns and most preferably 1 to 15 microns. There are many types of clays, such as montmorillonite, kaolinite, atapulgite, illite, and halloysite clays that are found in many locations throughout the world and that are readily commercially available. Other types of clays include fuller's earth and diatomaceous earth. The clay is preferably a bentonite clay that largely contains montmorillonite, more preferably a sodium bentonite clay, and even more preferably, a bentonite clay containing at least 60% silicon dioxide. The clay component is present in the composition in an amount of about 1 % to 50%, more in particular about 5% to about 50%, and preferably, about 10% to about 30%. Another preferred lubricating solid for practicing the invention is talc. Of course any platelet forming inorganic mineral is suitable in the practice of the present invention.

It should be noted that the present invention also contemplates the use of other solid lubricants such as molybdenum disulfide, zinc dithiophosphates and thio- phosphonates. The particle size of these materials is also in the range of 10-50 microns. The dispersant component is any compound, such as a wetting agent, surfactant or emulsifier, capable of retaining the components, and particularly the clay, well dispersed and stably suspended so as to form a stable composition. This component is preferably an ethoxylated alcohol having a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic alcohol chain of 6 to 20 carbon atoms and contains about 4 to about 20 moles of ethylene oxide. Preferred ethoxylated alcohols are fatty acid alcohols that have a carbon chain of 10 to 14 carbon atoms and about 4 to about 10 moles of ethylene oxide. Another preferred dispersant is an ethoxylated alkyl or dialkyl phenol, wherein each alkyl group contains 8 to 9 carbon atoms. The dispersant component is present in the composition in an amount of about 2% to about 40%, and preferably, about 10% to about 25%. Cationic and anionic dispersants are also suitable in the practice of the present invention.

Synthetic textile material lubricant compositions comprising only the three essential components discussed above would provide suitable lubrication for forming, processing and handling synthetic textile materials. As noted above, there are several optional ingredients which may enhance the performance of the composition.

Where optional ingredients are used, the relative percentages of the other ingredients or components discussed above would necessarily be reduced.

One preferred optional ingredient is a phosphated alcohol. The phosphate alcohol acts primarily to enhance fiber to fiber cohesion when forming filaments and yarns, and it also acts as an antistatic agent. This component has a linear or branched aliphatic alcohol chain containing 3 to 16 carbon atoms. Additionally, the phosphate alcohol can be ethoxylated to produce an ethoxylated ester, also enhancing fiber to fiber cohesion and providing antistatic properties. The phosphated ethoxylated alcohol is ethoxylated with up to about 20 moles of ethylene oxide. The phosphate ester is present as a monophosphate ester, a diphosphate ester or a combination thereof. A preferred phosphate ethoxylated alcohol contains 10 to 14 carbon atoms in the carbon chain, the phosphate is primarily a diphosphate ester and the ethylene oxide is present in an amount of up to about 8 moles. The phosphated alcohol or ester may be present in the composition in an amount of up to about 10%, and preferably, about 1 % to about 5%. Both water and a thickener are also preferred optional ingredients. It is preferred that the composition of the present invention contain up to about 40% water, preferably about 20% to about 30% water, and up to about 5% of the thickener, and preferably about 0.1 % to about 1 % of the thickener. An acrylic or natural thickener is preferred. Xanthate gum is a preferred natural thickener. The composition can also contain other optional ingredients. Examples include up to about 10%, and preferably, about 1 % to about 5% of each of an antislinging agent, an anti-soiling agent and a scrooping agent, as well as up to about 1 %, and preferably about 1 % to about 0.2% of a corrosion inhibitor.

The anti-slinging agent prevents the lubricant from being slung or thrown off the filaments or yarn during formation, processing or handling. Anti-slinging agents are known and readily available. Isobutylene is a preferred anti-slinging agent.

Anti-soiling agents are also well known and typically are perfluoropolymers, such as polytetrafluoroethylene. Also known are silicone-based compounds, Novolak resins, sulfonated aromatic compounds typically used as stain blockers, and other readily available anti-soiling agents.

Scrooping agents affect the texture characteristic called "scroop". Typical scrooping agents include ethoxylated and propoxylated fatty acids and alcohols, where the fatty acid component has 12-20 carbon atoms. These compounds have about 5 to about 30 moles of ethoxylation or propoxylation. Various types of corrosion inhibitors are known and readily available. A preferred corrosion inhibitor is alkyl or dialkyl thiourea, wherein each alkyl group has 2-4 carbon atoms.

A preferred composition of the present invention comprises about 10% to about 90% of heat-stable lubricant, about 5% to about 50% of clay, about 2% to about 40% of dispersant, up to about 10% of a phosphate ethoxylated alcohol or ester, up to about 40% of water and up to about 5% of a thickener.

More preferably, the composition of the present invention comprises about 50% to about 99% of heat-stable lubricant, about 11 % to about 30% of clay, about 0.01 % to about 25% of dispersant, about 1 % to about 5% of phosphated ethoxylated alcohol or ester, up to about 30% water and about 0.1 % to about 1 % of an acrylic or natural thickener.

As mentioned above, the types of components for the lubricant composition of the present invention may vary depending upon the synthetic textile material being treated and at what stage in the treatment the lubricant composition is being applied. Lubricant compositions, intended primarily for use in forming, processing or handling synthetic textile materials at relatively lower temperature conditions, such as polypropylene, for example, comprises about 10% to about 90%, and preferably about 50% to about 60% of [heat-stable] lubricant, about 8% to about 50%, and preferably, about 1 % to about 30% of clay, and about 2% to about 40%, and preferably, about 0.01 % to about 25% of dispersant.

A more preferred lubricant composition for use with these relatively lower temperature synthetic textile material comprises about 60% of heat-stable lubricant, preferably ML-9 monolauryl alcohol ethoxylated with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, about 20% of clay, preferably bentonite, and about 20% of dispersant, preferably in the form of tridecyl alcohol ethoxylated with 6 moles of ethylene oxide.

Still further with respect to lubricant compositions intended primarily for the synthetic textile material processed at the relatively lower temperatures, a preferred components comprises about 50% to about 60% of lubricant, preferably ML-9, about 8% to about 12% clay, preferably, bentonite, about 10% to about 15% of dispersant, preferably 6 mole ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol, about 1 % to about 3% of phosphated alcohol or ester, preferably phosphated 4 moles ethoxylated decyl alcohol, about 20% to about 30% water and about 0.1 % to about 1 % thickener.

An even more preferred lubricant composition for use with synthetic textile materials processed at the relatively lower temperatures consists essentially of about 50% of the ML-9 lubricant, about 12% bentonite, preferably sodium bentonite, about 12% of 6 mole ethoxylated tridecyl alcohol dispersant, about 2% of phosphated 4 mole ethoxylated decyl alcohol, about 24% water and about 0.1 % xanthate gum thickener. When the lubricant composition of the present invention is used with a synthetic textile material that involves relatively higher formation, processing or handling temperatures, such as nylon or polyester, the composition comprises about 30% to about 90% , and preferably about 60% to about 80% of heat-stable lubricant, about 5% to about 40%, and preferably about 10% to about 20% of clay, and about 5% to about 30%, and preferably, about 10% to about 20% of dispersant.

A more preferred composition for use with the synthetic textile materials formed or processed at these relatively higher temperatures comprises about 60% of heat- stable lubricant, preferably ditridecyladipate, about 20% of clay, preferably bentonite, and about 20% if dispersant, preferably decyl alcohol ethoxylated with 4 moles of ethylene oxide.

Where lubricant compositions of the present invention containing some of the optional ingredients are used with the synthetic textile materials formed, processed or handled and the relatively higher temperatures, a preferred lubricant composition comprises about 40% to about 50% of lubricant, preferably ditridecyladipate, about 7% to about 10% of clay, preferably bentonite, about 10% to about 15% of dispersant, preferably 4 mole ethoxylated decyl alcohol, about 1 % to about 5% of phosphated alcohol or ester, preferably tridecyl alcohol ethoxylated with 5 moles of ethylene oxide, about up to 20% to about 30% water, and about 0.1 % to about 1 % of an acrylic or natural thickener.

One presently more preferred composition of the present invention for use with synthetic textile materials formed, processed or handled at the relatively higher temperatures consists essentially of 50% of ditridecyladipate, 7.2% of bentonite, preferable sodium bentonite, 12% of decyl alcohol containing 4 moles of ethylene oxide, 1.8% of phosphated tridecyl alcohol containing 5 moles of ethylene oxide, 28.8% water and 0.2% xanthate gum.

Any of the compositions of the present invention, whether or not they include any of the optional ingredients, and whether or not they are intended for use in forming, processing or handling synthetic textile materials at the relatively lower temperature range or the relatively higher temperature range, can be used neat or diluted to any extent such that the composition is still useful as a lubricant. Typically, the compositions can be diluted with water. Further, for use with synthetic textile material formed, processed or handled at the relatively low temperature range, the composition may be diluted by adding one part of the composition to up to about four parts of water. Where the composition is intended for use with synthetic textile materials formed, processed or handled at the relatively higher temperature range, the composition may be diluted by adding one part of the composition to up to about 10 parts of water.

There are no critical processing parameters required to make the compositions of the present invention. Typically, the heat-stable lubricant component and the surfactant are added in any order to a mixing vessel. A mixer, such as a Lighting® mixer, equipped with a double blade, is turned on high speed (about 100 rpm). While mixing the lubricant and surfactant at high speed, clay is slowly blended into the mixture at a rate that avoids lumping. Mixing is continued until a uniform dispersion is obtained. Optional ingredients than can be added in any order, with mixing until thoroughly blended. If the composition will be used promptly, no further processing is needed.

If storage of the lubricating composition is contemplated before use to enhance storage stability, or it the particle size of the clay needs to be reduced, it is preferred to homogenize the composition. In this case, the composition may be homogenized using any suitable homogenizer, such as a Manton Gaulin® homogenizer, at about 500 to about 1500 psi (about 35 to about 105 kg/sq cm). After homogenization, it is recommended that stability of the composition be checked using a centrifuge at about 1500 rpm for five minutes. If the clay separates from the liquid components, the amount of dispersant can be adjusted, a thickener can de added, or if a thickener is already present, more thickener can be added, until the clay remains well dispersed. Less of the composition of the present invention is necessary to provide the lubrication and other beneficial properties to the synthetic textile material than lubricant compositions of the prior art which do not contain clay. Thus, the composition of the present invention is a more efficient lubricant. Whereas typical lubricants are applied using about 1 % to about 2% of the lubricant based on the weight of yarn or other synthetic textile material being treated, the present invention requires only about 0.3% to about 0.6%, and preferably, about 0.5%, of the composition of the present invention based on the weight of yarn or other synthetic textile material being treated.

The inventors of the present invention have also discovered that the bulking properties of natural and synthetic fibers may be further enhanced by treatment of the fibers with an effective amount of a solid lubricating composition comprising a solid having an average particle size of less than 100 microns.

The invention also provides a method for enhancing the bulking properties of natural and synthetic fibers, which method comprises treating said natural and synthetic fibers during a fiber finishing operation with an effective amount of a solid lubricating composition comprising a solid having an average particle size of less than 100 microns.

The invention further provides a method for reducing smoke generation during a fiber or yarn finishing operation which method comprises using the fiber lubricant composition comprising a solid having an average particle size of less than 100 microns.

The method of the present invention, including using the composition of the invention for lubricating synthetic fibers or filaments used in forming synthetic filaments from the fibers or yarn from a monofilament or multiple filaments, or lubricating synthetic filaments or synthetic yarn after exiting the spinneret or during subsequent processing or handling, where the method comprises using the composition of the present invention as the lubricant, will now be described in more detail with reference to the schematic drawing of Figure 1.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a typical yarn forming, processing and handling system, in which the application of the composition of the present invention is shown in two exemplary application areas, although the composition may be applied to other or different application areas. All components of the system are known components readily available commercially, and their interconnection is also well known. Since the clay component is very finely divided particulate or powdered material, no modification to the lubrication equipment is necessary. Thus, while the method of the present invention may be used in a system of the type illustrated, the particular type of apparatus used in the system is not critical to the present invention. Moreover, the composition of the present invention can be used in any other system, not shown, for forming, processing of handling synthetic textile materials, where lubrication and the other beneficial properties of the composition of the invention are desired. The system of Figure 1 includes a finish tank 10 containing the composition 12 according to the present invention in the form of a spin finish lubricant. The composition 12 is pumped through a conduit 14 by a pump 16, such as a gear pump, where the amount of material pumped is controlled by a metering device 18, such as a computer-controlled metering device, to apply the desired amount of spin finish onto the yarn being formed. The composition is pumped into a yarn extruder apparatus 20, typically including a spinneret, which is a device containing numerous holes through which a solution or melt of the synthetic polymer is forced to form the fiber filaments. The apparatus also includes a guide roll by which the filaments formed in the spinneret are spun together to form yarn. The yarn exits the apparatus through an orifice called a guide. It is important to lubricate the guide roll and guide so that the filaments are not damaged when the yarn is formed. The various internal connections, nozzles and the like for distributing the lubricant to the desired locations are all well known and therefore, are not described or illustrated in detail.

The extruder apparatus 20 results in the formation of yarn 22 passing through the guide. The yarn 22 passes over an initial roll 24 and an idler roll 26 until it reaches draw rolls 28 and 30. From there, the yarn passes over an idler roll 32 into a texturizer 34. The texturizer is used herein as a description of a generalized apparatus including several types well known and commercially available to those skilled in this technology. The texturizer imparts crimping, looping, bulk, crinkle, stretch, torque, or other surface texture characteristics. Texturizers typically use one or more of the following well- known methods: air jet method, edge crimping method, false-twist method, gear crimping method, knit-de-knit method and stuffer box method, for example. If desired, the lubricant composition of the present invention may be applied to the yarn shortly before, during or shortly after texturizing of the yarn takes place.

Following texturizing, the yarn passes into a cooling drum 36. Thereafter, the yarn passes over idler roller 38 and through an air tack box 40 which provides additional cooling. From the air tack box 40, the yarn passes over idler rolls 42, 44, 46 and 48 and into a winder 50. There, the yarn is wound onto a spool, which may be in the form of a cone 52, in which case the winding process is called "coning". Since the winding operation entails a considerable amount of friction, lubricant is often applied during winding or coning. This is schematically illustrated in Figure 1 by the provision of a lubricant tank 54 containing a lubricant 56 according to the present invention. The lubricant is pumped through a conduit 58 by a pump 60, metered by a metering device 62, into the winder 50.

The pump 60 and metering device 62 may be of any well-known type, but preferably of the types mentioned above regarding the pump 16 and the metering device 18. As before, the exact components by which the lubricant is applied during winding or coning is well known and therefore is not discussed in detail here.

Use of the lubricating composition according to the present invention during at least one of the forming processing and handling steps, such as at least one of the spinning, texturizing and winding, is advantageous and includes the benefits discussed above. When compositions of the present invention were used during spinning to produce yarn, the filaments were effectively lubricated on the initial filament roll, bulking of yarn was improved and there was no adverse buildup of the lubricant composition of any of its components on the spinneret, the guide roll, the guide or any other part of the apparatus. Effluent containing the composition after the yarn was washed and rinsed had a lower BOD and COD than effluent containing lubricant without the clay component.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the broad inventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but is intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising a clay mineral having an average particle size of less than 100μ.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein said clay mineral has an average particle size of less than 50μ.

3. The composition of claim 1 wherein said clay mineral has an average particle size of less than 20μ.

4. The composition of claim 1 wherein said clay mineral has an average particle size in the range of 1 to 15μ.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein said clay mineral is selected from the group consisting of kaolin clays, smectite clays, sepiolite clays, pyrophillite clays, talc, mica, vermiculite, chlorite, intrastratified clay minerals, and allophanate clays.

6. The composition of claim 5 wherein said clay is a smectite clay.

7. The composition of claim 6 wherein said smectite clay is bentonite clay.

8. The composition of claim 7 wherein said bentonite clay contains at least 60% silicon dioxide.

9. A composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising a solid selected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulfide, zinc dithiophosphates and thio- phosphonates having a particle size of less than 50μ.

10. A composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising an effective lubricating amount of an inorganic mineral dispersed in an effective amount of a synthetic or natural lubricating liquid or solid medium.

11. The composition of claim 10 further containing a dispersant.

12. The composition of claim 10 wherein said clay mineral having a particle size in the range of 10 - 50μ.

13. The composition of claim 12 wherein said inorganic material is a clay mineral is a bentonite clay having a silicon dioxide content of at least 60% and having a particle size in the range of 1 - 15μ.

14. The composition of claim 10 wherein said liquid or solid medium is a synthetic lubricant or naturally occurring lubricant.

15. A lubricant dispersion comprising:

(a) 1 % to 50% by weight of a solid lubricant;

(b) 10% to 99% by weight of a liquid or solid synthetic or natural lubricating material; and

(c) 0.01% to 40% by weight of a dispersant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and anionic surfactants.

16. The lubricant dispersion of claim 15 wherein said solid lubricant is a clay mineral having a particle size in the range of 10 - 50μ.

17. The lubricant dispersion of claim 15 wherein said solid lubricant is a clay mineral having a particle size in the range of 1 - 15μ.

18. The lubricant dispersion of claim 17 wherein said solid lubricant is a bentonite clay.

19. The lubricant dispersion of claim 18 wherein said solid lubricant is a bentonite clay having a content of at least 60% silicon dioxide.

20. The lubricant dispersion of claim 15 wherein said solid lubricant is selected from the group consisting of talc, molybdenum disulfide, zinc dithiophosphate and thiophosphonates.

21 . A lubricant dispersion comprising:

(a) 1 % to 50% by weight of a solid lubricant; (b) 10% to 99% by weight of a liquid or a solid synthetic or natural lubricating material; and

(c) 0.01 % to 40% by weight of a dispersant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and anionic surfactants; and

(d) optionally a material selected from the group consisting of anti-slinging agents, anti-soiling agents, scrooping agents and corrosion inhibitors.

22. A lubricant dispersion comprising:

(a) 1 % to 50% by weight of a solid lubricant;

(b) 10% to 99% by weight of a liquid or solid synthetic or natural lubricating material; and (c) 0.01 % to 40% by weight of a dispersant selected from the group consisting of nonionic surfactants, cationic surfactants and anionic surfactants; and

(d) up to about 10% of additional lubricatingly effective adjuvants;

(e) up to about 99% of water; and

(f) up to about 5% of a thickener.

23. A process for increasing the bulking properties of natural and synthetic fibers, which process comprises treating unbulked natural and synthetic fibers during a fiber fiber forming, drawing and bulking operation with an effective amount of a solid lubricating composition comprising a solid having an average particle size of less than 100 microns.

24. The process of claim 23 wherein said process is a continuous or batch process.

25. The process of claim 23 wherein said natural and synthetic fiber is a crimped fiber.

26. A method for reducing smoke generation during a fiber or yarn forming, drawing and bulking operation which method comprises using the fiber lubricant composition of claim 1.

27. A method for reducing the deleterious effects of oligomers in polyester and polyamide fiber processing operations which method comprises adding or applying to said polyester or polyamide prior to or during said fiber processing operations an effective amount of the composition of claim 1.

28. An environmentally friendly lubricating composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising a clay mineral having an average particle size of less than 100μ.

29. An environmentally friendly process for lubricating natural and synthetic fibers producing an effluent having less BOD and COD which process comprises treating said natural and synthetic fibers during a fiber forming or drawing operation with an effective amount of a solid lubricating composition comprising a solid having an average particle size of less than 100 microns.

30. A composition for forming fibers comprising: (a) a fiber forming polymer; and (b) a lubricating inorganic mineral having an average particle size of less than

100μ.

31. The composition of claim 30 wherein said fiber forming polymer is selected from the group consisting of polypropylene, polyester and polyamides.

32. The composition of claim 30 wherein said mineral is talc.

33. A composition suitable for lubricating fibers comprising an effective lubricating amount of an inorganic platelet forming mineral dispersed in an effective amount of a synthetic or natural lubricating liquid or solid medium.