Compositions especially suitable for forming fibers and films having good elasticity and relatively high modulus are disclosed. Surprisingly, compositions including a styrenic block copolymer having a relatively high melt flow rate, and a detackifier, and optionally, but preferably in some embodiments a polyolefin (co)polymer, and/or polystyrene polymer, and/or a softener have good draw down performance and are processable into fibers having low tack, relatively high modulus and tensile strength. The fibers produced from the composition can be processed easily and are useful to manufacture articles such as fabrics, both woven and non-woven, webs, threads, and yarns. In various embodiments, unique fiber structures are produced having low tack and desirable elasticity.

A method for producing an artificial turf fiber, comprising: preparing a core polymer mixture from a core polymer and a thread polymer forming beads within the core polymer; coextruding the core polymer mixture with a cladding polymer component into a monofilament, the core polymer mixture forming a cylindrical core, The cladding polymer component forming a cladding encompassing the core with a non-circular profile; quenching the monofilament; reheating the quenched monofilament; stretching the reheated monofilament to deform the beads into threadlike regions; and providing one or more of the stretched monofilaments as the artificial turf fiber.

A method for producing an artificial turf fiber, comprising: preparing a core polymer mixture from a core polymer and a thread polymer forming beads within the core polymer; coextruding the core polymer mixture with a cladding polymer component into a monofilament, the core polymer mixture forming a cylindrical core, The cladding polymer component forming a cladding encompassing the core with a non-circular profile; quenching the monofilament; reheating the quenched monofilament; stretching the reheated monofilament to deform the beads into threadlike regions; and providing one or more of the stretched monofilaments as the artificial turf fiber.

Various implementations include a filament that includes three lobes that extend from a central portion of the filament, and the central portion defines an axial void. Each lobe bulges outwardly at its proximal end adjacent the central portion and has edges that form a continuous concave curve toward its distal end relative to an axis A-A that extends through the distal end of the respective lobe and the central portion of the filament. Thus, a width of each lobe at the proximal end thereof is greater than a width of each lobe at or adjacent the distal end, and adjacent edges of adjacent lobes intersect each other at concave proximal ends of the adjacent edges.

Various implementations include a filament that includes three lobes that extend from a central portion of the filament, and the central portion defines an axial void. Each lobe bulges outwardly at its proximal end adjacent the central portion and has edges that form a continuous concave curve toward its distal end relative to an axis A-A that extends through the distal end of the respective lobe and the central portion of the filament. Thus, a width of each lobe at the proximal end thereof is greater than a width of each lobe at or adjacent the distal end, and adjacent edges of adjacent lobes intersect each other at concave proximal ends of the adjacent edges.

A macro-synthetic fiber includes three or more partially fused filaments made of a polymer composition including at least one polypropylene, wherein the fiber has a multi-lobal cross-sectional shape with three or more lobes. A method produces macro-synthetic fibers, a cementitious material includes a binder and macro-synthetic fibers, and a method for forming a concrete surface uses a concrete mixture modified with the macro-synthetic fibers.

A macro-synthetic fiber includes three or more partially fused filaments made of a polymer composition including at least one polypropylene, wherein the fiber has a multi-lobal cross-sectional shape with three or more lobes. A method produces macro-synthetic fibers, a cementitious material includes a binder and macro-synthetic fibers, and a method for forming a concrete surface uses a concrete mixture modified with the macro-synthetic fibers.

A solid fiber is described, where the solid fiber is characterized by (a) a modification degree Do/Di, in a cross section of the solid fiber of 1.20 to 8.50 where the inscribed circle diameter is denoted by Di and the circumscribed circle diameter is denoted by Do; and (b) a porous specific surface area of not less than 30 m.sup.2/g.

A solid fiber is described, where the solid fiber is characterized by (a) a modification degree Do/Di, in a cross section of the solid fiber of 1.20 to 8.50 where the inscribed circle diameter is denoted by Di and the circumscribed circle diameter is denoted by Do; and (b) a porous specific surface area of not less than 30 m.sup.2/g.

A polyethylene terephthalate bulked continuous filament is manufactured by steps of melt-spinning, multi-step stretching a polyethylene terephthalate chip and a master batch chip for coloring, passing through a texturing nozzle, cooling, and winding and has an elastic modulus of 1.00E+07 to 5.00E+09 Pa at a temperature range of 10° C. to 200° C., the filament being manufactured by steps of melt-spinning a polyethylene terephthalate chip and a master batch chip for coloring, multi-step stretching, passing through a texturing nozzle, cooling, and winding.