Provided are a high-strength polyethylene yarn having an improved shrinkage rate and a method for manufacturing the same. More particularly, a high-strength polyethylene yarn which has a specific microstructure and has an improved shrinkage rate to allow manufacture of high-density fabric, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided.

Provided are a high-strength polyethylene yarn having an improved shrinkage rate and a method for manufacturing the same. More particularly, a high-strength polyethylene yarn which has a specific microstructure and has an improved shrinkage rate to allow manufacture of high-density fabric, and a method for manufacturing the same are provided.

A nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include a first surface and a second surface and a visually discernible pattern of three-dimensional features on one of the first or second surface. Each of the three-dimensional features can define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property. The nonwoven further has a plurality of apertures, wherein at least a portion of the aperture abuts at least one of the first region and the second region of the microzone.

A method for forming porous fibers is provided. The fibers are formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase, which includes a matrix polymer, and a nanoinclusion additive that is at least partially incompatible with the matrix polymer so that it becomes dispersed within the continuous phase as discrete nano-scale phase domains. The method generally includes traversing a bundle of the fibers over one or more draw bars that are in contact with a fluidic medium (e.g., water). In certain embodiments, for example, the draw bar(s) are submerged in the fluidic medium. The fluidic medium is lower than the melting temperature of the matrix polymer.

A method for forming porous fibers is provided. The fibers are formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase, which includes a matrix polymer, and a nanoinclusion additive that is at least partially incompatible with the matrix polymer so that it becomes dispersed within the continuous phase as discrete nano-scale phase domains. The method generally includes traversing a bundle of the fibers over one or more draw bars that are in contact with a fluidic medium (e.g., water). In certain embodiments, for example, the draw bar(s) are submerged in the fluidic medium. The fluidic medium is lower than the melting temperature of the matrix polymer.

A method for making nonwoven fabric. The nonwoven fabric can include three-dimensional features that define a microzone comprising a first region and a second region. The first and second regions can have a difference in values for an intensive property. The nonwoven further has a plurality of apertures, wherein at least a portion of the aperture abuts at least one of the first region and the second region of the microzone.

A problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a discharge nozzle for nanofiber production apparatuses that when producing nanofibers, allows for an easy change to a specification of fibers to be produced, such as the diameter, and thus an improvement in apparatus variety or workability and a nanofiber production apparatus including the discharge nozzle. A discharge nozzle 2 mounted on a nanofiber production apparatus 1 includes a division-type nozzle unit 6 that is provided with a molten/dissolved resin outlet 9 from which a molten or dissolved resin is discharged, a molten/dissolved resin flow path 10 through which the molten or dissolved resin is sent to the molten/dissolved resin outlet 9, a hot blast outlet 11 from which a hot blast is discharged, and a hot blast flow path 12 through which the hot blast is sent to the hot blast outlet 11. The division-type nozzle unit 6 can be divided into first to fourth nozzle units 6a to 6d.

An actuator fiber is made of a thermoplastic resin and has a coil spring shape. A spring index D/d of 1.7 or more when an average diameter of a coil portion is represented by D and a fiber diameter is represented by d. A glass transition point measured by a differential scanning calorimeter may be 150° C. or lower.

An actuator fiber is made of a thermoplastic resin and has a coil spring shape. A spring index D/d of 1.7 or more when an average diameter of a coil portion is represented by D and a fiber diameter is represented by d. A glass transition point measured by a differential scanning calorimeter may be 150° C. or lower.

A fine fiber production method and a fine fiber production apparatus are provided. The fine fiber production method includes: discharging a flowable polymer compound from a discharge port provided at an extruder; forming fibers having a fiber diameter of from 50 nm to 15 μm by spraying, in a direction intersecting with a discharge direction of the flowable polymer compound, a pressurized gas from an air nozzle to the discharged flowable polymer compound, the air nozzle including a temperature control member and a spindle-shaped nozzle or a De Laval nozzle; and collecting the fibers using a collection member provided downstream in a gas spraying direction.