High tenacity, high elongation multi-filament polymeric tapes as well as ballistic resistant fabrics, composites and articles made therefrom. The tapes are fabricated from multi-filament fibers/yarns that are twisted together, bonded together, compressed and flattened.

A fiber formed from a thermoplastic composition that contains a thermoplastic starch and an aliphatic-aromatic copolyester is provided. The copolyester enhances the strength of the starch-containing fibers and facilitates the ability of the starch to be melt processed. Due to its relatively low melting point, the copolyester may also be extruded with the thermoplastic starch at a temperature low enough to avoid substantial removal of the moisture in the starch. Furthermore, the copolyester is also modified with an alcohol to contain one or more hydroxyalkyl or alkyl terminal groups. By selectively controlling the conditions of the alcoholysis reaction (e.g., alcohol and copolymer concentrations, temperature, etc.), the resulting modified aliphatic-aromatic copolyester may have a relatively low molecular weight. Such low molecular weight polymers have the combination of a higher melt flow index and lower apparent viscosity, which is useful in a variety of fiber forming applications, such as meltblowing nonwoven webs.

A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a core portion of a matrix of a first base polymer and particles dispersed within the matrix, and a shell portion comprising a same or a different base polymer. The consumable filament is configured to be melted and extruded to form roads of a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional part, and where the roads at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament and retain the particles within the roads of the printed part and do not penetrate the outer surface of the shell portion.

Provided are an amorphous polyetherimide fiber having not only a small single fiber fineness suitable for producing fabrics, and a fabric comprising the amorphous polyetherimide fiber. The fiber comprises an amorphous polyetherimide polymer having a molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn) of less than 2.5, and having a shrinkage percentage under dry heat at 200° C. of 5% or less, and a single fiber fineness of 3.0 dtex or less. The fiber may have a tenacity at room temperature of 2.0 cN/dtex or greater.

The invention relates to a process for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn comprising the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DRfluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DRsolid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Ln with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DRfluid=DRsp*DRag of at least 150, wherein DRsp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DRag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DRsp being greater than 1 and DRag at least 1. The invention further relates to a high-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and to semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites.

The present invention relates to a polyester fiber that can be applied to a fabric for an airbag, and particularly, to a polyester fiber having elongation of 0.5% or more at a stress of 1.0 g/d, elongation of 4.3% or more at a stress of 4.0 g/d, and elongation of 7.5% or more at a stress of 7.0 g/d, and an initial modulus of 40 to 100 g/d, a method of preparing the same, and a fabric for an airbag prepared therefrom. Since the polyester fiber of the present invention remarkably decreases stiffness and secures superior mechanical properties, it is possible to provide superior packing properties, dimensional stability, and gas barrier effect, and to protect occupants safely by minimizing the impact applied to the occupants, when it is used for the fabric for an airbag.

A microwave-induced heating of CNT filled (or coated) polymer composites for enhancing inter-bead diffusive bonding of fused filament fabricated parts. The technique incorporates microwave absorbing nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) onto the surface or throughout the volume of 3D printer polymer filament to increase the inter-bead bond strength following a post microwave irradiation treatment and/or in-situ focused microwave beam during printing. The overall strength of the final 3D printed part will be dramatically increased and the isotropic mechanical properties of fused filament part will approach or exceed conventionally manufactured counterparts.

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DR.sub.solid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR.sub.fluid=DR.sub.sp*DR.sub.ag of at least 150, wherein DR.sub.sp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DR.sub.ag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DR.sub.sp being greater than 1 and DR.sub.ag at least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

The presently disclosed subject matter provides a scalable and electrostretching approach for generating hydrogel microfibers exhibiting uniaxial alignment from aqueous polymer solutions. Such hydrogel microfibers can be generated from a variety of water-soluble natural polymers or synthetic polymers. The hydrogel microfibers can be used for controlled release of bioactive agents. The internal uniaxial alignment exhibited by the presently disclosed hydrogel fibers provides improved mechanical properties to hydrogel microfibers, and contact guidance cues and induces alignment for cells seeded on or within the hydrogel microfibers.

A wholly aromatic polyamide fiber has a reduced total fineness and a reduced single yarn fineness and is also excellent in quality and reinforcing property. The wholly aromatic polyamide fiber is characterized in that it has a single yarn fineness of 0. 4 dtex to 3. 5 dtex, a total fineness of 5 dtex to 30 dtex, a breaking strength of 15 cN/dtex or more, an initial tensile modulus of 500 cN/dtex to 750 cN/dtex, and the number of fibrils of less than 100/m.