The present invention relates to a filament for 3D printing, comprising (A) at least one semicrystalline polyamide, (B) at least one amorphous polyamide (C) at least one flame retardant of formula (I), wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 are independently of each other a linear or branched C.sub.1-C.sub.8alkyl group, or an optionally substituted aryl group, M represents is an alkali metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion, an aluminum ion, a zinc ion, an iron ion or a boron ion; m represents 1, 2 or 3; and n represents 1, 2 or 3, a process for the preparation of the filament and its use in a process for preparation of a three-dimensional object, by a fused filament fabrication process.

Resorbable multifilament yarns and monofilament fibers including poly-4-hydroxybutyrate and copolymers thereof with high tenacity or high tensile strength have been developed. The yarns and fibers are produced by cold drawing the multifilament yarns and monofilament fibers before hot drawing the yarns and fibers under tension at temperatures above the melt temperature of the polymer or copolymer. These yarns and fibers have prolonged strength retention in vivo making them suitable for soft tissue repairs where high strength and strength retention is required. The multifilament yarns have tenacities higher than 8.1 grams per denier, and in vivo, retain at least 65% of their initial strength at 2 weeks. The monofilament fibers retain at least 50% of their initial strength at 4 weeks in vivo. The monofilament fibers have tensile strengths higher than 500 MPa. These yarns and fibers may be used to make various medical devices for various applications.

A system comprising: (1) a grinding unit configured to receive and grind recycled PET bottles into a group of polymer flakes comprising up to about ten percent colored polymer flakes and balance substantially clear polymer flakes; (2) a washing unit configured to wash the group of polymer flakes; and (3) an extruder configured to extrude material in a plurality of different extrusion streams. The extruder may be further configured to: (1) receive a concentrate-polymer mixture comprising a mixture of the polymer flakes and a color concentrate; (2) melt the concentrate-polymer mixture to produce a polymer melt; (3) reduce a pressure within the extruder; and (4) pass the polymer melt through the extruder so that the polymer melt is divided into the plurality of extrusion streams. The system may then filter the polymer melt through at least one filter and form the polymer melt into bulked continuous carpet filament.

The invention relates to a process for the production of a tape comprising a plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands, wherein each of the sheathed continuous multifilament strands comprises a core that extends in the longitudinal direction and a polymer sheath which intimately surrounds said core, wherein each of the cores comprises an impregnated continuous multifilament strand comprising at least one continuous glass multifilament strand, wherein the at least one continuous glass multifilament strand is impregnated with an impregnating agent, wherein the process comprises the steps of: d) providing the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands, e) placing the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands in parallel alignment in the longitudinal direction, f) grouping the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands, wherein steps e) and f) are performed such that the sheathed continuous multifilament strand can be consolidated and g) subsequently consolidating the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands to form the tape, wherein the sheathed continuous multifilament strands are prepared by the sequential steps of a) unwinding from a package the continuous glass multifilament strands, b) applying the impregnating agent to the continuous glass multifilament strands to form the impregnated continuous multifilament strands and c) applying the sheath of the thermoplastic polymer composition around the impregnated continuous multifilament strands to form the sheathed continuous multifilament strands, wherein the sheathed continuous multifilament strands of step d) are the sheathed continuous multifilament strands obtained by step c) and wherein the sheathed continuous multifilament strands of step d) are subjected to step e) without cutting.

The invention relates to an apparatus for cross-sectionally shaping a multiplicity of plastics strands guided in parallel alongside one another over at least one rotatable shaping roller (18, 19, 20), in which the shaping roller is provided on its surface with a plurality of encircling shaping recesses which are arranged in parallel and in which the cross section of the plastics strands is shapeable in accordance with the cross-sectional shape of the shaping recesses, wherein preferably three shaping rollers (18, 19, 20) of the same type for sequentially shaping the plastics strands are arranged transversely to the running path of the plastics strands, wherein the plastics strands are guided between a pair of two successive shaping rollers (19, 20) on a first side of the plastics strands and a third shaping roller (18), which is arranged, between the first (19) and second shaping roller (20) of the pair of shaping rollers, on the second side of the plastics strands in the running direction of the plastics strands, and the shaping rollers are mounted in lateral guide plates by means of quick-change apparatuses.

The invention relates to a tape comprising a plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands, wherein each of the sheathed continuous multifilament strands comprises a core that extends in the longitudinal direction and a polymer sheath which intimately surrounds said core, wherein each of the cores comprises an impregnated continuous multifilament strand comprising at least one continuous glass multifilament strand, wherein the at least one continuous glass multifilament strand is impregnated with an impregnating agent in an amount from 0.50 to 15.0 wt %, for example from 0.5 to 10.0 wt % or for example from 10.0 to 15.0 wt % based on the sheathed continuous multifilament strand, wherein the impregnating agent has a melting point of at least 20° C. below the melting point of the thermoplastic polymer composition, has a viscosity of from 2.5 to 200 cSt at 160° C., wherein the continuous glass multifilament strand comprises at most 2 wt % of a sizing composition based on the continuous glass multifilament strand and wherein the polymer sheath consists of a thermoplastic polymer composition, wherein the thermoplastic polymer composition comprises at least 60 wt %, for example at least 80 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the amount of impregnated continuous multifilament strand is in the range of 10 to 70 wt % based on the sheathed continuous multifilament strands and wherein the amount of polymer sheath is in the range of 30 to 90 wt % based on the sheathed continuous multifilament strand and wherein the sum of the amount of impregnated continuous multifilament strand and the polymer sheath is 100 wt %.

Aspects of triboelectric fibers and methods of manufacture of the fibers are described. In one example, a method of manufacture of a fiber for generating energy using the triboelectric effect includes forming a preform tube, heating the preform tube in a furnace, feeding a wire through the preform tube and the furnace during the heating, and pulling the wire through the furnace to form a fiber. The methods described herein can be relied upon to manufacture fibers long enough for industrial-scale textile manufacturing, including for use with industrial-scale looms. In one example, forming the preform tube can include providing a polypropylene tube and wrapping the polypropylene tube with a housing layer of amorphous film, such as acrylic film. The acrylic film can be relied upon to maintain the form and integrity of the polypropylene as the wire is pulled, and the acrylic film can be easily removed after the pulling.

A method for producing a stabilized lignin fiber from softwood alkaline lignin by heat treatment in the absence of oxidant is disclosed. The stabilized lignin fiber can be further treated to obtain carbon fiber.

Multi component fibres for the reduction of the damaging activity of wound exudate components such as protein degrading enzymes and inflammatory mediators in wounds, the fibres comprising: from 10% to 100% by weight of the fibres of pectin and a sacrificial proteinaceous material in a weight ratio of 100:0 to 10:90 pectin to sacrificial proteinaceous material and from 0% to 90% by weight of the fibres of another polysaccharide or a water soluble polymer.

This disclosure relates to a method of making a fluoropolymer object. The method may include providing a substrate including fluoropolymer comprising units derived from monomers M.sub.1, M.sub.2 and M.sub.3, wherein: M.sub.1 is a vinylidene fluoride; M.sub.2 is a monomer of formula (I): CX.sub.1X.sub.2═CX.sub.3X.sub.4, wherein each of X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3 and X.sub.4 is independently selected from H, Cl and F, and wherein at least one of X.sub.1, X.sub.2, X.sub.3 and X.sub.4 is F; M.sub.3 is a monomer of formula (II): CY.sub.1Y.sub.2═CY.sub.3CF.sub.3, wherein each of Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2 and Y.sub.3 is independently selected from H, Cl, F, Br, I and alkyl groups comprising from 1 to 3 carbon atoms which are optionally partly or fully halogenated; and stretching the substrate.