Polymer fibre having improved dispersibility

Abstract

The invention relates to a polymer fibre with improved dispersibility, a method for producing said fibre and the use of said fibre. The polymer fibre according to the invention comprises at least one synthetic polymer and 0.1 and 20 wt. % of a silicone. The polymer forming the fibre forms a solid dispersion medium at room temperature (25 C.) for the silicone present in solid form also at room temperature (25 C.) which forms the more disperse phase. The polymer fibre according to the invention possesses an improved dispersibility and is therefore suitable for producing aqueous suspensions which are used, for example, in the formation of textile fabrics, e.g. nonwovens.

Claims

1. A polymer fiber comprises: at least one synthetic polymer which is solid at room temperature (25 C.) with between 0.1 and 20 wt. % of a dispersion medium mixed into the at least one synthetic polymer, the dispersion medium comprises a high-molecular non-cross-linked linear silicone polymer which, has a dynamic viscosity measured at 25 C. in accordance with DIN 53018 of at least 10,000 Pa*s, and high-molecular is a mean molecular weight of at least 100,000 g/mol, wherein the silicone polymer is in a form of a particulate silicate carrier.

2. The polymer fiber according to claim 1 wherein the synthetic polymer is a thermoplastic polymer.

3. The polymer fiber according to claim 2 wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a thermoplastic polycondensate.

4. The polymer fiber according to claim 3 wherein the thermoplastic polycondensate is a biopolymer.

5. The polymer fiber according to claim 4 wherein the biopolymer is a lactic acid.

6. The polymer fiber according to claim 5 wherein the lactic acid is a polylactic acid with a number average molecular weight (Mn) between 10,000 g/mol and 500,000 g/mol.

7. The polymer fiber according to claim 5 wherein the lactic acid is a polylactic acid with a weight average molecular weight (Mw) between 30,000 g/mol and 500,000 g/mol.

8. The polymer fiber according to claim 1 wherein the silicone polymer comprises a linear polysiloxane.

9. The polymer fiber according to claim 1 wherein the silicone polymer has a dynamic viscosity measured at 25 C. in accordance with DIN 53018 of at least 15,000 Pa*s, and a maximum of 60,000 Pa*s.

10. The polymer fiber according to claim 1 wherein the silicone polymer has a kinematic viscosity measured at 25 C. of at least 10,000,000 cSt, and a maximum of 60,000,000 cSt.

11. The polymer fiber according to claim 1 wherein the fiber has a titre between 0.3 and 30 dtex, and the fiber is a staple fiber or a crimped staple fiber.

12. The polymer fiber according to claim 1 wherein the fiber is a bicomponent fiber with a core and a cladding, comprises: at least one synthetic polymer which is solid at room temperature (25 C.) with between 0.1 and 20 wt. % of a solid dispersion medium mixed into the at least one synthetic polymer, the solid dispersion medium comprises a high-molecular non-cross-linked linear silicone polymer is solid at room temperature (25 C.) and has a dynamic viscosity measured at 25 C. in accordance with DIN 53018 of at least 10,000 Pa*s.

13. The polymer fiber according to claim 1 wherein the solid dispersion medium comprises between 0.5 and 3 wt. % of the polymer fiber.

14. The polymer fiber according to claim 1 wherein the particulate silicate carrier is pyrogenic silicic acid.

15. A textile fabric comprising the polymer fiber of claim 1.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

(1) 1 gram of thermoplastic polymer fibre according to the invention (polyester) having a cut length of 6 mm and a titre of 1.5 dtex (silicone additive 1.5 wt. %) was dispersed at room temperature (25 C.) as described hereinbefore and assessed.

(2) For comparison 1 gram of thermoplastic polymer fibre (polyester) having a cut length of 6 mm and a titre of 1.5 dtext without the addition of silicone additive according to the invention but otherwise identical was dispersed at room temperature (25 C.) as described hereinbefore and assessed.

(3) The results are combined in the following table:

(4) TABLE-US-00001 Dispersion behaviour (after Fibre (according to Fibre switching off the agitator) the invention) (comparison) 0 min + 1 min + 3 min + 5 min + 10 min +

(5) FIG. 1 shows the dispersion behaviour directly after switching off the agitator. FIG. 1a shows the fibre according to the invention, FIG. 1b shows the same fibre without the additive according to the invention.

EXAMPLE 2

(6) 1 gram of thermoplastic polymer fibre according to the invention based on a synthetic biopolymer (PLA) having a cut length of 4 mm and a titre of 1.5 dtex (silicone additive 3 wt. %) was dispersed at room temperature (25 C.) as described hereinbefore and assessed.

(7) For comparison 1 gram of thermoplastic polymer fibre according to the invention based on a synthetic biopolymer (PLA) having a cut length of 4 mm and a titre of 1.5 dtex without the addition of silicone additive according to the invention but otherwise identical was dispersed at room temperature (25 C.) as described hereinbefore and assessed.

(8) The results are combined in the following table:

(9) TABLE-US-00002 Dispersion behaviour (after Fibre (according to Fibre switching off the agitator) the invention) (comparison) 0 min + 1 min + 3 min + 5 min + 10 min +

(10) FIG. 2 shows the dispersion behaviour directly after switching off the agitator. FIG. 2a shows the fibre according to the invention, FIG. 2b shows the same fibre without the additive according to the invention.

EXAMPLE 3

(11) 1 gram of thermoplastic bicomponent polymer fibre according to the invention (core/cladding 50/50) based on a synthetic biopolymer (PLA) as core and a polyethylene homopolymer as cladding (additive according to the invention in PE cladding, 3 wt. % silicone additive in cladding) having a cut length of 4 mm and a titre of 2 dtex was dispersed at room temperature (25 C.) as described hereinbefore and assessed.

(12) For comparison 1 gram of thermoplastic bicomponent polymer fibre according to the invention (core/cladding 50/50) based on a synthetic biopolymer (PLA) as core and a polyethylene homopolymer as cladding (in each case without the addition of silicone additive) having a cut length of 4 mm and a titre of 2 dtex was dispersed at room temperature (25 C.) as described hereinbefore and assessed.

(13) The results are combined in the following table:

(14) TABLE-US-00003 Dispersion behaviour (after Fibre (according to Fibre switching off the agitator) the invention) (comparison) 0 min + 1 min + 3 min + 5 min + 10 min +

(15) FIG. 3 shows the dispersion behaviour directly after switching off the agitator. FIG. 3a shows the bicomponent fibre according to the invention, FIG. 3b shows the same bicomponent fibre without the additive according to the invention.