High strength polyethylene fibers and their applications

• US 20030203203A1
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Published: 10/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Company Limited (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Godo, Nakahashi, Junichi, Miyasaka, Tadayo, Ohta, Yasuo, Nomura, Yukihiro, Konishi, Takuya, Okano, Takayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 6,770,363 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/394
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 16/0625 Polyalkenes, e.g. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/04 from polyolefins
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 1/025 comprising high modulus, or high tenacity, polymer filaments or fibres, e.g. liquid-crystal polymers
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2201/2009 characterised by the materials used
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2205/2014 High performance polyolefins, e.g. Dyneema or Spectra
• CPC Class Codes: D07B 2801/10 Smallest filamentary entity of a rope or strand, i.e. wire, filament, fiber or yarn
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/911 Penetration resistant layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24124 Fibers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249932 Fiber embedded in a layer derived from a water-settable material [e.g., cement, gypsum, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24994 Fiber embedded in or on the surface of a polymeric matrix
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/29 Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2913 Rod, strand, filament or fiber
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2936 Wound or wrapped core or coating [i.e., spiral or helical]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2964 Artificial fiber or filament
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2967 Synthetic resin or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2969 Polyamide, polyimide or polyester

Abstract

High strength polyethylene fibers and their applications, for example, chopped fibers, ropes, nets, ballistic materials or items, protective gloves, fiber reinforced concrete products, helmets, and other products obtained therefrom, in which the fiber is characterized in that: it contains a high molecular weight polyethylene consisting essentially of a repeating unit of ethylene; it has an intrinsic viscosity number of 5 or larger and an average strength of 22 cN/dtex or higher; and the measurement of the fiber by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) exhibits a temperature-increasing DCS curve having at least one endothermic peak over a temperature region of 140° C. to 148° C. (on the low temperature side) and at least one endothermic peak over a temperature region of 148° C. or higher (on the high temperature side) or the number of frictions until the fiber is broken in an abrasion test according to method B for measuring abrasion resistance in the Testing Methods for Spun Yarn (JIS L 1095) is 100,000 or larger.

Claims

1. A high strength polyethylene fiber characterized in that:

the fiber comprises a high molecular weight polyethylene consisting essentially of a repeating unit of ethylene;

it has an intrinsic viscosity number of 5 or larger and an average strength of 22 cN/dtex or higher; and

the measurement of the fiber by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) exhibits a temperature-increasing DCS curve having at least one endothermic peak over a temperature region of 140°

C. to 148°

C. (on the low temperature side) and at least one endothermic peak over a temperature region of 148°

C. or higher (on the high temperature side).

2. The high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 1, wherein the height ratio of the maximum endothermic peak on the low temperature side and the maximum endothermic peak on the high temperature side is 1.4:

1.0 to 3.0;

1.0.

3. The high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 2, wherein the height ratio of the maximum endothermic peak on the low temperature side and the maximum endothermic peak on the high temperature side is 1.5:

1.0 to 2.9;

1.0.

5. A high strength polyethylene chopped fiber obtained from the high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 1 or 4.

6. The high strength polyethylene chopped fiber according to claim 5, wherein the amount of poorly dispersed fibers (fiber bundles of 40 μ

m or larger in maximum diameter formed by getting stuck together by pressure or fusion) found in case of paper making is 5% by weight or smaller.

7. The high strength polyethylene chopped fiber according to claim 5, wherein the fiber has a cut length of 70 mm or shorter.

8. A rope comprising the high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 1 or 4.

9. A net comprising the high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 1 or 4.

10. A ballistic material comprising the high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 1 or 4.

11. A protective glove comprising the high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 1 or 4.

12. A fiber reinforced concrete product comprising the high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 1 or 4.

13. A helmet comprising the high strength polyethylene fiber according to claim 1 or 4.

4. A high strength polyethylene fiber characterized in that:

the fiber comprises a high molecular weight polyethylene consisting essentially of a repeating unit of ethylene;

it has an intrinsic viscosity number of 5 or larger and an average strength of 22 cN/dtex or higher; and

the number of frictions until the fiber is broken in an abrasion test according to method B for measuring abrasion resistance in Testing Methods for Spun Yarn (JIS L

     1095) is 100,000 or larger.