Method for producing polyamide carpet fibers with improved flame retardancy
First Claim
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1. A method for producing a flame-retardant thermoplastic polymer carpet or textile fiber comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming a polyamide mixture having (i) at least about 80% by weight of a polyamide, wherein at least 90% of the polyamide is at least one nylon selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6/6, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof, and (ii) a vulcanizable additive containing (1) a thermoplastic matrix polymer, (2) silicones in an amount between about 5% to about 20% based on the total weight of the vulcanizable additive, and (3) a platinum complex catalyst, said additive being present in the polyamide mixture in an amount between about 0.05% to about 20% by weight of the polyamide mixture to obtain less than about 1.0% by weight of said silicones in the polyamide mixture sufficient to render the polyamide more flame retardant than the polyamide is without the additive;
(b) melt blending the polyamide mixture at a temperature of from about 250°
C. to about 300°
C. to form a melt-blend of the polyamide and the additive;
(c) melt spinning the melt-blend from step (b) into fibers having a denier per filament from about 6 to about 35;
(d) drawing the fibers; and
(e) treating the drawn fibers in a crimping device to impart texture and bulk thereto.
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Abstract
A method for producing halogen-free, antimony-free and phosphorous-free polyamide fibers is described by incorporating an additive into the polyamide which comprises a vulcanizable mixture of silicones and a catalyst in a thermoplastic matrix. The fibers have improved flame retardancy and are used for the manufacture of carpets.
22 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for producing a flame-retardant thermoplastic polymer carpet or textile fiber comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a polyamide mixture having (i) at least about 80% by weight of a polyamide, wherein at least 90% of the polyamide is at least one nylon selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6/6, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof, and (ii) a vulcanizable additive containing (1) a thermoplastic matrix polymer, (2) silicones in an amount between about 5% to about 20% based on the total weight of the vulcanizable additive, and (3) a platinum complex catalyst, said additive being present in the polyamide mixture in an amount between about 0.05% to about 20% by weight of the polyamide mixture to obtain less than about 1.0% by weight of said silicones in the polyamide mixture sufficient to render the polyamide more flame retardant than the polyamide is without the additive; (b) melt blending the polyamide mixture at a temperature of from about 250°
C. to about 300°
C. to form a melt-blend of the polyamide and the additive;(c) melt spinning the melt-blend from step (b) into fibers having a denier per filament from about 6 to about 35; (d) drawing the fibers; and (e) treating the drawn fibers in a crimping device to impart texture and bulk thereto. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for producing a flame-retardant thermoplastic polymer carpet or textile fiber comprising the steps of:
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(a) forming a polyamide mixture having (i) at least about 80% by weight of a polyamide, wherein at least 90% of the polyamide is at least one nylon selected from the group consisting of nylon 6, nylon 6/6, copolymers thereof, and combinations thereof, and (ii) a vulcanizable additive containing (1) a thermoplastic matrix polymer, (2) silicones in an amount between about 5% to about 20% based on the total weight of the vulcanizable additive, and (3) a platinum complex catalyst, said additive being present in the polyamide mixture in an amount between about 0.05% to about 20% by weight of the polyamide mixture to obtain less than about 0.5% by weight of said silicones in the polyamide mixture sufficient to render the polyamide more flame retardant than the polyamide is without the additive; (b) melt blending the polyamide mixture at a temperature of from about 250°
C. to about 300°
C. to form a melt-blend of the polyamide and the additive;(c) melt spinning the melt-blend from step (b) into fibers having a denier per filament from about 6 to about 35; (d) drawing the fibers; and (e) treating the drawn fibers in a crimping device to impart texture and bulk thereto. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification