Recycled polyethylene terephthalate compositions, fibers and articles produced therefrom, and methods for producing same

• US 8,735,457 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 05/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Columbia Insurance Company (Berkshire Hathaway Incorporated)
• Inventors: Booth, Hubert J., Bradley, Christopher Eric, Johnson, Daniel Ray, Keen, James Henry Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tischler, Frances
• Application Number:
  US12/570,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20100152311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,700 Days
• Field of Search: 521/40, 521/40.5, 521/41, 521/48, 528/271, 528/272, 528/308.1, 528/308.2, 528/308.3, 528/480, 528/502.R, 528/502.F, 528/503, 525/191, 428/35.7, 428/36.1, 428/36.2, 428/36.3, 428/37, 264/37.1, 264/37.26, 264/176.1, 425/131.1
• US Class Current: 521/48
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 7/007 for continuous mixing
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 63/183 Terephthalic acids
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 11/04 of polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2367/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds; C08J2367/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2203/12 used for fibers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2205/025 containing two or more polymers of the same hierarchy C08L, and differing only in parameters such as density, comonomer content, molecular weight, structure
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2207/20 Recycled plastic
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/18 Polyesters or polycarbonates according to C08L67/00 - C08L69/00; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 67/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds C08L67/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 1/065 Addition and mixing of substances to the spinning solution or to the melt; Homogenising
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/62 from polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/92 of polyesters
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 8/14 with at least one polyester as constituent
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/143 the feedstock being recycled material, e.g. plastics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1362 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile containing [e.g., web, net, woven, knitted, mesh, nonwoven, matted, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1366 Textile, fabric, cloth, or pile is sandwiched between two distinct layers of material unlike the textile, fabric, cloth, or pile layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1369 Fiber or fibers wound around each other or into a self-sustaining shape [e.g., yarn, braid, fibers shaped around a core, etc.]

Abstract

In one aspect, the invention relates to recycled polyethylene terephthalate compositions, fibers and articles produced therefrom, and methods for producing same. In a further aspect, the invention relates to homogenized post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate. In a further aspect, the invention relates to extruded polymer compositions, polymer mixtures, fibers, and/or Bulked Continuous Filament fibers comprising post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate. In a further aspect, the invention relates to processes for preparing recycled polyethylene terephthalate compositions. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention.

Claims

1. A fiber extruded from polyethylene terephthalate, present in an amount of at least about 5% up to about 100% of homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate by weight and balance virgin polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate comprises impurities absent from virgin polyethylene terephthalate;

and wherein the impurities comprise floatable contamination in an amount less than 25 ppm, PVC contamination in an amount less than 150 ppm, metal contamination in an amount less than 10 ppm, green PET contamination in an amount less than 5000 ppm, light blue PET contamination in an amount less than 75,000 ppm, and black PET contamination in an amount less than 50 ppm, and wherein the homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate exhibits a bulk density in the range of from of 20-27 (lb/ft³) and a pressure rise of less than 75 psi/lb.

2. The fiber of claim 1, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is present as at least about 10% homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate by weight.

3. The fiber of claim 1, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is present as at least about 25% homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate by weight.

4. The fiber of claim 1, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is present as at least about 50% homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate by weight.

9. A yarn made from the fiber of claim 1.

10. The yarn of claim 9, exhibiting an average tenacity that is no more than 7% lower than an average tenacity measured for a yarn made from a fiber extruded from virgin polyethylene terephthalate.

11. The yarn of claim 9, exhibiting an average elongation that is no more than 5% higher than an average elongation measured for a yarn made from a fiber extruded from virgin polyethylene terephthalate.

12. The yarn of claim 9, exhibiting an average heatset tenacity that is no more than 3% lower than an average heatset tenacity measured for a yarn made from a fiber extruded from virgin polyethylene terephthalate.

13. The yarn of claim 9, exhibiting an average heatset elongation that is no more than 10% lower than a yarn made from a fiber extruded from virgin polyethylene terephthalate.

5. A Bulked Continuous Filament extruded fiber comprising a polymer composition comprising polyethylene terephthalate present in an amount of at least about 5% up to about 100% of homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate by weight and balance virgin polyethylene terephthalate, wherein the homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate comprises impurities absent from virgin polyethylene terephthalate;

and wherein the impurities comprise floatable contamination in an amount less than 25 ppm, PVC contamination in an amount less than 150 ppm, metal contamination in an amount less than 10 ppm, green PET contamination in an amount less than 5000 ppm, light blue PET contamination in an amount less than 75,000 ppm, and black PET contamination in an amount less than 50 ppm, and wherein the homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate exhibits a bulk density in the range of from of 20-27 (lb/ft³) and a pressure rise of less than 75 psi/lb.

6. The fiber of claim 5, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is present as at least about 10% homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate by weight.

7. The fiber of claim 5, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is present as at least about 25% homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate by weight.

8. The fiber of claim 5, wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is present as at least about 50% homogeneously blended curbside post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate by weight.

14. A yarn made from the Bulked Continuous Filament extruded fiber of claim 5.

15. The yarn of claim 14, exhibiting an average tenacity that is no more than 7% lower than an average tenacity measured for a yarn made from a fiber extruded from virgin polyethylene terephthalate.

16. The yarn of claim 14, exhibiting an average elongation that is no more than 5% higher than an average elongation measured for a yarn made from a fiber extruded from virgin polyethylene terephthalate.

17. The yarn of claim 14, exhibiting an average heatset tenacity that is no more than 3% lower than an average heatset tenacity measured for a yarn made from a fiber extruded from virgin polyethylene terephthalate.

18. The yarn of claim 14, exhibiting an average heatset elongation that is no more than 10% lower than an average heatset elongation measured for a yarn made from a fiber extruded from virgin polyethylene terephthalate.