Process of making high tenacity, high modulus UHMWPE fiber

• US 9,765,447 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Tam, Thomas, Young, John Armstrong, Klein, Ralf, Tallent, Mark, Ardiff, Henry Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): Tentoni, Leo B
• Application Number:
  US14/922,339
• Publication Number:
  US 20160130730A1
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 264 85, 264103, 264178 F, 264183, 264184, 264203, 264205, 2642106, 2642107, 2642108, 26421114, 26421116
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 6/04 from polyolefins
• CPC Class Codes: D02G 3/02 Yarns or threads characterised by the material or by the materials from which they are made
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/593 to layered webs
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 1/70 characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres
• CPC Class Codes: D04H 13/00 Other non-woven fabrics
• CPC Class Codes: D10B 2321/0211 high-strength or high-molecular-weight polyethylene, e.g. ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene [UHMWPE]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/298 Physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 442/2008 Fabric composed of a fiber or strand which is of specific structural definition

Abstract

Processes for preparing ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (“UHMW PE”) filaments and multi-filament yarns, and the yarns and articles produced therefrom. Each process produces UHMW PE yarns having tenacities of 45 g/denier to 60 g/denier or more at commercially viable throughput rates.

Claims

1. A process for producing an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW PE) multi-filament yarn having a tenacity of at least 45 g/denier, wherein said yarn is fabricated from an UHMW PE polymer having an intrinsic viscosity of at least about 21 dl/g and a yarn intrinsic viscosity that exceeds 90% relative to the intrinsic viscosity of the UHMW PE polymer;

wherein said intrinsic viscosities are measured in decalin at 135°

C. according to ASTM D1601-99, the process comprising;

a) providing a mixture comprising an UHMW PE polymer and a spinning solvent, said UHMW PE polymer having an intrinsic viscosity of at least about 21 dl/g as measured in decalin at 135°

C. according to ASTM D1601-99;

b) forming a solution from said mixture;

c) passing the solution through a spinneret to form a plurality of solution filaments;

d) cooling the solution filaments to a temperature below the gel point of the UHMW PE polymer to thereby form a gel yarn;

e) removing the spinning solvent from the gel yarn to form a dry yarn; and

f) stretching at least one of the solution filaments, the gel filaments and the solid filaments in one or more stages to form a yarn product having a tenacity of greater than 45 g/d, and wherein said yarn product has an intrinsic viscosity that exceeds 90% relative to the intrinsic viscosity of the UHMW PE polymer;

wherein said intrinsic viscosities are measured in decalin at 135°

C. according to ASTM D1601-99.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the yarn is fabricated from an UHMW PE polymer having an intrinsic viscosity of 21 dl/g or more.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the yarn intrinsic viscosity is at least about 28 dl/g.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein said process further comprises adding an antioxidant to said mixture and/or to said solution.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein said process further comprises sparging said mixture or said solution with nitrogen prior to step c).

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the post-drawn, highly oriented yarn product is produced at a throughput rate of at least about 3.0 g/min/yarn end for a yarn product having a tenacity of 45 g/d.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the yarn is fabricated from a composition comprising a blend of an UHMW PE polymer and a solvent, wherein the UHMW PE polymer is present in said blend in an amount of less than 5% by weight based on the weight of the solvent plus the UHMW PE polymer.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein said process further comprises adding an antioxidant to said mixture and/or to said solution and sparging said mixture or said solution with nitrogen prior to step c).

18. The process of claim 1 wherein the yarn intrinsic viscosity exceeds 95% relative to the intrinsic viscosity of the UHMW PE polymer.

9. A process for producing an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW PE) multi-filament yarn, comprising:

a) providing a mixture comprising a UHMW PE polymer and a spinning solvent, wherein the UHMW PE polymer is present in said mixture in an amount of less than 5.0% by weight based on the weight of the solvent plus the weight of the UHMW PE polymer;

b) forming a solution from said mixture;

c) passing the solution through a spinneret to form a plurality of solution filaments;

d) cooling the solution filaments to a temperature below the gel point of the UHMW PE polymer to thereby form a gel yarn;

e) removing the spinning solvent from the gel yarn to form a dry yarn; and

f) stretching at least one of the solution filaments, the gel filaments and the solid filaments in one or more stages to form a yarn product.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein said process further comprises adding an antioxidant to said mixture and/or to said solution.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein said process further comprises sparging said mixture or said solution with nitrogen prior to step c).

12. The process of claim 9 wherein said solution consists of said UHMW PE polymer and said spinning solvent.

13. The process of claim 9 wherein the solution includes UHMW PE in an amount of 4.0% or less by weight of the solution.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein said solution consists of said UHMW PE polymer and said spinning solvent.

15. The process of claim 9 wherein said UHMW PE polymer provided in a) has an intrinsic viscosity of at least about 35 dl/g as measured in decalin at 135°

C. according to ASTM D1601-99.

16. The process of claim 13 wherein at least one of the solution filaments, the gel filaments and the solid filaments are stretched in one or more stages to form a yarn product having a tenacity of greater than 45 g/d, and wherein said UHMW PE polymer provided in a) has a ratio of weight average molecular weight to number average molecular weight (M_w/M_n) of 3 or less.

17. The process of claim 16 wherein said yarn product has an intrinsic viscosity of at least about 21 dl/g as measured in decalin at 135°

C. according to ASTM D1601-99.