UHMWPE fiber and method to produce
AssigneeHoneywell International Inc.
InventorsRalf Klein, Henry Gerard Ardiff, John Armstrong Young, Thomas Tam
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processes for preparing ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene yarns, and the yarns and articles produced therefrom. The surfaces of partially oriented yarns are subjected to a treatment that enhances the surface energy at the fiber surfaces and are coated with a protective coating immediately after the treatment to increase the shelf life of the treatment. The coated, treated yarns are then post drawn to form highly oriented yarns.
Claims20
A process comprising:
- a) providing one or more partially oriented fibers, each of said partially oriented fibers having surfaces that are covered by a fiber surface finish;
- b) washing the fibers to remove only a portion of the fiber surface finish from the fiber surfaces wherein a residual fiber surface finish remains on the fiber surfaces, wherein from 50% to 99.0% of the fiber surface area is exposed and not covered by the residual fiber surface finish;
- c) corona treating or plasma treating the exposed fiber surfaces under conditions effective to enhance the surface energy of the fiber surfaces;
- d) applying a protective coating onto at least a portion of the treated fiber surfaces on top of said residual fiber surface finish to thereby form coated, treated fibers;
- and
- e) passing the coated, treated fibers through one or more dryers to dry the protective coating on the coated, treated fibers while simultaneously stretching the coated, treated fibers as they travel through the one or more dryers, thereby forming highly oriented fibers having a tenacity of greater than 27 g/denier and having a dry protective coating thereon.
A process comprising:
- a) providing one or more partially oriented fibers, each of said partially oriented fibers having surfaces that are covered by a fiber surface finish;
- b) washing the fibers to remove only a portion of the fiber surface finish from the fiber surfaces wherein a residual fiber surface finish remains on the fiber surfaces, wherein from 50% to 99.0% of the fiber surface area is exposed and not covered by the residual fiber surface finish;
- c) treating the exposed fiber surfaces under conditions effective to enhance the surface energy of the fiber surfaces;
- d) applying a protective coating onto at least a portion of the treated fiber surfaces on top of said residual fiber surface finish to thereby form coated, treated fibers;
- wherein the protective coating comprises less than about 5% by weight based on the weight of the fiber plus the weight of the protective coating and wherein the protective coating comprises a monomer;
- and
- e) passing the coated, treated fibers through one or more dryers to dry the coating on the coated, treated fibers while simultaneously stretching the coated, treated fibers as they travel through the one or more dryers, thereby forming highly oriented fibers having a tenacity of greater than 27 g/denier and having a dry protective coating thereon.
A coated, treated fiber having a tenacity of greater than 27 g/denier, wherein the fiber has a fiber surface area that is partially covered by a residual fiber surface finish, said residual fiber surface finish covering from 1.0% to 50% of the fiber surface area, and further comprising a dry protective coating on the fibers on top of the residual fiber surface finish.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.