Fusible bicomponent spandex
AssigneeThe LYCRA Company LLC
InventorsSteven W. Smith, Hong Liu, Dong Wang, Willem Bakker
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Abstract
Included are multiple component elastic fibers prepared by a solution-spinning process such as dry spinning or wet spinner of spandex fibers including polyurethaneurea and polyurethane compositions. These fibers have a cross-section including at least two separate regions with definable boundaries wherein at least one region defined by the boundaries of the cross-section includes a polyurethaneurea or polyurethane composition. One region of the fiber includes a fusibility improvement additive to enhance adhesion to itself or to a substrate.
Claims18
A fiber comprising an elastic, multiple component fiber having discernable regions in a sheath-core configuration along a cross-section, said fiber spun from first and second polymer solutions , wherein at least a first region of said cross-section is the core spun from a first polymer solution comprising an elastomeric polyurethaneurea with a melting point greater than 240° C.;
- and including a second region said second region being the sheath spun from a second polymer solution comprising an elastomeric polyurethane, or a polyurethaneurea, or a mixture thereof with a melting point of 190-250° C. and at least one fusibility improvement additive, wherein said first and second regions have different compositions and are continuous along the fiber length;
- wherein said fusibility improvement additive includes at least one low temperature melting polyurethane with melting point less than 180° C.;
- and wherein said fiber exhibits a tenacity at break of at least 1 cN/dtex, a break elongation of at least 400%, an M200 of at least 0.2 cN/dtex and increased steam efficiency and fusing strength and decreased laddering after puncture as compared to a fiber prepared from a first polymer solution comprising an elastomeric polyurethaneurea with a melting point greater than 240° C.
A fabric comprising an elastic, multiple component, fiber having discernable regions in a sheath-core configuration along a cross-section, said fiber spun from first and second polymer solutions , wherein at least a first region of said cross-section is the core spun from a first polymer solution comprising an elastomeric polyurethaneurea with a melting point greater than 240° C.;
- and including a second region said second region being the sheath spun from a second polymer solution comprising an elastomeric polyurethane, or a polyurethaneurea, or a mixture thereof with a melting point of 190-250° C. and at least one fusibility improvement additive, wherein said first and second regions have different compositions and are continuous along the fiber length;
- wherein said fusibility improvement additive includes at least one low temperature melting polyurethane with melting point less than 180° C.;
- and wherein said fiber exhibits a tenacity at break of at least 1 cN/dtex, a break elongation of at least 400%, an M200 of at least 0.2 cN/dtex and increased steam efficiency and fusing strength and decreased laddering after puncture as compared to a fiber prepared from a first polymer solution comprising an elastomeric polyurethaneurea with a melting point greater than 240° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.