Antistatic fiber containing chain-extended tetrols based on diamines

Abstract

It has been suggested that antistatic properties of fibers of polyamide could be improved by uniformly dispersing in the polyamide between about 1 percent and about 12 percent by weight of a predominantly branched, chain-extended propylene oxide-ethylene oxide copolymer based on a diamine. However, with incorporation of this antistatic additive in the polyamide, serious problems have been encountered in melt-spinning due to the frequent occurrence of "nubs" or enlarged places in the extruded polyamide filament. It has now been found that the occurrence of said nubs in the antistatic polyamide fiber can be greatly reduced by dispersing in the polymer about 0.5 to 12% by weight, based on the weight of the antistatic agent, of a phenol compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## where n is 2 to 6. In comparative tests with antistatic yarns containing various commercially available hindered phenol compounds, the yarns of the present invention showed significantly greater breaking strength retention after exposure to light in standard tests.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.