Conductive composite filaments and methods for producing said composite filaments

A unitary, elongated, electrically conductive, bi-component filament which in transverse cross-section consists essentially of an electrically conductive component in the form of one or more relatively thin, elongated layers which extend transversely of the cross-section of the filament and the remainder of the filament being an electrically non-conductive component, said electrically conductive component being made of a mixture of electrically conductive metal oxide particles with at least one polymer having a crystallinity of not less than 60%, said polymer being selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polymers and solvent-soluble polymers, said electrically non-conductive component being made of a thermoplastic fiber-forming polymer, said polymer used to form said electrically conductive component being poor in affinity to said fiber-forming polymer, at least one exposed end of each said layer being exposed on the outer surface of the filament, the opposite surfaces of each said layer being adhered to said electrically non-conductive component, the thickness of each said layer throughout substantially all of its length being at least as great as the thickness of said layer at said exposed end so as to prevent separation of said electrically conductive component from said electrically non-conductive component, said layer or layers having a specific resistance of not more than 10.sup.7 ohm.multidot.cm, said layer or layers occupying from 1 to 40% of the total cross-sectional area of the filament and the exposed end or ends of said layer or layers occupying from 1 to 30% of the total surface area of the filament.