Process of making skin-core high thermal bond strength fiber

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a heated polyolefin composition to at least one spinnerette;
• supplying additional heat to the polyolefin composition at a location at or adjacent to the at least one spinnerette so as to obtain sufficient heating of the polyolefin composition to partially degrade the polyolefin composition in a vicinity of the at least one spinnerette;
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one spinnerette to form molten filaments;
• and
• immediately quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere, as the molten filaments are extruded, to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a polyolefin composition to at least one spinnerette;
• heating the at least one spinnerette to a temperature of at least about 230.degree. C.
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one spinnerette to form molten filaments;
• and
• immediately quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere, as the molten filaments are extruded, to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a polyolefin composition to at least one spinnerette;
• heating at least one apertured element positioned upstream of the at least one spinnerette to a temperature of at least about 250.degree. C.;
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one apertured element and the at least one spinnerette to form molten filaments;
• and
• immediately quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere, as the molten filaments are extruded, to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a polyolefin composition to at least one spinnerette at a flow rate sufficient to obtain a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute through the at least one spinnerette;
• heating the polyolefin composition at a location at or adjacent to the at least one spinnerette so as to heat the polyolefin composition to a sufficient temperature to obtain a skin-core filament structure upon quenching in an oxidative atmosphere;
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one spinnerette at a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute to form molten filaments;
• and
• quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere so as to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a polyolefin melt composition to at least one spinnerette at a flow rate sufficient to obtain a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute through the at least one spinnerette, the polyolefin melt composition having a temperature of at least about 200.degree. C.;
• heating the polyolefin composition at a location at or adjacent to the at least one spinnerette so as to heat the polyolefin composition to a sufficient temperature to obtain a skin-core filament structure upon quenching in an oxidative atmosphere;
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one spinnerette at a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute to form molten filaments;
• and
• quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere so as to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a polyolefin composition to at least one spinnerette at a flow rate sufficient to obtain a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute through the at least one spinnerette;
• heating the polyolefin composition at a location at or adjacent to the at least one spinnerette so as to obtain sufficient heating of the polyolefin composition to partially degrade the polyolefin composition in a vicinity of the at least one spinnerette;
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one spinnerette at a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute to form molten filaments;
• and
• quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere so as to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a polyolefin composition to at least one spinnerette at a flow rate sufficient to obtain a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute through the at least one spinnerette;
• heating the at least one spinnerette to a temperature of at least about 230.degree. C.;
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one spinnerette at a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute to form molten filaments;
• and
• quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere having a flow rate of about 3,000 to 12,000 ft/min to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a polyolefin composition to at least one spinnerette at a flow rate sufficient to obtain a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute through the at least one spinnerette;
• heating at least one apertured element positioned upstream of the at least one spinnerette to a temperature of at least about 250.degree. C.;
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one apertured element and the at least one spinnerette at a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute to form molten filaments;
• and
• quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere having a flow rate of about 3,000 to 12,000 ft/min to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure.

A process for spinning polyolefin filaments, comprising:

• feeding a polyolefin composition to at least one spinnerette at a flow rate sufficient to obtain a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute through the at least one spinnerette;
• heating the polyolefin composition at a location at or adjacent to the at least one spinnerette so as to heat the polyolefin composition to a sufficient temperature to obtain a skin-core filament structure upon quenching in an oxidative atmosphere;
• extruding the polyolefin composition through the at least one spinnerette at a spinning speed of about 10 to 200 meters per minute to form molten filaments;
• and
• quenching the molten filaments in an oxidative atmosphere at a flow rate of about 3,000 to 12,000 ft/min so as to effect oxidative chain scission degradation of at least a surface of the molten filaments to obtain filaments having a skin-core structure capable of forming non-woven materials having a cross directional strength of at least 650 g/in for a 20 g/yd.sup.2 fabric bonded at speeds of at least 250 ft/min.