Lyocell fibers and process for their preparation
AssigneeWeyerhaeuser Company
InventorsMengkui Luo, Vincent A. Roscelli, Amar N. Neogi, Richard A. Jewell
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Abstract
The invention is lyocell fiber characterized by a pebbled surface as seen at high magnification and having a variable cross section and diameter along and between fibers. The fiber is produced by centrifugal spinning, melt blowing or its espunbonding variation. The fibers can be made in the microdenier range with average weights as low as one denier or less. The fibers have inherently low gloss and can be formed into tight yarns for making fabrics of very soft hand. Alternatively, the fibers can be formed into self bonded nonwoven fabrics.
Claims27
Lyocell fibers characterized by variability in cross sectional diameter and cross sectional configuration along the fiber length, the fibers having a uniformly pebbled surface when viewed at a magnification of 10,000X and as seen in FIGS. 8 and 12.
Lyocell fibers characterized by variability in cross sectional diameter and cross sectional configuration along the fiber length, the fibers having an irregular crimp with an amplitude greater than about one fiber diameter and a period greater than about five fiber diameters.
Lyocell fibers produced by a centrifugal spinning process, the fibers being characterized by variability in cross sectional diameter and cross sectional configuration along the fiber length.
Lyocell fibers produced by a melt blowing process, the fibers being characterized by variability in cross sectional diameter and cross sectional configuration along the fiber length.
Lyocell fibers characterized by variability in cross sectional diameter and cross sectional configuration along the fiber length, the fibers comprising a mixture of cellulose with noncellulosic polymers.
Lyocell fibers characterized by variability in cross sectional diameter and cross sectional configuration along the fiber length, the fibers having reduced gloss compared with continuously drawn lyocell fibers lacking delusterants.
A process for forming lyocell fibers comprising dissolving cellulose in a solvent to form a cellulose dope, melt blowing the dope by extruding it through small apertures into a gas stream to form latent fiber strands which are drawn and elongated by the gas stream, and regenerating the elongated strands to form lyocell fibers.
A process for forming lyocell fibers comprising dis-solving cellulose in a solvent to form a cellulose dope, centrifugally spinning the dope through small orifices to form and elongate latent fiber strands, and regenerating the elongated strands to form lyocell fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.