Compacted olefin fibers
AssigneeBTG International Limited
InventorsRichard Albert Jones, Ian MacMillan Ward, Peter John Hine, Mark James Bonner
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Abstract
A polyolefin plaque is made by hot compaction of an assembly of fibres of the oriented polymer. It has been found to be beneficial to subject the fibres to a prior crosslinking process. Hot compaction is then less temperature-sensitive and produces plaques with excellent hot strength properties. Preferably the fibres have been subjected to prior stages of irradiation and annealing, both in a non-oxidising environment, for example acetylene.
Claims7
A polymeric material comprising a compressed assembly of melt formed fibers of a cross-linked oriented polyolefin, the fibers being bound together by a recrystallized melt comprising from 10% to 50% by weight of the polymer in the material, wherein both fibers and recrystallized melt phase are derived by a process comprising:
- subjecting molecularly oriented polyolefin fibers to a cross-linking process;
- providing an assembly of said cross-linked polyolefin fibers;
- and
- subsequently subjecting said assembly of cross-linked fibers to conditions of temperature and pressure sufficient to melt from 10 to 50% of the polymer in the material and to compact said assembly such that the material is formed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.