Carpet fiber polymeric blend
AssigneeMohawk Carpet Corporation
InventorsJohn A. Rodgers, James L. Williams, Dhanraj Jain
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Abstract
The invention provides carpet fibers prepared from a blend of polymeric components, said fiber exhibiting improved properties, such as improved spinnability and improved fire resistance. The carpet fibers particularly comprise a majority of polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) and a minority of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The invention further provides yarns and carpets prepared from the inventive fibers, said yarns and carpets likewise exhibiting improved properties. The invention also provides methods of improving various physical properties (such as fire resistance, spinnability, and elongation) of a polymeric composition.
Claims26
A carpet yarn comprised of bulk continuous filaments comprising a polymeric blend of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and about 1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate polymer, based on the overall weight of said carpet yarn, wherein the yarn exhibits an increase in elongation in comparison to a carpet yarn comprised of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer having an identical composition with the exception that the comparison carpet yarn has no polyethylene terephthalate polymer, and wherein the polyethylene terephthalate polymer has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.80+/−0.02 dL/g.
A method for increasing fire resistance of a carpet prepared using a polytrimethylene terephthalate yarn, said method comprising preparing the carpet using a yarn comprised of bulk continuous filaments comprising a melt blend of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and about 1% by weight to about 30% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate copolymer including a content of 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol comonomers, wherein said carpet exhibits increased fire resistance when tested according to ASTM D-2859 in relation to a like carpet prepared using a polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer without the polyethylene terephthalate copolymer, and wherein the yarn exhibits an increase in elongation in comparison to a carpet yarn comprised of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and having no polyethylene terephthalate polymer, and wherein the polyethylene terephthalate polymer has an intrinsic viscosity of 0.80+/−0.02 dL/g.
A carpet yarn comprised of bulk continuous filaments comprising a polymeric blend of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and about 1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate copolymer, based on the overall weight of said carpet yarn, wherein the yarn exhibits an increase in elongation in comparison to a carpet yarn comprised of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer having an identical composition with the exception that the comparison carpet yarn has no polyethylene terephthalate polymer.
A carpet yarn comprised of bulk continuous filaments consisting of a polymeric blend of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and about 1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate copolymer, based on the overall weight of said carpet yarn, wherein said yarn exhibits improved ignition characteristics according to ASTM D-2859 in relation to a like carpet yarn consisting of a polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer without a polyethylene terephthalate copolymer.
A carpet yarn comprised of bulk continuous filaments comprising a polymeric blend of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and about 1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate polymer, based on the overall weight of said carpet yarn, wherein the yarn exhibits an increase in elongation in comparison to a carpet yarn comprised of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer having an identical composition with the exception that the comparison carpet yarn has no polyethylene terephthalate polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.