Method of making synthetic melt spun fibres with polytetrafluoroethylene

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method for making melt spun fibers having decreased coefficient of friction and other improved properties such as wear resistance and the like, when compared to conventional melt spun fibers. In the method of the present invention, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is incorporated into the fiber-forming substance during the melt spinning process before passing through the spinneret. PTFE that is useful in the present invention includes PTFE powder that is dispersible to low micron or submicron particle size and aqueous or organic dispersions of such highly dispersible PTFE powder. The present invention is also directed to fabrics, textiles, and other articles of manufacture made from the PTFE-enhanced melt spun fibers of the present invention.

1 . A method for making enhancing the properties of a fiber made from a synthetic material, comprising: 
 preparing a melt of the synthetic material;    adding polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material in to the melt;    extruding the melt having the added PTFE material through a spinneret to form the fiber composed mostly of the synthetic material, wherein the synthetic material is non-PTFE material.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the PTFE material into the melt comprises dispersing PTFE particles having a size less than about one micron into the melt.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the PTFE material into the melt comprises adding PTFE powder that is dispersible to submicron particle size.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the PTFE material into the melt comprises adding an aqueous dispersion of PTFE powder that is dispersible to low micron particle size.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the PTFE material into the melt comprises adding an organic solvent dispersion of PTFE powder that is dispersible to low micron particle size.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the organic solvent dispersion of PTFE powder comprises about 20% to about 60% PTFE by weight.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the PTFE material into the melt comprises dispersing PTFE particle that have a size smaller than a channel size of the spinneret.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adding the PTFE material into the melt comprises introducing dispersible PTFE powder in the form of a pelletized master batch.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the master batch comprises about 5% PTFE to about 60% PTFE.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber is a bi-component fiber, and wherein extruding the melt having the added PTFE material comprises forming a component of the bi-component fiber.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the synthetic material comprises a material selected from the group of polyester, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene terepthalate, a thermoplastic resin and any combination thereof.  
   
   
       12 . A fabric comprising fibers made by the method of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       13 . A synthetic fiber comprising: 
 mostly of an extrusion of material selected from the group of polyester, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene terepthalate, a thermoplastic resin and any combination thereof; and    a dispersion of PTFE particles in the extrusion, wherein the PTFE particles form a small fraction of the material of the synthetic fiber.    
   
   
       14 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 13  wherein the dispersion of PTFE particles comprises PTFE particles having a size less than about one micron.  
   
   
       15 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 13  wherein the dispersion of PTFE particles comprises PTFE particles having a size less than about one micron.  
   
   
       16 . The synthetic fiber of  claim 13  wherein the dispersion of PTFE particles is substantially uniformly distributed in the extrusion.  
   
   
       17 . A fibric comprising the synthetic fiber of  claim 13 .  
   
   
       18 . A textile comprising the synthetic fiber of  claim 13 .  
   
   
       19 . A carpet comprising the fiber of  claim 13 .  
   
   
       20 . An article of manufacture comprising the fiber of  claim 13.