Thermoplastic polymer yarns and films including dry lubricants and industrial textiles made therefrom

Abstract

An extruded oriented thermo-plastic polymeric element for industrial textiles, and textiles comprising polymeric elements. The polymeric elements are constructed of a material selected from yarn material, fiber material and film, and comprise a thermoplastic polymer, and at least one dry lubricant, selected from molybdenum disulphide, tungsten disulphide, boron nitride, and a soft metal, the dry lubricant comprising particulate matter having an average particle size between about 0.05μ and about 100μ, and present in the polymeric element in an amount from between about 0.1% and about 10% parts by weight, based on a total weight of the polymeric element. The polymeric elements can be used as yarns in woven and non woven textiles, and as seaming elements. The polymeric elements provide increased abrasion resistance in industrial textiles, and reduced co-efficient of friction.

1 . An extruded and oriented thermoplastic polymeric element for use in an industrial textile, wherein
 the polymeric element is constructed of a material selected from yarn material, fiber material and film, and comprises   (i) a thermoplastic polymer; and   (ii) at least one dry lubricant, selected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ), tungsten disulphide (WS 2 ), boron nitride (BN), and a soft metal, wherein the dry lubricant comprises particulate matter having an average particle size in a range of between about 0.05μ and about 100μ (5.0×10 −8  m and about 1.0×10 −4  m), and is present in the polymeric element in an amount from between about 0.1% and about 10% parts by weight (pbw), based on a total weight of the polymeric element.   
     
     
         2 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), blends of PET and a thermoplastic polyurethane, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyphenylene sulphide (PPS), 1,4 cyclohexanedimethanol-terephthalate-co-isophthalate (PCTA). 
     
     
         3 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one dry lubricant is selected from the group consisting of tungsten disulphide (WS 2 ), boron nitride (BN), and a soft metal, and the thermoplastic polymer comprises at least one polyamide. 
     
     
         4 . A polymeric element according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one polyamide is selected from at least one of PA-6, PA-6/6, PA-6/10, PA-6/12, PA-11, PA-10, PA-12 and polyphthalamide (PPA). 
     
     
         5 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the soft metal is selected from indium (In), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), and silver (Ag). 
     
     
         6 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the dry lubricant comprises between about 0.5% and about 7% pbw of the total weight of the polymeric element. 
     
     
         7 . A polymeric element according to  claim 6 , wherein the dry lubricant comprises between about 1% and about 5% pbw of the total weight of the polymeric element. 
     
     
         8 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the average particle size of the particulate matter of the dry lubricant is in a range of between about 0.1μ and 50μ (1.0×10 −7  m and about 5.0×10 −5  m). 
     
     
         9 . A polymeric element according to  claim 8 , wherein the average particle size of the particulate matter of the dry lubricant is in a range of between about 0.5μ and about 20μ (5.0×10 −7  m and about 2.0×10 −5  m). 
     
     
         10 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric element comprises a film comprising at least one layer. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric element comprises a yarn material having a construction selected from monofilament yarn, multifilament yarn, spun yarn, staple fiber material, cabled yarn and sheathed yarn. 
     
     
         14 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric element comprises a material selected from a yarn material and film, and is a seaming element. 
     
     
         15 . An industrial textile comprising at least one extruded and oriented thermoplastic polymeric element, wherein each of the at least one polymeric element is constructed according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . An industrial textile according to  claim 15 , wherein the textile comprises a woven structure including warp yarns and weft yarns. 
     
     
         29 . An industrial textile according to  claim 15 , wherein the textile comprises a nonwoven structure including MD and CD yarns. 
     
     
         30 . An industrial textile according to  claim 15 , wherein the textile comprises a nonwoven structure and the at least one polymeric element comprises a plurality of interconnected helically coiled yarns. 
     
     
         31 . An industrial textile according to  claim 15 , further comprising a seaming element. 
     
     
         32 . An industrial textile comprising machine direction (MD) and cross-machine direction (CD) elements, wherein at least 25% of the elements of a set selected from the MD elements and the CD elements are extruded and oriented thermoplastic polymeric elements, each polymeric element comprising:
 (i) a thermoplastic polymer; and   (ii) at least one dry lubricant, selected from the group consisting of molybdenum disulphide (MoS 2 ), tungsten disulphide (WS 2 ), boron nitride (BN) and a soft metal, wherein the dry lubricant comprises particulate matter having an average particle size in the range of between about 0.05μ and about 100μ (5.0×10 −8  m and about 1.0×10 −4  m), and is present in the polymeric element in an amount from between about 0.1% and about 10% parts by weight (pbw), based on the total weight of the polymeric element.   
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . An industrial textile according to  claim 32 , wherein the soft metal is selected from indium (In), lead (Pb), tin (Sn), bismuth (Bi), cadmium (Cd), and silver (Ag). 
     
     
         35 . An industrial textile according to  claim 15 , constructed and arranged to be used as at least one of an industrial filtration fabric and a conveying fabric. 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . An industrial textile according to  claim 15 , constructed and arranged to be used in a section of a papermaking machine selected from a forming section, a press section and a dryer section, and the fabric is selected from a forming fabric, a press fabric, a dryer fabric and a through air dryer fabric. 
     
     
         38 .- 41 . (canceled) 
     
     
         42 . A polymeric element according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyester having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.7, determined using a mixture selected from a 60:40 pbw mixture of phenol and (1,1,2,2)-tetrachloroethane and a 50:50 pbw mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane. 
     
     
         43 . An industrial textile according to  claim 15 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyester having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.7, determined using a mixture selected from a 60:40 pbw mixture of phenol and (1,1,2,2)-tetrachloroethane and a 50:50 pbw mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane. 
     
     
         44 . An industrial textile according to  claim 32 , constructed and arranged to be used as at least one of an industrial filtration fabric and a conveying fabric. 
     
     
         45 . An industrial textile according to  claim 32 , constructed and arranged to be used in a section of a papermaking machine selected from a forming section, a press section and a dryer section, and the fabric is selected from a forming fabric, a press fabric, a dryer fabric and a through air dryer fabric. 
     
     
         46 . An industrial textile according to  claim 32 , wherein the thermoplastic polymer is a polyester having an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.7, determined using a mixture selected from a 60:40 pbw mixture of phenol and (1,1,2,2)-tetrachloroethane and a 50:50 pbw mixture of trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane