Bicomponent conjugate fibers, complex yarns and fabrics having high crimping property

Abstract

The present invention relates to bicomponent conjugate fibers having excellent crimping property, comprising: (A) a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) as a first component, and (B) a polyester polymer as a second component. The present invention also relates to yarns and fabrics comprising said bicomponent conjugate fibers.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bicomponent conjugate fiber comprising:
 a thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE) as a first component; and   a polyester polymer as a second component.   
     
     
         2 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyester elastomer is a polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) type thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         3 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyester elastomer is a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) type thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         4 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyester elastomer has an intrinsic viscosity in the range of 0.5 dl/g to 2.4 dl/g. 
     
     
         5 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 2 , wherein the thermoplastic polyester elastomer has an intrinsic viscosity in the range of 0.5 dl/g to 2.4 dl/g. 
     
     
         6 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 3 , wherein the thermoplastic polyester elastomer has an intrinsic viscosity in the range of 0.5 dl/g to 2.4 dl/g. 
     
     
         7 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyester polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene isoterephthalate, a copolymer of polyethylene terephthalate/polyethylene isoterephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, cationic dyeable polyester, polybutylene succinate, environmentally recycled polyesters, biomass polyesters, and thermoplastic polyester elastomer. 
     
     
         8 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyester polymer has an intrinsic viscosity in the range of 0.45˜1.2 dl/g. 
     
     
         9 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of the first component to the second component is in the range of 20:80˜80:20. 
     
     
         10 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibers have a side-by-side cross section. 
     
     
         11 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are fibers of drawn textured yarns (DTY), air textured yarns (ATY), high oriented yarns (HOY), or fully drawn yarns (FDY). 
     
     
         12 . The bicomponent conjugate fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the fibers are long filaments or short filaments. 
     
     
         13 . Complex yarns which are composed of the fibers according to  claim 1  alone, or are formed by said bicomponent conjugate fibers in complex with the other fibers. 
     
     
         14 . Fabrics produced from the bicomponent conjugate fibers according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . Fabrics produced by the complex yarns according to  claim 13 .