Polyketone Fibers, Production and Use Thereof

Abstract

Disclosed are melt-spun fibers comprising thermoplastic aliphatic polyketone as a first polymer and a selected polymeric component as a second polymer. These fibers are distinguished by excellent mechanical properties, such as good bending recovery, by very good sliding properties, by high hydrolysis resistance and by high abrasion resistance.

1 . Melt-spun fibers containing a thermoplastic aliphatic polyketone as a first polymer and as a second polymer a polyolefin, polyester, polyurethane, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene sulfone, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene ketone, polyphenylene etherketone, liquid crystalline polymer and/or aliphatic polyketone, wherein in case that aliphatic polyketone is present as the second polymer its melting point is at least 5° C. higher than the melting point of the aliphatic polyketone of the first polymer. 
     
     
         2 . Melt-spun fibers containing thermoplastic aliphatic polyketone as a first polymer and as a second polymer a polyolefin, polyester, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polyurethane, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene sulfone, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene ketone, polyphenylene etherketone, liquid crystalline polymer and/or aliphatic polyketone, with the polymers being in the form of two or more fiber components that are spatially separated from one another but are interrelated among each other and wherein in case that aliphatic polyketone is present as the second polymer its melting point is at least 5° C. higher than the melting point of the aliphatic polyketone of the first polymer. 
     
     
         3 . Melt-spun fibers containing thermoplastic aliphatic polyketone as a matrix polymer and dispersed therein particles of polysiloxanes or of poly(meth)acrylates. 
     
     
         4 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic aliphatic polyketone is an ethylene-/propylene-/CO-terpolymer. 
     
     
         5 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber contains an antioxidant, preferably a sterically hindered phenol, which is optionally combined with co-stabilizers. 
     
     
         6 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyester is an aromatic-aliphatic polyester homo- or copolymer. 
     
     
         7 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1 , wherein the polyester is a polycarbonate. 
     
     
         8 . Melt-spun fibers according  claim 1 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are present as polymer blend, wherein one of the polymers forms a matrix and the other polymer is dispersed in the matrix in the form of fibrils. 
     
     
         9 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 8 , wherein the fibers are present in the form of island-in-sea-fibers, in which one polymer component is arranged in the form of fibrils in a polymer matrix component. 
     
     
         10 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 2 , wherein these are present as core-sheath-fibers with a sheat from aliphatic polyketone and with a core from polyolefin, polyester, polyamide, polyoxymethylene, polyurethane, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene sulfone, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene ketone, polyphenylene etherketone, liquid crystalline polymer and/or another aliphatic polyketone. 
     
     
         11 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 10 , wherein these are present as core-sheath-fibers with a sheath from aliphatic polyketone and with a core from polyester, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene ketone, polyphenylene etherketone or another aliphatic polyketone. 
     
     
         12 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 2 , wherein these are present as side-by-side-fibers with a fiber part of aliphatic polyketone and with another fiber part being contact therewith of polyolefin, polyester, polyimide, polyoxymethylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene sulfone, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene ketone, polyphenylene etherketone, liquid crystalline polymer and/or another aliphatic polyketone. 
     
     
         13 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 12 , wherein these are present as side-by-side-fibers with a fiber part of aliphatic polyketone and with another fiber part being in contact therewith of polyester, polyphenylenesulfide, polyphenyleneether, polyphenyleneketone or polyphenyleneetherketone. 
     
     
         14 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 2 , wherein these are formed as core-sheath-fibers comprising a sheath made from thermoplastic ethylene-/propylene-/CO-terpolymer and a core made from polyolefin, polyester, polyimide, polyoxymethylene, polyphenylene sulfide, polyphenylene sulfone, polyphenylene ether, polyphenylene ketone, polyphenylene etherketone, liquid crystalline polymer and/or another aliphatic polyketone, wherein the mass of the sheath is between 5 and 50% by weight and the mass of the core is between 95 and 5% by weight, and wherein the core and/or the sheath optionally contain up to 10% by weight in total of additives, preferably a sterically hindered phenol, UV-stabilizers, pigments, dyes, fillers, matting agents, crosslinking agents, crystallization accelerators, lubricants, flame retardants, antistatics, hydrolysis stabilizers, plasticizers, impact strength modifiers and/or fluoropolymers, wherein the percentages relate to the total mass of the fibers. 
     
     
         15 . Melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1 , wherein these are present as monofilaments in endless or cut form and combined in bundles or as brushes. 
     
     
         16 . Textile fabric comprising the melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1  in the form of a woven fabric, knitting, knitted fabric, meshwork or laid-fabric. 
     
     
         17 . A method of making at least one of screen cloth, filter cloth for gas and liquid filters, process-belts, dryer-belts, and brushes for cleaning purposes of all kinds comprising utilizing melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         18 . A method of making at least one of fluidization tapes, process belts for the board industry, conveyor belts and process belts in the manufacture of nonwovens comprising utilizing melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         19 . A method of making toothbrushes comprising utilizing melt spun fibers according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . A method of reinforcing concrete or a composite comprising utilizing melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1  in the form of staple fibers. 
     
     
         21 . A method of making at least one of paper machine clothings, conveyor belts and in filtration sieves comprising utilizing melt-spun fibers according to  claim 1  in the form of monofilaments.