Yarn incorporating fluoropolymer staple fiber

Abstract

Yarns made from staple fibers comprising a plurality of fluoropolymer staple fibers with an average caliper diameter of at least 15 micron and a plurality of non-fluoropolymer staple fibers, wherein the ratio of the average caliper diameter of the fluoropolymer staple fibers to the non-fluoropolymer staple fibers in the yarn is 1.2 or greater. Also taught are yarns made from staple fibers with a plurality of fluoropolymer staple fibers having a rectangular cross-section and with an average caliper diameter up to 500 micron, and a plurality of non-fluoropolymer staple fibers with an average caliper diameter up to 40 micron.

1 . A yarn comprising:
 i) a plurality of fluoropolymer staple fibers with an average caliper diameter of at least 15 microns, and   ii) a plurality of non-fluoropolymer staple fibers,   wherein the ratio of the average caliper diameter of the fluoropolymer staple fibers to the average caliper diameter of the non-fluoropolymer staple fibers in the yarn is 1.2 to 20.   
     
     
         2 . The yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the non-fluoropolymer staple fibers comprise one or more staple diameters. 
     
     
         3 . The yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the non-fluoropolymer staple fibers comprise one or more synthetic staple fibers, one or more natural fibers or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer comprises expanded polyetetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         6 . The yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the fluoropolymer staple fibers comprise expanded polyetetrafluoroethylene having a density of 1.9 grams per cubic centimeter (g/cm 3 ) or less. 
     
     
         7 . The yarn of  claim 1 , further wherein the yarn contains at least one of an antistatic component, a cohesion component, a wax, antimicrobial material, fragrance, antimildew agent, insect repellants, cooling agents, heating agents, analgesics, oleophobics, oleophilics, FR materials, an organic pigment, an inorganic pigment, a signature identification marker or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The yarn of  claim 1 , to wherein the fluoropolymer staple further comprises at least one of an organic filler, an inorganic filler, a thermal conductor, an electric conductor, a thermal insulator, an electrical insulator, silver, carbon black, a color pigment, a color lake, a color dye, a size/dimensionally enhancing material, a signature identification marker, a UV absorber, a light reflecting material or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the yarn further comprises one or more continuous filaments. 
     
     
         10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the weight percent of the fluoropolymer staple fibers is 35% by weight or less, based on the total weight of the yarn. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . A yarn comprising:
 (i) a plurality of fluoropolymer staple fibers having a rectangular cross-section and   (ii) a plurality of non-fluoropolymer staple fibers,   wherein the average caliper diameter of the fluoropolymer staple fibers is between 15 and 500 microns and the average caliper diameter of the non-fluoropolymer staple fibers is between 0.1 and 40 microns.   
     
     
         15 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the non-fluoropolymer staple fibers comprise one or more staple diameters. 
     
     
         16 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the non-fluoropolymer staple fibers comprise one or more synthetic staple fibers, one or more natural fibers or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the fluoropolymer staple fibers comprise expanded Polyetetrafluoroethylene. 
     
     
         19 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the fluoropolymer staple fibers comprise expanded polyetetrafluoroethylene having density of 1.9 g/cm 3  or less. 
     
     
         20 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the yarn contains at least one of an antistatic component, a cohesion component, a wax, an antimicrobial material, a fragrance, an antimildew agent, an insect repellant, a cooling agent, a heating agent, an analgesic, an oleophobic, an oleophilic, an FR material, an organic pigment, an inorganic pigment, a signature identification marker or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         21 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the yarn further comprises at least one of an organic filler, an inorganic filler, a thermal conductor, an electric conductor, a thermal insulator, an electric insulator, silver, carbon black, a color pigment, a color, a color dye, a size/dimensionally enhancing material, a signature identification marker, a UV absorber, a light reflecting material or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the yarn further comprises one or more continuous filaments. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . The yarn of  claim 14 , wherein the weight percent of fluoropolymer staple fibers is 35% by weight or less, based on the total weight of the yarn. 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . An article comprising a yarn, the yarn comprising:
 i) a plurality of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) staple fibers having a length between 1 inch and 1.25 inch with an average caliper diameter of at least 30 microns, and   ii) a plurality of polyester staple fibers,
 wherein the staple fibers i) and ii) are formed into the yarn, 
   wherein the weight percent of the ePTFE staple fibers to the weight percent of the overall yarn is 10% by weight and the ratio of the average caliper diameter of the ePTFE staple fibers to the average caliper diameter of the polyester staple fibers in the yarn is 1.2 or greater.   
     
     
         28 . An article comprising a yarn, the yarn comprising:
 (i) a plurality of expanded PTFE (ePTFE) staple fibers having a rectangular cross-section and   (ii) a plurality of polyester staple fibers formed into a yarn,
 wherein the ePTFE staple fibers are present in an amount of 10% by weight of the overall yarn, and 
   wherein the average caliper diameter of the expanded PTFE staple fibers is between 30 and 500 microns and the average caliper diameter of the polyester staple fibers is between 10 and 40 microns.