Cut resistant filled lengthy body

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lengthy body comprising: i) high-performance polyethylene fibers comprising a hard component, the hard component having a Mohs hardness of at least 2.5, and ii) a polymeric resin, wherein the polymeric resin is a homopolymer of ethylene or propylene or is a copolymer of ethylene and/or propylene, wherein the polymeric resin has a density as measured according to IS01183-2004 in the range from 860 to 970 kg/m3, a melting temperature in the range from 40 to 140° C. and a heat of fusion of at least 5 J/g.

1 . A lengthy body comprising:
 i) high-performance polyethylene (HPPE) fibers comprising a hard component, the hard component having a Mohs hardness of at least 2.5; and   ii) a polymeric resin, wherein the polymeric resin is a homopolymer of ethylene or propylene or is a copolymer of ethylene and/or propylene, wherein the polymeric resin has a density as measured according to ISO1183-2004 in the range from 860 to 970 kg/m 3 , a melting temperature in the range from 40 to 140° C. and a heat of fusion of at least 5 J/g.   
     
     
         2 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the hard component is hard particles and/or hard fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the HPPE fibers comprising the hard component having a Mohs hardness of at least 2.5 are continuous filaments or staple fibers. 
     
     
         4 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the HPPE fibers comprising the hard component having a Mohs hardness of at least 2.5 are prepared by a melt spinning process, a gel spinning process or solid state powder compaction process. 
     
     
         5 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric resin is a coating on the HPPE fibers comprising the hard component having a Mohs hardness of at least 2.5, preferably the coating being obtained from an aqueous suspension. 
     
     
         6 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the HPPE fibers comprising the hard component having a Mohs hardness of at least 2.5 have a tenacity of at least 0.5 N/tex, preferably at least 1 N/tex, more preferably at least 1.5 N/tex. 
     
     
         7 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the HPPE fibers comprise ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), preferably the HPPE fibers substantially consist of UHMWPE and the hard component having a Mohs hardness of at least 2.5. 
     
     
         8 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the amount of polymeric resin in the lengthy body is from 1 to 20 wt %, preferably from 2 to 10 wt %, more preferably from 2 to 5 wt %, whereby the weight percentage is the weight of polymeric resin relative to the total weight of the lengthy body. 
     
     
         9 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the density of the polymeric resin is in the range from 870 to 930 kg/m 3 , preferably from 870 to 920 kg/m 3 , more preferably from 875 to 910 kg/m 3 . 
     
     
         10 . The lengthy body according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymeric resin comprises an ethylene acrylic acid copolymer. 
     
     
         11 . A method for manufacturing the lengthy body according to  claim 1 , comprising the steps of:
 a) providing high-performance polyethylene (HPPE) fibers and a hard component, the hard component having a Mohs hardness of at least 2.5;   b) applying a solvent solution or an aqueous suspension of a polymeric resin to the fibers of step a), during or after step a);   c) at least partially drying the solvent solution or aqueous suspension of the polymeric resin applied in step b);
 to obtain a lengthy body comprising the filled fibers upon completion of steps a), b) and c); 
   d) optionally, applying a temperature in the range from the melting temperature of the resin to 153° C. to the lengthy body of step b) before, during and/or after step c) to at least partially melt the polymeric resin; and   e) optionally applying a pressure and/or a tension to the lengthy body obtained in step c) before, during and/or after step d) to at least partially compact and/or elongate the lengthy body,   wherein the polymeric resin is a homopolymer of ethylene or propylene or is a copolymer of ethylene and/or propylene, wherein the polymeric resin has a density as measured according to ISO1183-2004 in the range from 860 to 970 kg/m 3 , a melting temperature in the range from 40 to 140° C. and a heat of fusion of at least 5 J/g.   
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 11 , wherein the concentration of polymeric resin in the aqueous suspension is at most 30 wt %, whereby the weight percentage is the weight of polymeric resin relative to the total weight of aqueous suspension. 
     
     
         13 . A fabric comprising the lengthy body according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         14 . A garment comprising the fabric according to  claim 13 . 
     
     
         15 . The garment according to  claim 14 , wherein the garment is a glove.