Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, knits and articles containing the same

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to knits that can be used to make rip-resistant garments using an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and a companion fiber such as a stretch fiber or a memory fiber. The UHMWPE fiber includes a monofilament or multiple microfilaments, each of the microfilaments has a denier of 5 or less.

1 . A knit comprising:
 an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber comprising multiple microfilaments, each of the microfilaments having a denier of 5 or less, wherein the UHMWPE fiber is twisted at a twists per inch (TPI) between 2 and 4, has a tensile strength ranging from 25 cN/dtex to 38 cN/dtex and a modulus ranging from 1,000 cN/dtex to 1,500 cN/dtex; and   a companion fiber selected from spandex, polypropylene, polyester, nylon and nylon coated spandex having a denier ranging from 5 to 100.   
     
     
         2 - 5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the knit comprises the UHMWPE fiber in an amount ranging from about 20% by weight to about 80% by weight based on a total weight of the knit. 
     
     
         7 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . The knit of  claim 6 , wherein the UHMWPE fiber comprises a sustainable UHMWPE in a range from about 5% by weight to about 95% by weight based on a total weight of the UHMWPE fiber. 
     
     
         12 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the knit has a gauge of at least 32. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the knit has a gauge ranging from about 28 to about 32. 
     
     
         15 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the UHMWPE fiber has a denier ranging from about 10 to about 300. 
     
     
         16 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the UHMWPE fiber further comprises a dye. 
     
     
         20 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein a number of the microfilaments in the UHMWPE fiber is from 5 to 300. 
     
     
         28 - 32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the knit is a plated knit comprising the UHMWPE fiber on each course and the companion fiber on at least every other course and having an apparent denier not exceeding 60. 
     
     
         34 . The knit of  claim 33 , wherein the knit comprises the companion fiber on every course. 
     
     
         35 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the knit has a dimensional stability in each of a length direction and a width direction of ±6%. 
     
     
         36 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the UHMWPE fiber comprises a plurality of UHMWPE fibers. 
     
     
         37 . The knit of  claim 36 , wherein a variation in one or more of denier, tensile strength, modulus, elongation, fiber breaking force and fiber breaking among the plurality of UHMWPE fibers is from less than ±2.5% to less than ±10%. 
     
     
         38 - 42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . The knit of  claim 36 , wherein at least one UHMWPE fiber in the plurality of UHMWPE fibers has a different color from another UHMWPE fiber in the plurality of UHMWPE fibers. 
     
     
         44 . (canceled) 
     
     
         45 . The knit of  claim 36 , wherein at least one UHMWPE fiber in the plurality of UHMWPE fibers has a different denier from another UHMWPE fiber in the plurality of UHMWPE fibers. 
     
     
         46 . The knit of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of UHMWPE fibers has different deniers from each other. 
     
     
         47 . (canceled) 
     
     
         48 . The knit of  claim 36 , wherein the companion fiber comprises a plurality of companion fibers. 
     
     
         49 . The knit of  claim 48 , wherein the plurality of companion fibers has different deniers from each other. 
     
     
         50 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the knit is substantially hydrophobic with a contact angle with water greater than 90 degrees when measured in air. 
     
     
         51 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the knit provides an antimicrobial reduction of at least 50% below the same knit comprised of cotton. 
     
     
         52 . The knit of  claim 1 , wherein the knit is odor resistant. 
     
     
         53 . The knit of  claim 1 , further comprising a coating layer, wherein the coating layer comprises a fiber having a denier of 30 or greater. 
     
     
         54 . An article of clothing comprising the knit of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         55 . The article of clothing of  claim 54 , wherein the article of clothing is in the form of a pantyhose, a sheer hosiery, a shoe, a sock, a pant, or a jeans. 
     
     
         56 - 58 . (canceled) 
     
     
         59 . The article of clothing of  claim 54 , the article of clothing does substantially not exhibit any barre. 
     
     
         60 - 119 . (canceled) 
     
     
         120 . A method of producing a colored ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber, comprising:
 forming a solution comprising UHMWPE particles and a first solvent selected from the group consisting of decalin, BTX (benzene toluene and xylene), mixed xylenes, p-xylene, toluene, tetralin, trichlorobenzene, dichlorobenzene, mixed C9-C12 alkanes, paraffin oil, paraffinic wax, mineral oil, and kerosene;   extruding the solution to form a gel precursor fiber;   contacting the gel precursor fiber with a second solvent to extract the first solvent to provide a UHMWPE fiber, the second solvent comprises a supercritical liquid; and   contacting the UHMWPE fiber with a dyeing medium comprising a supercritical liquid and a dye.   
     
     
         121 - 137 . (canceled) 
     
     
         138 . A method of manufacturing a knit of  claim 1 , comprising:
 knitting an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber and a companion fiber, the UHMWPE fiber comprising multiple microfilaments, each of the microfilaments having a denier of 5 or less.   
     
     
         139 . (canceled) 
     
     
         140 . The method of  claim 138 , further comprising dyeing the knit, wherein dyeing the knit comprises:
 contacting the knit with a dyeing medium comprising a supercritical liquid and a dye to produce a pre-dyed knit; and   contacting the pre-dyed knit with an extraction medium comprising a supercritical liquid.   
     
     
         141 . The method of  claim 140 , wherein the supercritical liquid in each of the dyeing medium and the extraction medium comprises supercritical carbon dioxide. 
     
     
         142 - 143 . (canceled) 
     
     
         144 . The method of  claim 138 , wherein the UHMWPE fiber is twisted by air tacking. 
     
     
         145 - 166 . (canceled)