Recyclable tufted carpet product

Abstract

Recyclable tufted carpet products and methods of preparing the same are provided. In particular, the recyclable tufted carpet product includes a primary backing having an air permeability greater than 100 l/m2/sec at 200 Pa/20 cm2, the primary backing comprising a polyester nonwoven; a plurality of yarns tufted through the primary backing such that a pile is provided at a first surface of the primary backing and a plurality of yarn loops are provided at a second surface of the primary backing; and an adhesive that anchors the plurality of yarn loops to the second surface of the primary backing.

1 . A method of preparing a recyclable tufted carpet product, the method comprising:
 providing a primary backing having an air permeability greater than 100 l/m 2 /sec at 200 Pa/20 cm 2 , the primary backing comprising a polymer non-woven;   tufting a polymer yarn through the primary backing such that a pile is provided at a first surface of the primary backing and a plurality of yarn loops are provided at a second surface of the primary backing; and   anchoring the plurality of yarn loops to the second surface of the primary backing.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer of the nonwoven is similar or identical to the polymer of the yarn. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the polymer of the nonwoven and the polymer of the yarn are both a polyester. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary backing comprises an air permeability from about 1000 to about 4000. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein prior to the tufting step the primary backing comprises a thickness greater than 0.35 mm at 0.5 Pa/25 cm 2 . 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary backing comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET) filaments and copolymer of polyethylene terephthalate (coPET) filaments. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , wherein the primary backing comprises 80-100 wt % PET and 0-20 wt % coPET. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary backing is at least one of hydroentangled, needled, calendered, and/or through air bonded prior to tufting. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the recyclable tufted carpet product is free of latex. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein anchoring the plurality of yarn loops to the second surface of the primary backing comprises applying a polyester hot melt adhesive to the plurality of yarn loops and the second surface of the primary backing. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein anchoring the plurality of yarn loops to the second surface of the primary backing comprises applying a nonwoven secondary backing to the plurality of yarn loops and the second surface of the primary backing. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the nonwoven secondary backing comprises PET and coPET. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the nonwoven secondary backing comprises greater than 50 wt % coPET with the remainder being PET. 
     
     
         14 . A recyclable tufted carpet product comprising:
 a primary backing having an air permeability greater than 100 l/m 2 /sec at 200 Pa/20 cm 2 , the primary backing comprising a polymer non-woven;   a plurality of polymer yarns tufted through the primary backing such that a pile is provided at a first surface of the primary backing and a plurality of yarn loops are provided at a second surface of the primary backing; and   an adhesive that anchors the plurality of yarn loops to the second surface of the primary backing.   
     
     
         15 . The recyclable tufted carpet product according to  claim 14 , wherein the polymer of the nonwoven is similar or identical to the polymer of the yarn. 
     
     
         16 . The recyclable tufted carpet product according to  claim 14 , wherein the polymer of the nonwoven and the polymer of the yarn are both a polyester. 
     
     
         17 . The recyclable tufted carpet product according to  claim 14 , wherein the primary backing comprises an air permeability from about 1000 to about 4000. 
     
     
         18 . The recyclable tufted carpet product according to  claim 14 , wherein the primary backing comprises a thickness greater than 0.35 mm at 0.5 Pa/25 cm 2 . 
     
     
         19 . The recyclable tufted carpet product according to  claim 14 , wherein the adhesive comprises a polyester hot melt adhesive. 
     
     
         20 . The recyclable tufted carpet product according to  claim 14 , wherein the adhesive comprises a polyester nonwoven secondary backing.