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JP-2026514229-A - Thermoplastic elastomer multifilament yarn

JP2026514229AJP 2026514229 AJP2026514229 AJP 2026514229AJP-2026514229-A

Abstract

This invention discloses a thermoplastic elastomer multifilament yarn and a method for producing a thermoplastic elastomer multifilament yarn. The multifilament yarn includes a first filament that is at least partially adhered to a second filament. The first and second filaments are each formed from a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a thermoplastic elastomer exhibiting a flexural modulus of about 300 MPa or less as measured according to ISO 178:2019 at a temperature of about 23°C. The yarn has a linear density of about 1 to about 500 deniers per filament and exhibits an elongation at break of about 300% or more as measured according to ASTM D2653-07 (2018) at a temperature of about 23°C.

Inventors

  • コヴェリ，カーメン・エイ
  • オールダム，グレッグ・シー
  • ロンバルド，ジェームズ・エイ
  • クラッツ，カトリーナ

Assignees

  • セラニーズ・ポリマーズ・ホールディング，インコーポレーテッド

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20240426
Priority Date
20230428

Claims (20)

  1. A multifilament yarn comprising a first filament at least partially bonded to a second filament, wherein the first and second filaments are each formed from a thermoplastic elastomer composition containing a thermoplastic elastomer exhibiting a flexural modulus of about 300 MPa or less as measured according to ISO 178:2019 at a temperature of about 23°C, and further comprising a multifilament yarn having a linear density of about 1 to about 500 deniers per filament and exhibiting an elongation at break of about 300% or more as measured according to ASTM D2653-07 (2018) at a temperature of about 23°C.
  2. The multifilament yarn according to claim 1, exhibiting a shrinkage of approximately 50% or less as measured according to ASTM D2259-02 (2016) (Section 6.6.1 – Dry Heat Exposure).
  3. A multifilament yarn according to claim 1 or 2, exhibiting a tenacity of approximately 0.7 grams or more per denier, as measured according to ASTM D2653-07 (2018) at a temperature of approximately 23°C.
  4. A multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 3, exhibiting at least about 75% recoverable elasticity as measured according to ASTM D6720-07 (2018).
  5. The multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer exhibits one or more of the following: a Shore D hardness of about 60 or less, as measured according to ISO 868:2003 (test time of 15 seconds) at a temperature of about 23°C; a melting temperature of about 100°C to about 230°C, as measured according to ISO 11357-3:2018; or a tensile stress at fracture of about 45 MPa or less, as measured according to ISO 527-1/-2 (2012) at a temperature of about 23°C.
  6. The multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic copolyether ester elastomer.
  7. The multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic copolyester elastomer containing hard segments and soft segments, the hard segments constitute about 20% to about 70% by weight of the thermoplastic copolyester elastomer, and the soft segments constitute about 30% to about 80% by weight of the thermoplastic copolyester elastomer.
  8. The multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic copolyester elastomer containing a hard segment and a soft segment, and the hard segment is derived from at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid and/or a diester thereof and at least one diol containing 2 to 15 carbon atoms.
  9. The multifilament yarn according to claim 8, wherein the aromatic dicarboxylic acid comprises terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, or a combination thereof, and the diol comprises ethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, 1,3-propanediol, or a combination thereof.
  10. The multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic copolyester elastomer containing a hard segment and a soft segment, and the soft segment is derived from at least one aromatic dicarboxylic acid and/or a diester thereof and at least one poly(alkylene oxide) glycol.
  11. The multifilament yarn according to claim 10, wherein the aromatic dicarboxylic acid comprises terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, or a combination thereof, and the poly(alkylene oxide) glycol comprises poly(tetramethylene oxide) glycol, poly(trimethylene oxide) glycol, poly(propylene oxide) glycol, poly(ethylene oxide) glycol, poly(hexamethylene oxide) glycol, or a combination thereof.
  12. The multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer comprises a thermoplastic copolyether ester elastomer prepared from monomers comprising (1) poly(tetramethylene oxide) glycol, (2) a dicarboxylic acid selected from isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, or a mixture thereof, and (3) a diol selected from 1,4-butanediol, 1,3-propanediol, or a mixture thereof.
  13. The multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the first filament and the second filament are coated with a finishing agent.
  14. The multifilament yarn according to claim 13, wherein the finishing agent includes a finishing oil containing silicone oil.
  15. The multifilament yarn according to claim 13, wherein the finishing agent coats at least about 50% of the surface area of the first filament and the second filament.
  16. A multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 15, further comprising a third filament at least partially bonded to the first filament, the second filament, or both.
  17. The multifilament yarn according to claim 16, wherein the first filament, the second filament, and the third filament are at least partially bonded to each other.
  18. A method for producing a multifilament yarn according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the method is Extruding a molten material containing the thermoplastic elastomer composition through a spinneret; To pull the first filament and the second filament from the spinneret to the supply roller; Rapid cooling of the first filament and the second filament using air; Applying a finishing agent to the first filament and the second filament; A method comprising collecting the first filament and the second filament on a winding roller.
  19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising stretching the first filament and the second filament using a stretching roller.
  20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the supply roller speed is faster than the extension roller speed and/or the extension roller speed is faster than the winding roller speed.

Description

Cross-reference of related applications This application claims the benefit of filing U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/498,862, filed on 28 April 2023, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Non-stretchable yarns, such as polyester and nylon, are commonly used to manufacture articles such as fabrics and furniture. The filaments used to produce such yarns can be spun with minimal filament breakage, and corresponding breakage can also be minimized during fabric processing. Another class of materials, namely thermoplastic elastomers, have recently been used for a variety of applications due to their ability to function as thermoplastics, particularly their ability to remodel upon heating, while also exhibiting specific properties typical of elastomers. As a result, these materials can also be used as elastomeric stretchable yarns for forming various articles. However, these yarns may have a higher-than-desirable tendency to break during spinning and/or further processing. In addition, when using multifilament yarns made from such thermoplastic elastomers, individual filaments may separate from the yarn bundle during unwinding and/or further processing, thereby compromising the integrity of the yarn and the resulting article. This is a schematic process diagram of an apparatus useful for manufacturing filaments according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a filament having a two-lobe cross-section according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a filament having a two-lobe cross-section according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a two-filament multifilament according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a monofilament having a three-lobe cross-section according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a monofilament having a three-lobe cross-section according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a monofilament having a three-lobe cross-section according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a monofilament having a four-lobe cross-section according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a monofilament having a four-lobe cross-section according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a monofilament having a four-lobe cross-section according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a three-filament multifilament according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.This is a cross-sectional view of a four-filament multifilament according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.The knit structure according to the embodiment of this disclosure is shown.An optical micrograph of the multifilament yarn of Example 1 is provided. The repeated use of reference letters in this specification and drawings is intended to represent the same or similar features or elements of the present invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that this discussion is merely a description of exemplary embodiments and is not intended to limit broader aspects of the disclosure. Generally speaking, this disclosure relates to thermoplastic elastomer multifilament yarns. The inventors have discovered that by utilizing thermoplastic elastomers as described herein to form multifilament yarns having the configurations described herein, the filaments and yarns can exhibit desired properties for various applications, particularly textile applications. In particular, articles produced from multifilament yarns may be lighter, dry faster, and/or more breathable than those made from other materials. In addition, because thermoplastic elastomers can be reformed by heating, like thermoplastic plastics, yarns and articles formed from thermoplastic elastomers can contribute to a recyclable and circular ecosystem. For example, these materials may be reused and reformed, and therefore, unlike other types of materials typically used, may not necessarily need to be disposed of. Furthermore, the properties of thermoplastic elastomers and the resulting filaments and yarns enable the use of these materials to overcome certain previous problems. For example, yarns with elongation exceeding 300% can be spun relatively quickly to form the resulting articles while minimizing filament and yarn breakage. In addition, yarns can also result in fewer defects during knitting applications (e.g., drop stitches, holes, poor selvage, broken filaments, yarn breakage, inconsistent yarn denier in the fabric, etc.). In particular, yarns such as those disclosed herein may provide elasticity or resilience, and without being intended to be limited by theory, such elasticity/resilience may contribute to the ability of