Basf Corporation

Basf Corproation

Frank R Jones

Stanley A McIntosh

G Daniel Gasperson

Gary W Shore

Donald Caswell

Charles F Helms, Jr

Wayne S Stanko

Karl H Buchanan

David B Ledford

Gary A Shore

Raymond L Denney

Concentrates and method of making concentrates are disclosed. The concentrates may be incorporated into thermoformable articles as a concentrate powder or as a paste. Thermoformable articles, such as fibers, containing the concentrates and methods of making the thermoformable articles are also disclosed.

Alternate dispersants for spray-dried concentrate components

Polymeric compositions include a nonaqueous additive system having dispersant-coated pigments physically dispersed in a liquid nonaqueous polymeric carrier which may be added directly to a melt flow of a polymeric host material. The additive system employed in the polymeric systems is most preferably in the form of a particulate paste which can be added in metered amounts (dosed) to a melt flow of the polymeric host material prior to being spun into filaments. By providing a number of additive systems having a number of different additive attributes, and controllably dosing one or more into the melt flow of host polymeric material, shaped objects of the polymeric material (e.g., melt-spun filaments) having different additive attributes may be produced on a continuous basis without shutting down the shaping operation.

Methods of making pigmented filaments

A concentrate containing titanium dioxide is made by employing a carrier that is a liquid below about 25&deg; C. and which has ester functionality. The concentrate may be added directly to a host polymer to provide a high concentration of titanium dioxide without causing processing interruptions. Milling of the concentration is unnecessary.

Incorporating titanium dioxide in polymeric materials

Dispersible additive systems for polymeric materials, and methods of making and incorporating the same in such polymeric materials

Dispersible additive systems for polymeric materials include dispersant-coated pigments in a liquid nonaqueous polymeric carrier. The additive systems are most preferably in the form of a particulate nonaqueous paste which can be added in metered amounts (dosed) to a melt flow of the polymeric host material prior to being shaped (for example, prior to being spun into synthetic filaments). By providing a number of additive systems having a number of different additive attributes, and controllably dosing one or more into the melt flow of polymeric material, shaped objects of the polymeric material (e.g., melt-spun filaments) having different additive attributes may be produced on a continuous basis without shutting down the shaping operation.

Dispersible additive systems for polymeric materials

Additives for polymeric compositions are prepared by coating pigment with a dispersant, and thereafter dispersing the dispersant-coated pigment in a liquid nonaqeous polymeric carrier. Preferably, the dispersant-coated pigment is spray-dried. That is, most preferably, an aqueous dispersion of the pigment and dispersant is subjected to a spray-drying operation so as to obtain pigment coated with the dispersant. The dispersant-coated pigment will have an average particle size of about 5 .mu.m or greater, but is capable of breaking apart to average particle sizes of about 1 .mu.m or less when dispersed in a polymeric host material.

Methods of making dispersible additives for polymeric materials

Polymeric compositions include a nonaqueous additive system having dispersant-coated pigments physically dispersed in a liquid nonaqueous polymeric carrier which may be added directly to a melt flow of a polymeric host material. The additive system employed in the polymeric systsms is most preferably in the form of a particulate paste which can be added in metered amounts (dosed) to a melt flow of the polymeric host material prior to being spun into filaments. By providing a number of additive systems having a number of different additive attributes, and controllably dosing one or more into the melt flow of host polymeric material, shaped objects of the polymeric material (e.g., melt-spun filaments) having different additive attributes may be produced on a continuous basis without shutting down the shaping operation.

Additive-containing polymeric compositions and methods of making the same

Dispersible additive systems for polymeric materials include a dispersant-coated pigments in a liquid nonaqueous polymeric. The additive systems are most preferably in the form of a particulate nonaqueous paste which can be added in metered amounts (dosed) to a melt flow of the polymeric host material prior to being shaped (for example, prior to being spun into synthetic filaments). By providing a number of additive systems having a number of different additive attributes, and controllably dosing one or more into the melt flow of polymeric material, shaped objects of the polymeric material (e.g., melt-spun filaments) having different additive attributes may be produced on a continuous basis without shutting down the shaping operation.

Synthetic filaments include a nonaqueous additive system having dispersant-coated pigments physically dispersed in a liquid nonaqueous polymeric carrier. The additive system is most preferably in the form of a particulate paste which can be added in metered amounts (dosed) to a melt flow of the polymeric host material prior to being spun into filaments. By providing a number of additive systems having a number of different additive attributes, and controllably dosing one or more into the melt flow of polymeric material, melt-spun filaments having different additive attributes may be produced on a continuous basis (i.e., without shutting down the spinning operation). The filaments may be included in yarns which are formed into carpet structures.

Additive-containing synthetic filaments, and yarns and carpets including

Methods of continuously producing sequential lengths of different additive-containing melt-spun filaments include continuously supplying a melt-spinnable polymeric host material to orifices of a spinneret and controllably dosing at least one dispersible additive concentrate system containing a pigment in a liquid nonaqueous polymeric carrier to the melt flow of polymeric host material upstream of the spinneret orifices. In such a manner, a first polymeric mixture of the dispersible additive concentrate system and the polymeric host material is obtained which achieves an additive attribute. During a first time interval, the first mixture is extruded through the spinneret orifices; and thereafter, during a second subsequent time interval, the dosing of the at least one dispersible additive is changed so as to form a second mixture having a second additive attribute different from the first additive attribute while continuously supplying the melt flow of polymeric host material to the spinneret orifices. The melt-spun filaments will thus have a first length corresponding to the first additive attribute of the first mixture and a second subsequent length corresponding to the second additive attribute of the second mixture. The methods and additives employed most preferably achieve Hunter Green Purge Values of between about 0.10 to about 1.40 sec/cm.sup.3.

Methods of making different additive-containing filaments

Nonaqueous additive systems which includes dispersant-coated pigments physically dispersed in a liquid nonaqueous polymeric carrier are added directly to a melt flow of a polymeric host material prior to spinning. The additive system is most preferably in the form of a particulate paste which can be added in metered amounts (dosed) to a melt flow of the polymeric host material prior to being spun into filaments. By providing a number of additive systems having a number of different additive attributes, and controllably dosing one or more into the melt flow of polymeric material, melt-spun filaments having different additive attributes may be produced on a continuous basis (i.e., without shutting down the spinning operation).

Methods of making pigmented synthetic filaments

Additives are introduced into a thermoplastic melt by feeding at least one additive in an aqueous vehicle containing a dispersant to form an aqueous additive stream to a vented extruder which is extruding a thermoplastic followed by volatilizing an aqueous portion of the aqueous additive stream and removing substantially all the volatilized aqueous portion through the extruder vent to achieve a substantially homogeneous system containing the thermoplastic and at least one additive and forming a fiber from the homogeneous system by extrusion of the system through a spinneret.

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Asheville, NC, United States of America

Frank R Jones