Courtaulds Plc

Acordis Fibres (holdings) Limited

Tencel Limited

Hardev Singh Bahia

Thomas Richard Burrow

Jim Robert James

Lyocell fibres contain elongated domains of polyester, polyamide or an olefin copolymer, the domains having an aspect ratio at least 1.5 and being aligned substantially parallel to the axis of the fibre. A process for the preparation of lyocell fibre or film by extruding a solution of cellulose in amine oxide through a spinneret or film die at elevated temperature via an air gap into an aqueous precipitation bath is characterised in that 0.1 to 60 wt % based on cellulose of a thermoplastic low-melting polymer is incorporated into the cellulose solution. A process for the preparation of a bicomponent fibre by extruding two polymers through a spinneret in side-by-side relationship at elevated temperature is characterised in that one of the polymers is a solution of cellulose in amine oxide and the other polymer is a molten thermoplastic polymer having a melting point above 25&deg; C. but below the extrusion temperature.

Process of making lyocell fibre or film

A wound dressing has its wound-contacting surface composed of a tow or strand of textile filaments at least 15 mm long or a fabric of textile filaments at least 3 mm long, substantially all of the filaments being non-crosslinked carboxymethylcellulose filaments capable of absorbing at least 15 times their own weight of 0.9% aqueous saline solution. The wound-contacting surface forms a swollen, transparent gel which retains sufficient fibrous character to be removable as a coherent dressing from the wound.

Wound dressing

Carboxymethyl cellulose fiber having a degree of substitution of at least 0.1, preferably 0.2-0.5, carboxymethyl groups per glucose unit is derived from solvent-spun cellulose fiber, for example by reaction with a strong alkali and a monochloroacetate reagent. The fiber has an absorbency of at least 8 grams, usually at least 15 grams, 0.9% saline solution per gram of fibre and a tenacity of at least 10, usually at least 15, cN/tex. It can be used for absorbent personal products.

Cellulosic fibres

A highly filled yarn is formed by melt spinning a thermoplastic fibre-forming polymer containing at least 25% by weight of a particulate filler through a spinneret to form a continuous multi-filament yarn. The filaments are drawn away from the spinneret at a rate sufficient to orientate the yarn at least partially. The filaments pass around a guide between the spinneret and the draw means; the direction of travel of the filaments is diverted by means of the guide through an angle of at least 30.degree.. The yarns produced have increased strength and decreased extensibility.

Process for the production of highly filled yarns

Filled polymer material, which is either textile material comprising filaments of a fibre-forming polymer filled with a particulate conductive material or sheet material of a polymer filled with a particulate conductive material, treated with an organic liquid to increase its electrical conductivity.

Electrically conductive materials

A filament yarn of greater than 60 percent extensibility is combined with a carrier yarn. The combined yarn is false-twisted under tension in a unit employing rotary friction elements so that the filaments of the extensible yarn break intermittently while the carrier yarn remains intact to produce a spun-like textured yarn. The tension during false-twisting may be increased to a level at which the broken filaments snarl and form slubs in the yarn. The process may be carried out with no heat setting of the false-twist to form crimps. Suitable extensible yarns include undrawn and partially-orientated yarns, polyamide and polyester yarns, and suitable carrier yarns include fully-drawn filament yarns and spun yarns.

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Coventry, United Kingdom

Hardev Singh Bahia