E.i. Dupont De Nemours and Company

Other

James M Howell

Michelle Hoyt Watkins

Joe Forrest London, Jr

Wae-Hai Tung

Frank Werny

David B Griffith

Geoffrey David Hietpas

Ismael A Hernandez

Chungfah Howard Ho

Carl J Giardino

Claudia Schultze

Steven M Hansen

Cecil E Reese

Joe Forrest London

Joseph J Duffy

James Victor Hartzog

Mark E Howell, Jr

Richard Meelheim

Joseph James Duffy

Michelle H Watkins

A continuous process for the production of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) is disclosed. According to the process, a liquid feed mixture comprising bis-3-hydroxypropyl terephthalate and/or low molecular weight polyesters of 1,3-propanediol and terephthalic acid, the liquid feed mixture having a mole ratio of propylene groups to terephthalate groups of 1.1 to 2.2 is fed to a flasher. A first stream of gaseous by-products is continuously vaporized and removed from the flasher, and a liquid flasher reaction product having a mole ratio of propylene groups to terephthalate groups of less than about 1.5 is continuously withdrawn from the flasher. The liquid flasher reaction product is continuously fed to a prepolymerizer where it is continuously polymerized to form a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) prepolymer and a second stream of gaseous by-products. Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) prepolymer having a relative viscosity of at least about 5 is continuously withdrawn from the prepolymerizer and continuously fed to a final polymerizer, where it is continuously polymerized to form a higher molecular weight poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and a third stream of gaseous by-products. Higher molecular weight poly(trimethylene terephthalate) having a relative viscosity of at least about 17 is continuously withdrawn from the final polymerizer.

Continuous process for producing poly (trimethylene terephthalate)

Polyester carpets of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) are disclosed which have excellent stain-resistance, texture retention and resistance to crushing. The bulked continuous filament yarn used to make the carpets and the process for making the yarns are also disclosed.

Process for making poly(trimethyleneterephthalate) bulked continuous filaments, the filaments thereof and carpets made therefrom

A stable partially oriented poly(trimethylene terephthalate) yarn suitable for use in subsequent drawing and/or draw-texturing operations characterized by an elongation to break of at least 110%, and a process for false-twist texturing a partially oriented poly(trimethylene terephthalate) yarn.

Process of making partially oriented poly(trimethylene terephthalate) yarn

A process for the continuous production of at least one of bis(3-hydroxypropyl) terephthalate and low molecular weight oligomers of 1,3-propanediol and terephthalic acid is disclosed. According to the process, preheated 1,3-propanediol (about 150&#xb0; C. to about 200&#xb0; C.) and preheated lower dialkyl esters of terephthalic acid (about 150&#xb0; C. to about 220&#xb0; C.) are combined in a mole ratio of about 1.2:1 to about 2.3:1 and fed to an ester exchange vessel where the mixture undergoes a continuous transesterification reaction. The liquid reaction mixture is continuously heated and mixed, at a temperature of about 215&#xb0; C. to about 250&#xb0; C., and a pressure of about 800 mm Hg to about 1,000 mm Hg. Gaseous reaction products are continuously separated from the liquid reaction mixture, and a stream of liquid reaction products containing bis(3-hydoxypropyl) terephthalate and low molecular weight oligomers of 1,3-propanediol and terephthalic acid is continuously removed from a base portion of the ester exchange vessel.

Continuous process for producing bis(3-hydroxypropyl) terephthalate

The invention relates to webs or batts including polytrimethylene terephthalate crimped staple fibers and fiberfill products comprising such webs and batts, as well as the processes of making the staple fibers, webs, batts and fiberfill products. According to the preferred process of making a web or batt, polytrimethylene terephthalate staple fibers, containing polytrimethylene terephthalate is melt spun at a temperature of 245-285&#xb0; C. into filaments. The filaments are quenched, drawn and mechanically crimped to a crimp level of 8-30 crimps per inch (3-12 crimps/cm). The crimped filaments are relaxed at a temperature of 50-130&#xb0; C. and then cut into staple fibers having a length of about 0.2-6 inches (about 0.5-about 15 cm). A web is formed by garnetting or carding the staple fibers and is optionally cross-lapped to form a batt. A fiberfill product is prepared with the web or batt.

Process of making web or fiberfill from polytrimethylene terephthalate staple fibers

Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) tetrachannel cross-section staple fibers, as well as yarns, fiberfill webs, batts and products, and fabrics made therewith. Also, the process of making such staple fibers, yarns, fiberfill webs, batts and products, and fabrics.

Process for preparing poly(trimethylene terephthalate) tetrachannel cross-section staple fiber

A process of making polytrimethylene terephthalate staple fibers, including (a) providing polytrimethylene terephthalate, (b) melt spinning the melted polytrimethylene terephthalate at a temperature of 245-285&deg; C. into filaments, (c) quenching the filaments, (d) drawing the quenched filaments, (e) crimping the drawn filaments using a mechanical crimper at a crimp level of 8-30 crimps per inch (3-12 crimps/cm), (f) relaxing the crimped filaments at a temperature of 50-120&deg; C., and (g) cutting the relaxed filaments into staple fibers having a length of about 0.2-6 inches (about 0.5-about 15 cm), and polytrimethylene terephthalate staple fibers, yarns and fabrics. Further, a process of optimizing the crimp take-up of a polytrimethylene terephthalate staple fiber including determining the relationship between denier and crimp take-up and manufacturing staple fibers having a denier selected based upon that determination.

Process for making poly(trimethylene terephthalate) staple fibers

Processes for making poly(trimethyelene terephthalate) yarn are provided. The process includes extruding a polyester polymer through a spinneret to form non-round filaments at a spinning speed less than 4500 mpm and a temperature between about 255&deg; C. and about 275&deg; C. The polyester polymer composition includes at least 85 mole percent poly(trimethylene terephthalate) wherein at least 85 mole percent of the repeating units consist of trimethylene units, and the polyester polymer has an intrinsic viscosity of at least 0.70 dl/g.

Processes for making poly(trimethylene terephthalate) yarn

Yarns comprised of bulked continuous filaments of poly (trimethylene terephthalate)

A stable partially oriented poly(trimethylene terephthalate) yarn suitable for use in subsequent drawing and/or draw-texturing operations characterized by an elongation to break of at least 110%, and a process for false-twist texturing a partially oriented poly(trimethylene terephthalate) yarn are disclosed.

Processes of preparing partially oriented and draw textured poly(trimethylene terephthalate) yarns

Fine denier poly(trimethylene terephthalate) feed yarns and drawn yarns wherein the drawn yarns are characterized by a denier per filament less than 1.5 and are drawn such that the actual draw ratio is within 10 percent of the predicted draw ratio determined according to: &lsqb;(elongation to break of the feed yarn)&plus;115&rsqb;/&lsqb;(elongation to break of the drawn yarn)&plus;115)&rsqb;.

Processes for making poly (trimethylene terephthalate) yarns

Bicomponent fibers with high wicking rate

Continuous process for producing poly(trimethylene terephthalate)

Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) tetrachannel cross-section staple fiber

Fine denier poly(trimethylene terephthalate) feed yarns and drawn yarns wherein the drawn yarns are characterized by a denier per filament less than 1.5 and are drawn such that the actual draw ratio is within 10 percent of the predicted draw ratio determined according to: &lsqb;(elongation to break of the feed yarn)&plus;115&rsqb;/&lsqb;(elongation to break of the drawn yarn)&plus;115)&rsqb; are disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Greenville, NC, United States of America

James M Howell