Dsm IP Assets B.v.

Avient Protective Materials B.v.

Martinus Johannes Nicolaas Jacobs

Joseph Arnold Paul Maria Simmelink

Jacobus Johannes Mencke

Roeloef Marissen

Dietrich D Wienke

Roelof R Marissen

Christiaan Henri Peter Dirks

Jean Hubert Marie Beugels

Marc Blaauw

Reinard Jozef Maria Steeman

Martin Antonius Van Es

Francois Antoine Marie Op Den Buijsch

Leonardus Jacobus Johannes Wilhelmus Welzen

Leonardus Jacobus Johannus Welzen

Wilheimus Gerardus Marie Bruls

Leonardus Jacobus Johannus Wilhelmus Welzen

Wilhelmus Gerardus Marie Bruls

Van Martin Antonius Es

Processes for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn are disclosed which include the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DRof at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Dn with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR=DR*DRof at least 150, wherein DRis the draw ratio in the spinholes and DRis the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DRbeing greater than 1 and DRat least 1. High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites, are also disclosed.

High-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn

Preformed sheet layers of multiple high-performance polyethylene (HPPE) multifilament yarn monolayers and ballistic-resistant assemblies comprising the same

Process for making high-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn

The invention relates to a flexible sheet comprising (i) a woven fabric comprising yarns containing polyethylene fibers; and (ii) a plastomer layer adhered to at least one surface of said woven fabric wherein said plastomer is a semi-crystalline copolymer of ethylene or propylene and one or more C2 to C12 &#x3b1;-olefin co-monomers and wherein said plastomer having a density as measured according to ISO1183 of between 870 and 930 kg/m3, wherein the flexible sheet has a shrinkage of at most 1.9%.

Flexible sheet, method of manufacturing said sheet and applications thereof

The invention relates to a process for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn comprising the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DRfluid; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DRsolid of at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dn and length Ln with Ln/Dn of from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DRfluid=DRsp*DRag of at least 150, wherein DRsp is the draw ratio in the spinholes and DRag is the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DRsp being greater than 1 and DRag at least 1. The invention further relates to a high-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and to semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites.

The invention relates to a method for the manufacturing of a low shrinkage flexible sheet, said sheet comprising a fabric containing polyolefin fibers, said method comprising the steps of: a) depositing a molten plastomer layer on at least one surface of the woven fabric to form a sheet having a thickness approximately equal with the sum of the thicknesses of said molten plastomer layer and of said fabric; and b) impregnating said fabric with at least part of the molten plastomer layer by drawing the sheet into a gap between two calendaring rollers at a temperature of between the melting temperature of the plastomer and the melting temperature as determined by DSC of the polyolefin fibers, said gap having a width smaller than the thickness of the sheet; wherein the width of the gap is chosen to apply an impregnation pressure on the sheet of at least 20 bars.

Method for the manufacturing of a low shrinkage flexible sheet

Ballistic-resistant assemblies include monolayers formed of high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarns. The assemblies have an areal density of at least 1.5 kg/mand a specific energy absorption of at least 300 J&#xb7;m/kg as measured against a 9*19 mm FMJ Parabellum bullet according to a test procedure based on Stanag 2920.

Ballistic-resistant assemblies with monolayers of high-performance polyethylene multifilament yarns

The invention relates to a chain suitable to moor or anchor boats, to lash cargo in road, rail, water and air transportation or for conveying, hoisting, suspending or lifting applications, said chain comprising a plurality of interconnected links. More in particular the invention relates to a chain suitable for the above stated uses comprising a plurality of interconnected links, at least part of the links comprising polyolefin fibers and in particular ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fibers. The invention also relates to a method for enhancing the strength of such a chain.

Chain comprising a plurality of interconnected links

The invention relates to a process for making high-performance polyethylene multi-filament yarn comprising the steps of a) making a solution of ultra-high molar mass polyethylene in a solvent; b) spinning of the solution through a spinplate containing at least 5 spinholes into an air-gap to form fluid filaments, while applying a draw ratio DR; c) cooling the fluid filaments to form solvent-containing gel filaments; d) removing at least partly the solvent from the filaments; and e) drawing the filaments in at least one step before, during and/or after said solvent removing, while applying a draw ratio DRof at least 4, wherein in step b) each spinhole comprises a contraction zone of specific dimension and a downstream zone of diameter Dand length Dwith L/Dof from 0 to at most 25, to result in a draw ratio DR=DR*DRof at least 150, wherein DRis the draw ratio in the spinholes and DRis the draw ratio in the air-gap, with DRbeing greater than 1 and DRat least 1. The invention further relates to a high-performance polyethylene multifilament yarn, and to semi-finished or end-use products containing said yarn, especially to ropes and ballistic-resistant composites.

A preformed sheet is provided with at least two mono-layers, each mono-layer containing unidirectionally oriented fibers having a tensile strength of at least about 1.2 GPa and a tensile modulus of at least 40 GPa, and a binder, with a fiber direction in each mono-layer being rotated with respect to the fiber direction in an adjacent mono-layer. A separating film is provided on both outer surfaces, the separating film having a porosity of between 40 and 90%. Assemblies and articles with such preformed sheet offer a substantially higher ballistic protection level at a certain weight. An assembly of at least two such sheets and a flexible ballistic-resistant article which includes such an assembly are also provided.

Ballistic-resistant article

The invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a ballistic-resistant molded article in which a stack of monolayers is formed, each monolayer containing unidirectionally oriented reinforcing fibers and at most 30 mass % of a plastic matrix material, the reinforcing fibers being highly-drawn polyethylene fibers, and with the fiber direction in each monolayer being rotated with respect to the fiber direction in an adjacent monolayer, the stack then being compressed at a pressure of more than 25 MPa and a temperature between 125 and 150&#xb0; C., and the plastic matrix material having a 100% modulus of at least 3 MPa.

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Heerlen, Netherlands

Martinus Johannes Nicolaas Jacobs