Multidirectional fiber-reinforced tape/film articles and the method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016368227-A1
Application number	US-201414503936-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 1, 2014
Priority date	Aug 11, 2009
Publication date	Dec 22, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

High tenacity, high elongation multi-filament polymeric tapes as well as ballistic resistant fabrics, composites and articles made therefrom. The tapes are fabricated from multi-filament fibers/yarns that are twisted together, bonded together, compressed and flattened.

First claim

1 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . An article fabricated from a plurality of polymeric tapes, wherein each of said polymeric tapes comprises a flattened multi-filament yarn, said yarn comprising a plurality of continuous polymeric filaments that are twisted together and bonded together; which tapes have an ultimate tensile strength of at least 15 g/denier and wherein the value of the ultimate tensile strength (g/denier) of each tape multiplied by the ultimate elongation (%) of each tape is at least 150.

22 . The article of claim 21 wherein the article is a non-woven laminate comprising a plurality of said tapes arranged unidirectionally in a side-by-side, substantially parallel, planar relation to each other and laminated together.

23 . The article of claim 21 wherein the article comprises a plurality of non-woven laminates that are stacked together and consolidated, wherein adjacent laminates are oriented at different angles relative to the central longitudinal axis of the component tapes of each laminate, and wherein each non-woven laminate comprises a plurality of said tapes arranged unidirectionally in a side-by-side, substantially parallel, planar relation to each other and laminated together.

24 . The article of claim 21 wherein said article comprises tapes formed from aramid filaments and tapes formed from polyethylene filaments.

25 . The article of claim 21 wherein each of said tapes comprise polyethylene filaments and have an ultimate tensile strength of at least 20 g/denier.

26 . The article of claim 21 wherein each of said tapes have an ultimate elongation of at least 5.0%

27 . The article of claim 21 wherein each of said tapes has an average cross-sectional aspect ratio of at least about 10:1.

28 . The article of claim 21 wherein the article is a woven fabric.

29 . The article claim 21 wherein each of said tapes comprises a plurality of continuous polymeric filaments that are twisted together with at least about 3 twists per inch of yarn length and less than about 11 twists per inch of yarn length.

30 . An article fabricated from a plurality of polymeric tapes, wherein each of said polymeric tapes comprises a flattened multi-filament yarn, said yarn comprising a plurality of continuous polymeric filaments that are twisted together and bonded together; wherein said tape has an ultimate elongation (y) (%) and an ultimate tensile strength (x)(g/denier) that are proportional to each other and conform to the relationship y=−0.04x+b, where b=5 or greater and x is 15 or greater.

31 . The article of claim 30 wherein b is 5 to 15.

32 . The article of claim 30 wherein x is at least 20 (g/denier) and b is 5 to 15.

33 . The article of claim 30 wherein the article is a non-woven laminate comprising a plurality of said tapes arranged unidirectionally in a side-by-side, substantially parallel, planar relation to each other and laminated together.

34 . The article of claim 30 wherein the article comprises a plurality of non-woven laminates that are stacked together and consolidated, wherein adjacent laminates are oriented at different angles relative to the central longitudinal axis of the component tapes of each laminate, and wherein each non-woven laminate comprises a plurality of said tapes arranged unidirectionally in a side-by-side, substantially parallel, planar relation to each other and laminated together.

35 . The article of claim 30 wherein the article is a woven fabric.

36 . The article claim 30 wherein each of continuous polymeric filaments are twisted together with at least about 3 twists per inch of yarn length and less than about 11 twists per inch of yarn length.

37 . The article of claim 30 wherein each of said tapes has an average cross-sectional aspect ratio of at least about 10:1.

38 . A process for forming a layer comprising a plurality of polymeric tapes, the method comprising:
a) providing a plurality of polymeric tapes, each polymeric tape comprising a flattened multi-filament yarn, said yarn comprising a plurality of continuous polymeric filaments that are twisted together and bonded together with at least about 3 twists per inch of yarn length and less than about 15 twists per inch of yarn length, wherein the polymeric tape has an average cross-sectional aspect ratio of at least about 10:1; b) arranging said plurality of polymeric tapes into a side-by-side planar array such that only their edges are in contact with each other; c) optionally applying a polymeric binder material onto said array of tapes; and d) applying heat and/or pressure to said array of tapes under conditions sufficient to consolidate said array of tapes into a substantially planar, unitary layer.

39 . The process for forming a multi-layer article comprising performing steps a)-d) of claim 38 at least twice to thereby form a plurality of layers, arranging said plurality of layers into a stack, and thereafter applying heat and/or pressure to said stack under conditions sufficient to consolidate said stack into a substantially planar, unitary multi-layer article.

40 . The process of claim 38 wherein the wherein the polymeric tapes comprise at least 95% by weight of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene filaments and wherein said layer formed from the polymeric tapes comprises at least 95% by weight of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene filaments.

Assignees

• Honeywell Int Inc

Inventors

• Tam Thomas
• Boone Mark Benjamin

Classifications

• D02G3/22

  Yarns or threads characterised by constructional features {, e.g. blending, filament/fibre (piecing of yarns or threads D01H15/00)} · CPC title

• B29C55/065

  in several stretching steps · CPC title

• B32B5/12 Primary

  characterised by the relative arrangement of fibres or filaments of {different layers, e.g. the fibres or filaments being parallel or perpendicular to each other} · CPC title

• F41H5/0485

  all the layers being only fibre- or fabric-reinforced layers · CPC title

• B32B2571/02

  defensive, e.g. armour plates or anti-ballistic clothing · CPC title