Melt-spun thermoplastic polyurethane fiber

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025043465-A1
Application number	US-202218718178-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 9, 2022
Priority date	Dec 10, 2021
Publication date	Feb 6, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A melt-spun thermoplastic polyurethane fiber is provided. The melt-spun thermoplastic polyurethane fiber provides elastic properties and exhibits chemical resistance.

First claim

1 . A melt-spun fiber, comprising:
(a) a reactive thermoplastic polyurethane composition, comprising the reaction product of:
i. a polyol component, wherein the polyol component comprises a first polycarbonate polyol;
ii. a hydroxyl terminated chain extender component; and
iii. a first diisocyanate component; and
(b) an isocyanate functional prepolymer crosslinking agent comprising the reaction product of a second polycarbonate polyol and a second diisocyanate component, or (c) an isocyanate functional prepolymer crosslinking agent comprising the reaction product of a polycaprolactone polyol and a second diisocyanate component

2 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the polyol component comprises at least 60% of the first polycarbonate polyol.

3 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the first polycarbonate polyol contains a repeating unit —R—O—C(═O)—O— in which R contains 4 to 6 carbon atoms.

4 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the first polycarbonate polyol has a number average molecular weight of about 1000 to 3000 Daltons measured by end group analysis, optionally wherein the first polycarbonate polyol is selected from 2-MPD carbonate, BDO-carbonate, DEG-carbonate, HDO-carbonate, or mixtures thereof.

5 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the polyol component consists of the first polycarbonate polyol.

6 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the chain extender component comprises 1,4-bis(p-hydroxyethoxy)benzene or 1,3 propanediol.

7 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the first diisocyanate component comprises an aromatic diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, an aliphatic diisocyanate, HDI, or mixtures thereof.

8 . The melt-spun fiber of any preceding claim 1 , wherein the second diisocyanate component comprises an aromatic diisocyanate, 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate, an aliphatic diisocyanate, HDI, or mixtures thereof.

9 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the second polycarbonate polyol is selected from HDO-carbonate, BDO-carbonate, 3-MPD-carbonate, or mixtures thereof.

10 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the polycaprolactone polyol comprises F-caprolactone and may be reacted with bifunctional initiator, optionally wherein the bifunctional initiator is selected form diethylene glycol, 1,4-butanediol, neopentyl glycol, poly(tetramethylene ether glycol) or mixtures thereof.

11 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the reactive thermoplastic polyurethane composition contains 70% to 85% by weight of the first polycarbonate polyol component.

12 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein a combined weight of the hydroxyl terminated chain extender component and the first diisocyanate component make up a hard segment of the thermoplastic polyurethane composition and wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane composition has a hard segment content of 15% to 45% by weight.

13 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the isocyanate functional prepolymer crosslinking agent comprises the reaction product of 65% to 80% by weight of the second polycarbonate polyol and 20% to 35% by weight of the second diisocyanate component.

14 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , comprising 85% to 90% of the TPU and 10% to 15% of the pre-polymer.

15 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the melt-spun thermoplastic polyurethane fiber has a weight average molecular weight measured by gas permeation chromatography of 100,000 Daltons to 300,000 Daltons.

16 . The melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane fiber is capable of retaining at least 80% of its original tensile properties measured according to ASTM D2653 after exposure to oleic acid measured per ASTM D543-20.

17 . A fabric comprising the melt-spun fiber of claim 1 .

18 . A process for preparing the melt-spun fiber of claim 1 , the process comprising the steps of:
(1) preparing a reactive thermoplastic polyurethane composition that is the reaction product of (a) a polyol component, wherein the polyol component comprises a first polycarbonate polyol (b) a chain extender component; and (c) a first diisocyanate; (2) drying the reactive thermoplastic polyurethane composition; (3) melting the reactive thermoplastic polyurethane composition in an extruder; (4) adding an isocyanate functional prepolymer into the extruder, wherein the isocyanate functional prepolymer comprises the reaction product of a second polycarbonate polyol or a polycaprolactone polyol and a second diisocyanate component; (5) mixing the reactive thermoplastic polyurethane composition and the isocyanate functional prepolymer in the extruder to form a crosslinked thermoplastic polyurethane polymer; (6) feeding the crosslinked thermoplastic polyurethane polymer to at least one spinneret to produce a melt-spun fiber; (7) cooling the melt-spun fiber; (8) optionally, applying finish oil; and (9) winding the melt-spun fiber onto a bobbin.

Assignees

• Lubrizol Advanced Mat Inc

Inventors

• Suragani Venu Lalith Bhargava
• Ramsay Michael B
• Vontorcik Jr Joseph J
• Sprague Christopher A
• Lan Qiang
• Chan Angelina

Classifications

• D10B2401/063

  high strength · CPC title

• D10B2331/10

  polyurethanes · CPC title

• D01F11/08

  of macromolecular compounds obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds · CPC title

• D01D5/088

  Cooling filaments, threads or the like, leaving the spinnerettes · CPC title

• D01D1/04

  Melting filament-forming substances · CPC title