Title of Invention	"PROCESS FOR PRODUCING FLUOROPOLYMER FIBER"
Abstract	This invention pertains to melt spun fibers of copolymers formed from tetra-fluoro ethylene and perfluorovinyl monomers and a process for their formation. In the process of this invention fibers exhibiting high strength and low shrinkage are drawn from the melt at SSFs of at least 500x. LDB/bjm

Full Text

This invention relates to melt spun fibers of copolymers formed from tetra-fluoroethylene and perfluorovinyl monomers. In the process of this invention fibers exhibiting high strength and, low shrinkage are drawn from the melt at spin stretch factors of at least 500x. TECHNICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Hartig et al. (U.S. 3, 770,711) disclose fibers; made from copolymers of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and 1-7% by weight perfiuoropropyl vinyl ether (PPVE). Methyl, ethyl, butyl, and amyl vinyl ether comonomers are also disclosed. Fiber is melt spun with little or no draw-down, followed by a drawing step performed below the melting point. Fibers so fabricated are ca. 5OO jam in diameter, exhibiting thermal shrinkage of 15% at 250°C. Vita et al. (U.S. 5,552 ,219) disclose multifilament yarns comprising fibers made in a two step process from copolymers of TFE with 2-20 mol % of perfluoroolefins having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, or with 1-5 mol % of perfluorovinylalkyl ethers, the copolymers having a melt flow index of 6-18 g/10 min according to ASTM D3307. In the first step, a fiber is melt spun with a spin stretch factor in the range of 50 to 250, with 50 to 150 preferred; spin stretch factor of 75 spun at 12-18 m/min is exemplified. In the second step, the spun fiber is post-drawn at 200°C to produce the final product. The as-spun fiber exhibits tenacity of 50 to 80 MPa at 23°C and less than 10% shrinkage at 200°C. In the second step, the as-spun fiber is drawn at a temperature below the melting point to provide a fiber with tensile strength of 140-220 MPa Fiber diameters of 10 to 150 micrometer diameter (1.7 to 380x 10-7 kg/m) are disclosed. In the process of Umezawa (JP 63-245259), a first step involves forming a mixture of a melt-processible fluorinated resin with a melt-processible hydro¬carbon resin wherein the fluorinated resin occupies less than 50% of the volume of the mixture, and forms therein a discontinuous phase dispersed , within a continous hydrocarbon phase. In a second step, a fiber is melt spun from the mixture without draw-down, and in a third step the fiber so formed is drawn below the melting temperature of the fluorinated resin. In a fourth step, the hydrocarbon moiety is dissolved, leaving a very fine linear density fluoropolymer fiber. A TFE/HFP fiber with linear density of 2,2 x 10-9 kg/m, and tenacity of ca. 400 MPa is exemplified. Disclosed without exemplification is a ca. 3.5 x 1Q-3 kg/m fiber of TFE/perfluoroalkoxy ethyl ene with tenacity of 190 MPa. Nishiyama et, al (JP 63-219616) disclose a process for spinning and drawing fibers from Teflon® PFA 340-J (MitsuWDuPont) which retain the cross-sectional shape of the spinneret hole. 1 10 x i.0-7 kg/m (ca. 80 urn) fiber with 190 MPa tenacity and 17% ultimate elongation is produced by melt spinning without draw-down at 1 0 m/rnin, followed by post-drawing 5x. Bonigk (P4 1-3 1-746 Al - Germany) discloses fiber made from ethylene/ tetrafluoroethylerw/perfluoropropyl vinyl ether (E/TFE/PPVE) co-polymers wherein the TFE rnoiety does not exceed 60 mol %. Spinning speed in excess of 800 m/min are disclosed, but spin stretch factor is limited to ca. 100:1. The fibers are characterized by using a thermoplastic copolymer having a melt index of al: least 50 g/10 min. (DIN Standard 33 735), Kronfel'd et al. (Khimicheskie Volokna, No. 1, pp 13-14, 1982) disclose fibers 30-60 micrometer in diameter made by meit spinning a TFE/perfluoroalky vinyl ether copolymer at a jet stretch of 3500% (con'espondimg to a spin stretch factor, SSF3 of 36) followed by a hot stretch at a ratio of 2.2x. The fiber so produced exhibited a tenacity of 14.6 cN/tex (corresponding to ca. 3 15MPa), a shrinkage in boiling water of 12-15%, and a birefringence of 0.050. Kronfel'd et al. (Khimicheskie Volokna, No, 2, pp 28-30, 1986) disclose fibers 1 8 micrometers in diameter and larger of a TFE/perfluoroalkylvinyl ether copol\mer containing 3-5 mol % of the vinyl ether. Disclosed is a maximum obtainable spin draw ratio of 850x at 400°C spinning temperature, for polymer of MFR 7.8-18, yielding fiber of maximum tensile strength of 1 80 MPa. According to the teachings of the art, which are limited to spin stretch exiruomg through a narrow extrusion die at low throughputs, at a large economic penalty. Higher extrusion speed, more consistent with low-cost commercial production rates, results in melt fracture and fiber breaksige, And, to achieve tensile strengths of greater than ca. 190 MPa requires the additional cost and complexity of a second, stage draw on the span fiber, Thus, the practices of the known art present several problems to the practitioner thereof, A first problem has to do with producing fiber of linear density below ca. 100 x 10"7 kg/m, especially less than, ca. 40 x 10'7 kg/m, at commercially practical rates. A second problem has to do with producing fiber with tensile strength of greater than ca. 1 90 MPa. A third problem has to do with providing for a lower cost process over the slow-speed spinning and multi-step processes of the known art. The fibers produced by the known art also exhibit undesirably high shrinkage of at least 15% ai 250°C, limiting their usefulness. Many of the disadvantages of the art are overcome by the process of the present invention wherein the spin stretch factor of the present invention is at least 500. Using the process of the present invention, high strength, low shrinkage low-linear density fibers comprising perfluorinated thermoplastic copolymers of TFE of a wide range of melt flow ratios can be produced at very high spinning speeds in a single step operation, thus increasing productivity and decreasing production costs. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides for a fluoropolymer fiber comprising a perfluorinated thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) having a melt flow rate (MFR) of about 1 to about 30 g/10 min., the fiber exhibiting a tensile strength of at least 190 MPa and a linear shrinkage of less than 15% at a temperature in the range of 40-60 centigrade degrees below the melting point of the copolymer. The copolymers herein are copolymers of TFE and at least one comor.omer selected from the group consisting of perfluoro-olefms having at least three carbon atoms, perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ethers, and mixtures thereof, Further provided for is a process for producing a fluoropolymer fiber. The process comprises melting and extruding a perfluorinated thermoplastic copolynier of TFE and a comonomer selected from the group consisting of perfluoro-olefms having at least three carbon atoms;, perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ethers, and mixtures thereof, having a MFR of about 1 to about 30 g/10 min., 'through an aperture, to form one or more strands, directing the thus extruded strand or strand,, through a quench zone while accelerating the linear rate of progression of the strand or strands to at least 1000 times greater than the linear rate of extrusion thereof, allowing the extrudate to solidify in transit between the extrusion aperture and a means for imposing said acceleration. Still further provided for is a process for producing a fluoropolymer fiber the process comprising melting and extruding a perfluorinated thermoplastic copol>mer of TFE and a comonomer selected from the group consisting of perfluoro-olefms having at least three carbon atoms, perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ethers, and nurtures thereof, having a MFR of about 1 to about 6 g/10 min., through an aperture, to form one or more strands, directing the thus extruded strand or strand:; through a quench zone while accelerating the linear rate of progression of the strmd or strands to at least 500 times greater than the linear rate of extrusion thereof, allowing ihe extrudate to solidify in transit between the extrusion aperture and a means for imposing said acceleration. tensile strength of at least 190 MPa and a linear shrinkage of less than 15% at a temperature in the range of 40-60 centigrade degrees below the melting point of. the copolymer produced by the process comprising melting and extruding a perfluorinated thermoplastic copolymer of TFE and a comonomer selected from the group consisting of perfluoro-olefms having at least three carbon atoms, perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ethers, and mixtures thereof, having a melt flow rate of about 1 to about 30 g/10 min., through an aperture to form one or more strands, directing the thus extruded strand or strands through a quench zone, accelerating the linear rate of progression of the strand or strands to at least 1000 times greater than the linear rate of extrusion thereof, and allowing the extrudate to solidify in transit between the extrusion aperture and a means for imposing said acceleration. The present invention further provides a fluoropolymer fiber exhibiting a tensile strength of at least 190 MPa and a linear shrinkage of less than 15% at a temperature in the range of 40-60 centigrade degrees below the melting point of the copolymer produced by the process comprising melting and extruding a perfjuorinated thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and a comonomer selected from the group consisting of perfluoro-olefins having at least three carbon, atoms, perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ethers, and mixtures thereof, having a melt flow rate of ca. 1-6 g/10 min., through an aperture, to form one or more: strands, directing the thus extruded strand or strands through a quench zone while accelerating the linear rate of progression of the strand or strands to at least 500 times greater than the linear rate of extrusion thereof, allowing the extrudate to solidify in transit between the extrusion aperture and a means for imposing said acceleration. Accordingly, the subject invention relates to a process for producing a fluoropolymer fiber, the process comprising: melting and extruding a perfluorinated thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and a comonomer selected from the group consisting of perfluoro-olefins having at least three carbon atoms, perfluoro (alkyl vinyl) ethers, and mixtures thereof, having a melt flow rate of 1 to 30 g/10 min., through an aperture to form one or more strands, directing the thus extruded strand or strands through a quench zone, accelerating the, linear rate of progression of the strand or strands to at least 1000 times greater than the linear rate of extrusion thereof, and allowing the extrudate to solidify in, transit between the aperture and a means for imposing said acceleration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWINGS Figure 1 shows an apparatus suitable for use in the preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention. Figure 2 shows the apparatus employed in producing the specific embodiments of the invention hereinbelow described. Figure 3 is a grapllical representation of tenacity versus melting point for single filament fibers of the present invention, and single filament fibers; produced in Comparative Examples 2 and 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF IHB_rNVETSlTIQN This invention provides for a novel fruoropolyrnenc fiber with high tensile strength and low slarinkage. The product of this invention may be in the form of a moriofilament or a multi-filament yam. Fluoropolymers suitable for use in the present invention are melt processible perfluorinated copolyrners of TFE, m.aiiy of which are known in the art, and of which several are in widespread commercial use. Comonomers with TFE are selected from the group consisting of perfluoro-olefms having at least three carbon atoms, such as perfluorovinyl alkyl compounds; perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ethers; and mixtures thereof. Preferred are copolyrners of TFE with about 1 to about 20 mol % of a perfluorovinyl alkyl comonomer, more preferably about 3 to about. 10 mol % of the perfluorovinyl alkyl comonomer. Hexafluoropropylene is a preferred perfluorovinyl alkyl comonomer and hexafluoropropylerie at about 3 to about 10 mol°/o is most preferred. Copolymers of TFE with about 0 5 to about 10 mol % of a perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ether are preferred, and perfluorof alkyl vinyl) ethers of about OJ5 to about 3 mol % are more preferred. PPVE or perfluoroethyl vinyl ether (PEVE) are preferred perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ethers for the practice of this invention, and PPVE or PEVE, at about 0.5 to about 3 mol % are most preferred. The term "copolymer", for the purpose:) of this invention, is intended +/"v £,r^i"l.IVTV^;p*ntt*i j-mN I j r»-vt *»^f r\rHrviy\^f «if» Thus, also suitable for the practice of this invention are mixtures of comonome;rs hereinabove cited as suitable for the practice of rids invention. The terms perfluoropropylvinyl ether and perfluoroethylvinyl ether will be represented a<: and respectively.> The polymers suitable for the practice of this invention exhibit a melt flow rate (MFR) of about 1 to about 30 g/10 minutes as determined at 372°C according to ASTM D2116, D3307, preferably the MFR is about 1 to about 6 g/10 minutes. The fibers of this invention are unusual in their combination of high strength and low shrinkage. The fibers of this invention are characterised by room temperature tensile strengths of at least 190 MPa, as determined by ASTM D3822 and shrinkage of Lsss than 15% as determined at a temperature 40°C--60°C, below the melting point of the copolymer according to ASTM D5104. The fibers of the present invention can be further characterized by the presence of a melting point above 310°C as determined by Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). This is depicted in Fig. 3 along with the tensile strength of a series of fibers spun according to the methods taught herein and compared with fibers of Comparative Examples 2 and 3. A higher temperature melting point seems to be correlated with tensile strength. It is to be noted that the data points in Fig. 3 above 190 MPa aie also above 310°C melting point and are the fibers of the present invention. In addition 1o a melting point above 310°C, the fibers of the present invention can be further characterized by a birefringence greater thiin about 0.037. In one embodiment, fibers of the present invention are characterized by room temperature tensile strength of at least 190 MPa, a linear density of about IxlO-7 to about 2:50xlO'7 kg/m, preferably about IxlO'7 to about 12xlO-? kg/rn, and a shrinkage of less than 10% as determined at a temperature 40°C-60°C below the melting point of the polymer according to ASTM D5104. In the process of the present invention, the molten copolymer suitable for the practice of the invention is extruded through an aperture to form a continuous strand or strands which are directed through a quench zone to a means for accumulating the spun fiber, the extruded strand being subject to drawing between the aperture and the accumulation means. For the purposes of this invention, the ratio of the linear rate of fiber accumulation 1:0 the linear rate of extrusion is called the spm stretch factor (SSF). In the process of this invention, the SSF is at least 500, with at least 1000 preferred, As used herein and as understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the linear rate of fiber accumulation, the linear rate of progression, spinning speed, wind up speed, and take up speed are synonymous. Any means known in the art for preparing a fiber from the melt is suitable for application to the process of this invention, In a preferred embodiment of the process of this invention, a screw extruder is employed to feed a polymer suitable for the practice of the invention in melt form to a single or multi-aperture strand die to form, respectively, a monofi lament or multif ilament fiber product. In Figure 1 a single-screw extruder, H, supplies the perfluorinated resin, suitable for the practice of this invention to a single-aperture strand die, 2, the die being configured so that the strand is extruded in a vertically downward direction. Extrudate strand, 3, is directed through a quench zone 9, to a guide wheel, 4, and thence to a pair of take-off rolls, 5 and 6, at least one of which is driven by a high speed motor drive controlled by a high speed controller 8 and from the take-off rolls to a high-speed tension controlled wind-up, 7. The wheel 4 and rolls 5 and 6 are mounted on low friction bearings. The extruder barrel and screw, and the die nva jp^j £\:j.*-r*"U1 IF *H*ol ooM.taM.4 » 9 «M**», #**40t*-*^* *W*1 «ll«*j-. Many suitable extruders, including screw-typ>e and piston type, are known in the an and available commercially. In the process of the invention, a copolymer suitable for the practice of this invention is melted and fed to the extrusion aperture by any means known in the art, wkh particular attention paid to avoiding degradation of the polymer. It has been found satisfactory in the practice of this invention to charge a heated cylinder with the polymer wherein the polymer is first melted and then ram fed to an extrusion die using a screw-driven ram. The rar.es of extrusion suitable for the process of the invention depend upon the size of the operating window defined by the upper critical shear rate for the onset of rnelt fracture and the lower critical shear rate for the onset of draw resonance. The upper critical shear rate for the onset of melt fracture is in turn determined by the temperature, polymer melt flow rate, and die dimensions. "Melt fracture" is a flow instability which produces an irregular surface on the fiber. "Draw resonance"is a cross-sectional variation along the length of the drawn fiber. Draw resonance is influenced by the temperature of the quench zone, in addition to the above-mentioned parameters. When employing the polymers preferred for the practice of this invention, it was found that satisfactory results wit'h any given polymer were obtained over a range of shear rates which was relatively narrow, and depended upon the particular polymer in process. Since the critical shear rate for onset of melt fracture varies inversely with melt viscosity, the operating window grows progressively narrower as MFR decreases. The operating window can be expanded by increasing the temperature, but care must be taken to avoid jpolymer degradation. The extrusion aperture need not be of any particular type. The shape of the aperture may be of any desired cross-section, with circular cross-section prefeired. It is found in the practice of this invention that the cross-section of the resultant fiber closely mimics the shape of that of the aperture through which the polymer has been extruded. The diameter of a circular cross-sectional aperture found suitable for use in the process of this invention is in the range of about 0.5 to about 4.0 mm, but the practice of this invention is not limited to that range. The length to diameter ratio of the die aperture is preferably in the range of about 1:1 to about 8:1. Strand dies and spinnerets of conventional design, well-known in the art, both single filament and multi-filament, are suitable for the practice of this invention. In the process of the present invention, the extrudate in the form of one or more strands passes through a quench zone to a means for accumulating the spun fiber. The extrudate is allowed to solidify in transit between the aperture and the me It has been found in the practice of the invention that fibers in the range of linear density from ca. 1 x 10'7 to ca. 5 x 10"7 kg/m prepared from polymer of MFR less than ca. 20 are preferably obtained by passing the extrudate through a heated tube contiguous with and just down-stream from the extrusion aperture, the heated tube being maintained at a temperature in the range of the melting point of the polymer to 100*C below the melting point thereof. In general, for a given copolymer and given extrusion conditions, higher SSFs are achievable the higher the teraperature of the quench zone and the longer the residence time in the quench zone, thereby enabling the attainment of fibers of progressively lower linear densities, Spinning of rnultistrand fiber yarns may require that the quench zone be maintained at a lower temperature than that required to produce a single fiber cr monofilament. Heating may be accomplished by use of a heated tube, impingement of hot air, or radiative heating. Cooling may be accomplished by use of a refrigerated tube, impingement of refrigerated or room temperature air, or radiative cooling. In the practice of the present invention a trade-off exists between the higher SSFs, and thus lower linear density fibers, achievable by employing a heated quench zone and the shrinkage of the fiber so produced. Thus, for example, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, fibers of ca, 1-5 x 10'7 kg/m are advantageously spun from polymer of MFR 5 x 10'7 kg/m spun into ambieat air exhibit thermal shrinkage of 6% or less. Any means for accumulating the draxra fiber or accelerating the linear irate of progression is suitable for the practice of the invention. Such means; include a rotating drum, a piddler, or a wind-up, preferably with a traverse, all of which 'ire known, in the art. Other means include a process of chopping or cutting the continuous spun-drawn fiber for the purpose of producing a staple fiber tow or a fibrid. Still other means include a direct on-line incorporation of the spun-drawn fiber into a fabric .structure or a composite structure. One means found suitable in the embodiments hereinbelow described is a high-speed textile type wind-up, of the sort commercially available from Leesona Co. (Burlington, NC). For practical reasons, the highest possible taike-up speed consistent with the goal fiber properties is desirable. The meximurn achievable take-up speed depends upon the melt flow rate of the polymer and operating temperature for ;any given spinning configuration. For the practice of this invention, it has been found that take-up speed of 30 m/min is satisfactory. However, a linear rate of progression above 200 m/min and as high as 625m/min have been achieved. No upper limit to the spinning speed has been determined. A linear rate of progression of the strand of at least 200 m/min is preferred, Such other means as are known in the art of fiber spinning to assist in conveying the fibsr)may be employed as warranted. These means include the use of guide pulleys, polished take-off rolls, air bars, separators and the like. Spin stretch (drawing of the molten fiber) is accomplished by any convenient means. In one embodiment of the present invention, the spun fiber is conveyed to a set of polished metal take-off rolls which are operated to convey the fiber at a linear rate of progression 500 times;, preferably 1000 times, greater tlian the linear rate of extrusion thereof. In another embodiment of the present invention, the spun fiber is directed to a nip formed by two rolls set a fixed distance apart and caused to rotate at a linear rate of progression 500 times, preferably 1000 times, greater than the linear rate of extrusion thereof. In yet another embodiment, the fiber is conveyed directly to a high speed wiiidup operating at a linear rate 500 times, preferably 1000 times, greater than the linear rate of extrusion thereof. The maximum achievable SSF is a function of polymer melt viscosity, whinn. i of greater than 1000 can be problematic when using low temperatures i3nd/or low MFR materials due to fiber breakage during spinning. However, under such conditions it has been found that SSFs less than 1000 are sufficient to obtain high strength and low shrinkage. In a particularly surprising aspect of the process of the invention, it is found that the melting point of the fiber depends upon a spin factor, Fs, defined according to the formula Fs = shear rate x (SSF)2 where the shear rate is the actual shear rate to which the molten polymer is subject in the extrusion aperture, and SSF is the actual SSF employed. Spinning fibers of MFR of about 1 to about 6 g/10 min. can present a particular problem, since it may be, difficult to achieve a SSF of greater than 1000 at a temperature below the onset of thermal degradation (ca. 400°C for the moist preferred polymers). However, it is found, surprisingly, in the practice of this invention that the desirable features of low linear density, high strength, and low shrinkage can be achieved with polymers of MFR of about 1 to about 6 g/10 min. by employing SSFs in the preferred range of about 500 to about 1000. While no particular lower limit to the combination of MFR and linear density of the spun fiber have been determined for the practice of this invention, it is believed that for polymer of MFR of about 1 to about 6, the lowest linear density, d, available by the process of this invention is limited approximately by the equation: d = [12-(2xMFR)]xlO-7. The high SSFs and high spinning speeds associated with the process of the present invention make it particularly susceptible to upset as a result of contamination, variations in polymer melt properties, and variations in temperature or spinning speed. These factor:; combined with the low linear densities of the fibers being produced result in high susceptibility to breakage. To achieve stable spinning over long periods of time, it is desirable to employ a homogeneous resin, maintain low residence times at high temperature in corrosion resistant equipment to avoid decomposition, subject the resin to filtration prior to spinning, and employ high precision controllers for screw speed, temperature smd spinning speed. It has also been found in the practice of this invention that drying the polymer prior to processing may improve spinning performance. It should be noted that when handling fluorinated materials at elevated temperatures it is well advised to employ corrosion resistant high-nickel alloys in the metallic parts contacting the polymer. EXAMPLES The fiber spinning apparatus employed in the specific embodiments hereinbelow described is shown in Figure 2. A capillary rheometer, 1, comprising a heated barrel 2, piston 3, and a die 5, was employed for extruding the melted polymer. The heated cylindrical steel barrel was ca. 10 cm long and ca. 7.5 cm in diameter. A cylindrical corrosion-resistant barrel insert ca. 0.6 cm thick made of Stellite (Cabot Corp., Kokomo, IN) provided an inner bore diameter of 0.976 cm. The barrel was surrounded by a 6.4 cm layer of ceramic insulation, 7. An 800-W cylindrical heater band 10 cm long and ca. 7.5 cm in diameter, 6, manufactured by (I.H. Co. NY, NY), controlled by an ECS model 6414 Temperature controller manufactured by (ECS Engineering, Inc., Evansville, EM), maintained the bairel temperature within 1°C of set point, The piston, made of hardened steel (Aimco 17-4 RH) was 0.970 cm dia. at its tip, was mounted on the screw driven crosshead, 4, of a model TT-C Instron test frame manufactured by Instru-rnet, Inc., Union, N.J, (Cabot Corp.., Kokomo, IN). Capillary diameters Hinged from 0.5 to 4.0 mm, with lengthy diameter ratios of 1 to 8. In operation, the fiber was extruded vertically downward to a 3.0 cm diameter nylon guide wheel 8 located 30 cm below the die, by which point the fiber had solidified. Guide wheel 8 was mouated on a force transducer (Scaime model GM2, sold by Burco, Centerville, OH) used to measure the spin tension. The fiber was wrapped 180 around guide wheel 8 and directed to a second guide wheel 9 (4,8 cm dia.) and from tht;re to a pair of take-up rolls 10 and. 11. The fiber was wound once around the take-up rolls, and taken up by a wind-up roll 12. Rolls 10,11 and 12 were 5 cm in diameter; they were made of aluminum and covered with masking tape for better grip. Roll 11 was free-spinning (on ball¬bearings) while rolls 10 and 12 were driven in tandem by a motor 13 having a maximum speed of 3600 rpm. The maximum take-up speed was thus ca. 600 m/min. The motor speed was controlled with a variable transformer 14. In practice the fiber was strung through the apparatus at low speed (ca. 10 m/min), then the speed was increased gradually to the desired take-up rate. The fiber of Example 7 was prepared by adding a heated tube 15 (aluminum, 5 cm dia., 10 cm length) directly below the die. The tube temperature was maintained at 30S°C by use of a band heater 16 attached to the exlerior surface of the tub*;, controlled by an ECS temperature controller, 17. All of the resin employed in the following specific embodiments was available from the DuPont Company, Wilmington, DE, under the trade name "Teflon®". EXAMPLES 1-6 Single filaments of the Teflon® PFA resins (melting point ca. 3 Table 1 Spin Teflon® PFA 440 (MFR 13 g/10 min) was spun at 390°C through a circular aperture measuring 0.61 mm diameter by 0.66 mm long. A tube (5 cm. diameter, 10 cm long) heated to 305°C was placed immediately below the die so that the; fiber passed through its center. The piston rate was; 0-51 mm/min and the take-up speed was 410 m/min, resulting in a SSF of 2900. Linear density was 1,7 x 1C"7 kg/m, tenacity was 280 MPa, initial modulus was 1100 MPa, maximum elongation was 23%. Shrinkage was 7% at 250°C. EXAMPLES 8 AND 9 Teflon® FEP 100 (melting point ca. 2S8°C) as described in Table 3 was spun under the conditions therein mdicated. Properties of the spun-drawn fibers thus produced are shown in Table 4. Note that the temperature at which shrinlcage was; determined was 200°C rather than the 2:50°C temperature used for testing the PFA fibers. Table 3 Spinning Conditions Tabk;_4 Properties pf Span-Drawn Fiber Fig. 3 is a graphical representations of melting point versus tenacity of single filament fibers of the present invention and single filament fibers produced in Comparative Examples 2 and 3 below. Ts.ble 5 lists the spin conditions and data points used in Fig. 3. COMPARATIVE EXAMPLES PFA fiber was prepared according to the method of U.S. Patent 5,460,882 of Vita et al., except that in Vita 3000 filaments were spun from a single die and cooled by radial cooling, while in these comparative examples a single filament was spun into ambient air. COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1 An attempt was made to produce drawn fiber according to the method cited by Vita in Example 1 of U.S. Patent 5.460,882. Teflon® PFA 340, available from DuPont, with MFR of 16.3 g/10 min, was spun into fiber at 400°C through a circular aperture measuring 0.495 mm diameter by 0.521 mm long. The shear rate was 64 s~l and a take-up speed was 18 m/min, resulting in a SSF of 75, At these conditions severe draw resonance or instability in the diameter of the drawn fiber was observed. COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE2 The modifications of Vita's conditions as taught in this example were found to be satisfactory for producing a spun-drawn fiber in the manner of Vita. The; resin of Comparative Example 1 was spun into fiber at 400°C through a circular aperture measuring 0.495 mm diameter by 0.521 mm long at a shear rate of 128 s"1 (piston rate of 1.27 mm/rnin) and a take-up speed of 35 m/min to obtain the desired SSF of 75. The tenacity of the as-spun fiber was measured to be 76 MPa (see Fig. 3, Comp. Ex. 2-as spun), in comparison with 55 MPa reported by Vita. Initial modulus was 320 MPa, maximum elongation was 303%. Shrinkage at 250°C was 1.6%. The as-spun fiber was further drawn 2.2 X at 200°C on an Instron 1125 test frame (Instron Corp., Canton, MA) equipped with an oven (model VE3.5-600, United Calibration Corp., Huntington Beach, CA). A 10 cm initial len;ijth was stretched to 22 cm at a rate of 10 cm/min. The drawn sample was held in the grips while Ihe oven was cooled to 50°C, then released. The tenacity was muasured to be 3 55 MPa (see F'ig. 3, Comp, Ex. 2-drawn), in comparison with 180 MPa reported by Vita. The initial modulus was 73 0 MPa, the maximum elongation was 79%. Shrinkage was 27% at 250°C. COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3 Fiber was made according to the teachings of KronfePd et al., Khim. Volokna, 2, pp. 2830,1986, wherein the SSF (called "jet stretch") was ca. 800, as shown in Table 5 for the item labeled "Kronfel'd". We Claim; 1. A process for producing a fluoropolymer fiber, the process comprising: melting and extruding a perfluorinated thermoplastic copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and a comonomer selected from the group consisting of perfluro-olefins having at least three carbon atoms, perfluoro (alkyl vinyl) ethers, and mixtures thereof, having a melt flow rate of about 1 to about 30g/10 min., through an aperture to form one or more strands, directing the thus extruded strand or strands through a quench zone, accelerating the, linear rate of progression of the strand or strands to at least 1000 times greater than the linear rate of extrusion thereof, and allowing the extrudate to solidify in, transit between the aperture and a means for imposing said acceleration. 2. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said melt flow rate is 1 to 6 g/ 10 min. 3. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said perfluoro-olefin comonomer is a perfluorovinyl alkyl compound having a concentration in the copolymer in the range of 3 to 10 mol%. 4. The process as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said comonomer is hexafluoro-propylene. 5. The process as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the comonomer is a perfluoro(alkyl vinyl) ether having a concentration in the copolymer in the range of about 0.5 to about 3 mol%. .6. The process as claimed in claim 5, wherein the comonomer is perfluoropropyl-vinyl ether or perfluoroethylvinyl ether. 7. The process as claimed in claims 1 or 2, wherein the linear rate of progression of the strand is at least 200 m/min. 8. A process for producing a fluoropolymer fiber substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1655-del-1998-abstract.pdf

1655-del-1998-claims.pdf

1655-del-1998-correspondence-others.pdf

1655-del-1998-correspondence-po.pdf

1655-del-1998-description (complete).pdf

1655-del-1998-drawings.pdf

1655-del-1998-form-1.pdf

1655-del-1998-form-13.pdf

1655-del-1998-form-19.pdf

1655-del-1998-form-2.pdf

1655-del-1998-form-3.pdf

1655-del-1998-form-4.pdf

1655-del-1998-form-6.pdf

1655-del-1998-gpa.pdf

1655-del-1998-pa.pdf

1655-del-1998-petition-138.pdf