Patent ID: 6756000
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: A61L,D01F

Abstract:
A process for the manufacture of multifilament yarn, comprising the steps of:extruding multifilaments of a polymer comprising at least 85 mole percent L-Lactide and not more than 15 mole percent glycolide and spinning said multifilaments to form a spun multifilament yarn, passing said spun multifilament yarn through an orientation roll heated at a temperature of less than 98Â° C. and drawing said spun multifilament yarn to a draw ratio of at least 4:1 to form an oriented multifilament yarn, annealing said oriented multifilament yarn by passing said oriented multifilament yarn over an annealing roll having a minimum temperature greater than that of the orientation roll and a maximum temperature effective to provide a finished multifilament yarn having a tenacity of at least 5.6 g/d; and redrawing said annealed, oriented multifilament yarn by at least 10 percent at a temperature lower than the temperature of said annealing roll.