Patent ID: 6303739
Filing Date: 2001-10-16
Classification: C08G,D01F,D02G,D03D,D10B,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of preparing polyethylene glycol modified copolyester filaments, comprising:copolymerizing polyethylene glycol and a chain branching agent into polyethylene terephthalate in the melt phase to form a copolyester composition;wherein the polyethylene terephthalate is present in the copolyester composition in an amount sufficient for a filament made from the copolyester composition to possess dimensional stability properties substantially similar to those of conventional polyethylene terephthalate filaments;wherein the polyethylene glycol has an average molecular weight less than about 5000 g/mol and is present in an amount sufficient for a filament made from the copolyester composition to possess wicking, drying, and static-dissipation properties that are superior to those of conventional polyethylene terephthalate filaments; andwherein the chain branching agent is present in the copolyester composition in an amount of less than about 0.0014 mole-equivalent branches per mole of standardized polymer, the standardized polymer being unmodified polyethylene terephthalate;thereafter polymerizing the copolyester composition in the solid phase until the copolyester composition is capable of achieving a melt viscosity that facilitates the spinning of filaments; andthereafter spinning filaments from the copolyester composition.