Polypropylene compositions comprising resinous polymer of propylene, thermoplastic polymer containing amino groups and alkali metal bisulfate.

This invention relates to polypropylene compositions, fibers produced from 
said compositions, fabrics woven from said fibers and tufted carpeting 
produced from said woven fabrics comprising a resinous polymer of 
propylene, a thermoplastic polymer containing amino groups and an alkali 
metal bisulfate. 
As pointed out in Earle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,853 and Fuerst, U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,744,968, which are incorporated by reference, polyolefin 
articles can normally be dyed only with difficulty due to the complete 
lack of polar groups in the polymer molecule. These references indicate 
that this problem can be overcome by employing a composition comprising a 
polymer containing amino groups and the polyolefin polymer. Fuerst 
indicates that the higher the concentration of nitrogenous polymer, the 
poorer the properties of the fiber. To improve the fiber properties Fuerst 
reduces the concentration of amino polymer by treating the articles with 
anionic surfactants prior to or together with the desired dye at a pH 
between 0 and 5 (column 6, lines 49 to 54). 
As pointed out in Horning, U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,811, which is incorporated 
by reference, polypropylene ribbon yarn fabrics have been used extensively 
as backings for various carpets. Although these polypropylene backings 
have had great acceptance, the poor dyeability of polypropylene has been a 
drawback since it is aesthetically undesirable to have the polypropylene 
backing show through when the tufted carpet and polypropylene backing are 
different hues. In some cases, particularly on staircases, it is very 
difficult to avoid the backing showing through. In order to overcome this 
type of difficulty, U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,811 suggests incorporating 
polyamides formed from a dicarboxylic acid and a diamine containing 
internal tertiary amine groups into the polypropylene fibers to enhance 
their dyeability. The patentee indicates that when nylon face yarns are 
employed, the dye bath should be adjusted to pH 3 to 3.5 (column 4, lines 
69 to column 5, line 27). Unfortunately, the custom of this industry 
(nylon faced carpet industry) is to dye at a pH of about 6.5. At pH 6.5, 
the polycarbonamide additive is relatively ineffective in alleviating the 
aesthetically undesirable grinning of undyed or slightly dyed 
polypropylene carpet backing. 
Although applicants have been able to overcome the aforesaid problems by 
activating ribbon yarns comprising resinous polymers of propylene and 
nitrogenous esins in acidic baths prior to weaving the carpet backing, 
this step is economically unattractive. Accordingly, there is a need for 
polypropylene compositions that can be fabricated into woven fabrics by 
conventional techniques, which can be dyed at about pH 6.5. 
The general object of this invention is to provide polypropylene 
compositions capable of being fabricated into woven fabrics by 
conventional techniques, which can be dyed at about pH 6.5. Other objects 
appear hereinafter. 
We have now found that compositions comprising a resinous polymer a 
propylene, a thermoplastic polymer containing amino groups and an alkali 
metal acid sulfate can be extruded into shaped objects, such as ribbon 
yarns; the ribbon yarns woven into carpet backing; the carpet backing 
tufted with face yarn; and the tufted carpet dyed at about pH 6.5. 
Surprisingly, the alkali metal acid sulfate acts as an internal activator 
facilitating dyeing at about pH 6.5. Further, the alkali metal bisulfate 
does not have a deleterious effect on the extrusion of polypropylene 
shaped objects such as fiber, films, etc. 
For the purpose of this invention, the term "resinous polymer of propylene" 
includes polymers containing at least 75% by weight propylene, such as 
substantially crystalline homopolymeric polypropylene, propyleneethylene 
block, random or multi-segment copolymers containing up to 25% by weight 
ethylene units in the polymer, etc. 
The alkali metal bisulfates useful in this invention include sodium 
bisulfate, potassium bisulfate, etc. The alkali metal bisulfate (on an 
anhydrous basis) can be used in a concentration of 0.1 to 5 parts by 
weight, preferably 0.2 to 2 parts by weight per each 100 parts by weight 
resinous polymer of propylene and thermoplastic polymer containing amino 
groups. In general, it is preferred to use the minimum concentration of 
alkali metal bisulfate consistent with the desired dyeability in order to 
extrude at maximum rates and to minimize water pick up during processing 
of the shaped extrudate (film or fiber). 
The thermoplastic polymers containing amino groups useful in this invention 
include polymers containing amino groups as integral parts of the polymer 
chain (e.g. polycarbonamides of the types described by Earle & Horning) or 
pendant from the polymer (e.g., addition polymers of alpha, 
beta-ethylenically unsaturated compounds having pendant amino groups). 
Suitable polymers include polycarbonamides of dicarboxylic acid compounds 
and diprimary amines containing internal secondary or tertiary amine 
groups; reaction products of ethylene-maleic anhydride or styrene-maleic 
anhydride copolymers with an omega-(dialkylamino)alkylamine (wherein the 
alkyl groups contain from 1 to 5 carbon atoms), the product being an 
aminoimide [the preparation of such materials have been described by Cohen 
& Minsh, J. Org. Chem. 24, 1404, (1959)]; the reaction product of 
N-methyl-(bis-aminopropyl)amine with 2,4-tolylene diisocyanate, the 
product being a poly(amino-urea); the copolymers of ethylene or styrene 
with mono- or dialkyl (C.sub.1 to C.sub.5) aminoalkyl (C.sub.1 to C.sub.5) 
acrylates or methacrylates; and water-insoluble derivatives of 
polyethylene imine, which are the reaction products of an alkylbenzyl 
halide and polyethyleneimine wherein the alkyl groups contain from 6 to 20 
carbon atoms, preferably from 8 to 12 carbon atoms. The degree of 
substitution upon the nitrogen atoms available for substitution can vary 
from 15 to 100% depending upon the size of the alkyl group and the final 
nitrogen percentage desired. All of these amino containing polymers are 
discussed in greater detail in Fuerst, U.S. Pat. No. 3,744,968, which is 
incorporated by reference. 
The preferred amino contaning polymers useful in this invention are 
polycarbonamides, such as those described in Earle et al., U.S. Pat. No. 
3,433,853, and particularly the polyimidazoline employed in application 
Ser. No. (Case 12759) filed on even date in name of Poppe et al, which is 
incorporated by reference. The polyimidazoline polycarbonamides are 
polymers of diethylene triamine, a diprimary diamine, preferably a 
diprimary alkylene diamine containing 2 to 12 carbon atoms in each 
alkylene group and at least one dicarboxylic acid compound, having a 
melting point of at least 50.degree. C. and an imidazoline number of at 
least 20, preferably at least 55. 
The amino number of the amino containing polymers, which includes the 
primary amino groups, secondary amino groups and imidazoline groups, is 
defined as the number of milligrams of potassium hydroxide equivalent to 
the amine alkalinity present in a one gram sample of resin. The 
imidazoline number of the preferred polycarbonamides is defined as the 
milligrams of potassium hydroxide equivalent to the imidazoline groups 
present in a one gram sample of the resin. Both are determined by 
potentiometric titration of polymer dissolved in nitrobenzene containing 
acetic acid, using perchloric acid (0.1N) for titration. The difference in 
the methods of determining total amine number in contrast to imidazoline 
number resides in the use of phenylisothiocyanate to first react with the 
primary and secondary amino groups in the polymer to form non-basis 
thioures. 
Briefly, the polyimidazoline polycarbonamides can be produced by reacting a 
composition comprising diethylene triamine, diprimary amine and a 
dicarboxylic acid compound under conditions sufficient to provide a 
polymer having a melting point of at least 50.degree. C. and an 
imidazoline number of at least 20, preferably at least 55. 
The diprimary diamines are necessary to provide a polyamide having a 
sufficiently high melting point to be extruded easily with the resinous 
polymer of propylene. In the absence of dprimary diamine the polyamide 
tends to be too low melting to be handled efficaciously. One or more 
alkylene diprimary diamines can be used having the structure NH.sub.2 
-R-NH.sub.2 wherein R is an alkylene group of from 2 to 12 carbon atoms. 
Suitable diamines include ethylene diamine, 1,3-propylene diamine, 
1,2-propylene diamine, tetramethylene diamine, hexamethylene diamine, 
dodecamethylene diamine, etc. Of these hexamethylene diamine is preferred. 
While the mole ratio of diprimary diamine to diethylenetriamine can range 
from about 1:3 to 3:1, the most advantageous ratio is dependent on the 
particular diprimary diamine and the desired imidazoline number. In 
general, other things being equal, the higher the concentration of 
diethylene triamine the higher the imidazoline number attainable and the 
lower the melting point of the polymer. The higher the imidazoline number 
the better the dyeability of the final polypropylene composition. When 
hexamethylene diamine is employed as the only diprimary amine, the mole 
ratio of diethylene triamine to hexamethylene diamine is preferably about 
3:1 to 1:1. Other things being equal, the resultant polyimidazole 
polycarbonamides based on hexamethylene diamine produced from this ratio 
(3:1 to 1:1) of polyamines can have a high imidazoline number and are 
capable of imparting excellent dyeability to resinous polymers of 
propylene and the resultant polymer composition can be extruded 
advantageously without pressure build up. 
The dicarboxylic acid compounds (free acids, anhydrides or esters) useful 
for producing the preferred polyimidazoline polycarbonamides include 
saturated straight chain aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, such as succinic 
acid, sebacic acid, adipic acid, adipic anhydride, suberic acid, azelaic 
acid, dimethyl azelate, glutaric acid, etc.; aromatic dicarboxylic acids, 
such as terephthalic acid, isophthalic acid, phthalic acid, 
2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylic acid, etc. Of these, the saturated aliphatic 
dicarboxylic acids are preferred. Polymers containing a substantial 
concentration of aromatic dicarboxylic acid moieties (more than 10 
equivalent percent of the acyl moieties) preferably have an amine number 
of at least 150, whereas polymers containing less than 10 percent of the 
acyl equivalents aromatic dicarboxylic acid moieties preferably have an 
amine number of at least 100. The preferred dicarboxylic acid compounds 
are the saturated aliphatic straight chain dicarboxylic acids containing 
from about 6 to 10 carbon atoms in the dicarboxylic acid moiety. 
Various other suitable polycarboxylic acid compounds include the 
cycloaliphatic so-called dimer acids of the type disclosed in Floyd U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,403,117, and Cohen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,826, which are 
incorporated by reference, which contain a small concentration of trimer 
acid and free monocarboxylic acid. In general, these acids are prepared by 
dimerizing ethylenically unsaturated monocarboxylic acids having about 8 
to 22 carbon atoms. Suitable ethylenically unsaturated acids of this type 
include the branched and straight chain, poly- and mono-ethylenically 
unsaturated acids, such as 3-octenoic acid, 11-dodecenoic acid, linderic 
acid, lauroleic acid, myristoleic acid, tsuzuic acid, palmitoleic acid, 
petroselinic acid, oleic acid, elaidic acid, vaccenic acid, gadoleic acid, 
cetoleic acid, nervonic acid, linoleic acid, eleostearic acid, hiragonic 
acid, moroctic acid, timnodonic acid, eicosatetraenoic acid, nisinic acid, 
scoliodonic acid, chaulmoogric acid, etc. Of these the commercially 
available dimer acids and hydrogenated dimer acids based on the naturally 
occurring 18 carbon atom unsaturated tall oil fatty acids and glyceride 
oil saponification products are preferred. Accordingly, the preferred 
dimer acids are based on acids, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, 
linolenic acid, etc. 
If desired, aliphatic monocarboxylic acids containing from about 2 to 22 
carbon atoms can also be used. Suitable monocarboxylic acids include 
acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, 
linoleic acid, linolenic acid, palmitic acid, etc. 
In general, the acyl equivalents in the preferred polyimidazoline 
polycarbonamides of this invention, which are capable of imparting optimum 
dyeability to polypropylene, can range from about 65 to 100 equivalent 
percent aliphatic dicarboxylic acid moieties and from 0 to 35 equivalent 
percent aliphatic monocarboxylic acid moieties, cycloaliphatic 
polycarboxylic acid moieties and mixtures thereof. 
The polyimidazoline polycarbonamides useful in this invention can be 
produced by reaction at about 200.degree. to 315.degree. C. for a time 
sufficient to remove substantially all water of condensation and any 
alcohols liberated from esters, where esters are employed as the 
dicarboxylic acid compounds. The reactants are preferably maintained at a 
temperature of about 250.degree. to 315.degree. C. for about 1 to 4 hours 
until the polycarbonamide has the desired imidazoline number. The reaction 
can be carried out under vacuum or using an inert atmosphere (nitrogen) to 
prevent darkening. 
Compositions of this invention comprising from about 90 to 99.5 parts by 
weight resinous polymer of propylene, correspondingly 10 to .5 parts by 
weight thermoplastic polymer containing amino groups and from 0.1 to 5 
parts alkali metal bisulfate can be extruded into shaped objects using a 
conventional plasticizing extruder equipped with spinnerette or film die 
under conventional conditions at about 450.degree. to 550.degree. F. Films 
produced in this manner can be slit and further processed into ribbon 
fibers of the type described by Horning which are particularly useful for 
weaving into primary and secondary carpet backing. Typically, the ribbon 
fibers are produced commercially by extruding a two to five foot wide web 
at high speed into a water quench bath, drying the wet film, slitting the 
dry film into 40 to 500 mil wide ribbon, drawing in an oven, gathering the 
ribbons and winding the ribbon fibers on separate spools. Due to the high 
speed at which this equipment is run, it is desirable to use the lowest 
concentration of amino containing polymer and bisulfate consistent with 
the level of dyeability desired, since the higher the concentration of 
these additives, the lower the melt viscosity of the extrudate and the 
more hygroscopic the ribbon film. The lower the melt viscosity, the lower 
the speed at which the equipment can be run. Likewise, the more 
hygroscopic the ribbon film, the greater the tendency of the ribbon to 
retain water and subsequently break during slitting and drawing. To avoid 
this, the web must be run at a slower speed in the drying and oven stages 
of the production line. 
In view of the hygroscopic nature of the additives, it is generally 
preferred to prepare concentrates of the hygroscopic components thereby 
minimizing the amount of product that should be dried prior to extrusion. 
For example, a polymeric blend containing from 10 to 50 parts by weight 
thermoplastic amino polymer, from about .1 to 10 parts by weight alkali 
metal bisulfate (dry solids basis) and from about 40 to 89.9 parts by 
weight resinous polymer of propylene can be pelletized by extruding 
through a strand die and chopped into pellets. The pellets, prior to use, 
are then dried and mixed with resinous polymer of propylene and then 
extruded. If desired, separate concentrates of thermoplastic amino polymer 
with resinous polymer of propylene and alkali metal bisulfate with 
resinous polymer of propylene can be used. Accordingly, the composition of 
this invention going to the pelletizer or extruder can comprise from about 
40 to 99.4 parts by weight resinous polymer of propylene, from about 0.1 
to 10 parts by weight alkali metal bisulfate and from 0.5 to 50 parts by 
weight thermoplastic amino polymer. Drying is less of a problem if a 
vented extruder is employed. 
It is often desirable to include from about 0.1 to 2 parts by weight 
oleamide and from 0.1 to 2 parts by weight silica per 100 parts by weight 
of the resinous components to reduce water carry over when the 
polypropylene compositions are extruded as shaped objects into an aqueous 
quench bath. The oleamide reduces water carry over while the silica helps 
to disperse the oleamide uniformly in the polymeric matrix. These 
additives can be omitted when a chill roll or air quench tunnel is 
employed instead of the quench bath. 
The polypropylene ribbon yarn woven fabrics of this invention can be 
produced on a Sulzer loom using about 12 to 36 warp ends per inch. 
Typically, the ribbon warp yarns on the loom are produced by extruding and 
drawing crystalline resinous polymer or propylene composition into 1 to 5 
mil thick films slitting the film into 50 to 500 mil wide ribbons, 
orienting the ribbons and crushing the ribbon to form 80-100 mil wide 
ribbon yarns. Alternatively, the ribbon yarns can be produced by extruding 
and drawing crystalline polymer compositions into 1 to 5 mil thick film, 
slitting the film into 50 mil wide ribbons and not crushing. The weft or 
fill yarn is provided from cones or packages of the same polypropylene 
ribbon yarn used for the warp. The woven fabric can be tufted with face 
yarns, such as nylon 6 or 66 and dyed by conventional techniques. 
The dyeability of some shaped objects, such as multifilament yarns having a 
substantially greater surface area per unit weight than the ribbon yarns, 
are less pH dependent. However, the alkali metal bisulfate can be added 
advantageously to compositions destined for this use. 
The following examples are merely illustrative. In the examples that follow 
the imidazoline number is determined by heating and stirring a 250 ml 
titration beaker containing .45 grams polycarbonamide, 40 ml nitrobenzene 
and 5 ml isoprpyl alcohol with a stirring bar on a hot plate covered with 
a condenser. The hot plate surface temperature is maintained at 
120.degree. .+-. 3.degree. C. to establish a solution temperature of 
80.degree. C. .+-. 3.degree. C. until the polycarbonamide is in solution 
but not more than 30 minutes in all. The hot plate temperature is then 
lowered to 100.degree. C. .+-. 3.degree. C. thereby lowering the solution 
temperature to 65.degree. C. .+-. 3.degree. C. At this point 5 ml 
phenylisothiocyanate solution is added with stirring and heating continued 
for twenty minutes. After 5 ml isopropyl alcohol and 50 ml glacial acetic 
acid is added, the sample is titrated potentiometrically with 0.1 N 
perchloric acid in glacial acetic acid. The imidazoline number is 
determined by multiplying the milliliters of perchloric acid by the 
normality of the perchloric acid by 56.1 and dividing that product by the 
same weight in grams of the polycarbonamide. 
The amine number of the sample is determined in the same manner as the 
imidazoline number except for the omission of the phenylisothiocyanate 
addition and heating step.

EXAMPLE I 
Sixty-two and two-tenths parts by weight stabilized homopolymeric 
polypropylene powder having a number average molecular weight of 110,000 
and a melt flow rate of 2 to 4, 30 parts by weight polyimidazoline 
polycarbonamide based on diethylene triamine, hexamethylene diamine, 
azelaic acid and dimer acid having an amine number of 161, an imidazoline 
number of 78 and a Ball and Ring melting point of 133.degree. C, 3.0 parts 
by weight Syloid 244 (silica), 3.0 parts by weight oleamide and 1.8 parts 
by weight anhydrous sodium bisulfate having a particle size less than 100 
mesh, were fed to a Farrel Continuous Mixer equipped with a blending unit 
and extruder. The extruder was set as a melt temperature of about 
410.degree. F. and the 4-hole 1/8 inch diameter spinnerette die was set at 
a die temperature of about 410.degree. F. The extrudate was chopped into 
1/8 inch long pellets, dried in a circulating air oven at about 
160.degree. F. until the pellets were dry (typically 6 to 48 hours). 
One-hundred parts by weight of the dried concentrate and 500 parts by 
weight homopolymeric polypropylene powder having a number average 
molecular weight of 110,000 were mixed by drum tumbling and fed to a 2-1/2 
inch Black Clawson Film extruder having a barrel temperature of 
475.degree. F and die temperature of 475.degree. F. The die was a 3 foot 
wide sheeting die having an 0.020 inch slit opening. The film was extruded 
into a quench bath, at ambient temperature, conveyed past an air knife and 
through a nip roll formed by a metal roll and a rubber roll in order to 
dry the extruded film. The film was slit into 250 mil wide, 20 mil thick 
ribbons, drawn in a drying tunnel oven (6 to 1 draw down ratio) equipped 
with infrared heaters set at about 350.degree. to 370.degree. F to produce 
approximately 3 mil thick ribbon yarn and wound on spindels. The Black 
Clawson film unit, which is capable of producing 150 pounds of film per 
hour, was run for 3/4 of an hour without any pressure buildup in the 
extruder. 
The dyeability of the polypropylene ribbon yarns was determined by adding 
0.5 grams of polypropylene ribbon yarn produced in the preceding 
paragraph, 1 gram medium dyeable nylon face yarn and 0.075 grams of the 
appropriate dye (Acid Red 151, Acid Blue 25, Acid Yellow 40 or Acid Green 
25) to 60 milliliters water. After the pH 6.5 dye bath was held at a boil 
for 2 hours, the polypropylene ribbon yarn and nylon face yarn were 
removed from the dye bath, washed with water and dried. In each case (red, 
dye, yellow dye, blue dye and green dye), the ribbon yarn and the nylon 
face yarn both had an intense hue of approximately the same intensity. 
This example clearly illustrates that it is possible to produce pH 6.5 
dyeable polypropylene ribbon yarns from compositions comprising a resinous 
polymer of propylene, an amino containing resin and an alkali metal 
bisulfate. 
The polyimidazoline polycarbonamide used in this example is produced by 
charging 253 grams dimer acid, 563 grams azelaic acid, 233 grams 
diethylene triamine and 189 grams hexamethylene diamine to a reactor 
equipped with a short Vigreaux column, adding 10 drops phosphoric acid 
catalyst and 15 grams anti-foam agent, stirring and heating the reactants 
to 170.degree. C over a period of 11/2 hours and then maintaining the 
reaction at 280.degree. C for 2 hours prior to cooling. 
EXAMPLE II 
This example illustrates how the dyeability of polypropylene ribbon yarns 
depends upon the presence of the alkali metal bisulfate activator. In 
order to obtain reasonable dyeability in the absence of the alkali metal 
bisulfate, the dyeability was tested at pH 5.0 without the presence of 
competing nylon face yarn. Ninety-four parts by weight stabilized 
homopolymeric polypropylene powder having a number average molecular 
weight of 110,000 and a melt flow rate of 2 to 4, 5 parts by weight 
polycarbonamide powder, 0.5 parts by weight Syloid 244 (silica) and 0.5 
parts by weight oleamide were drum tumbled for about 1 hour and pelletized 
in a 1-3/4 inch Prodex compounding extruder having a barrel temperature of 
about 450.degree. F, equipped with a 4-hole 1/8 inch diameter spinnerette 
die at a die temperature of about 450.degree. F. The extrudate was chopped 
into 1/8 long pellets, dried in a circulating air oven at about 
160.degree. F. for 6 to 48 hours or until the pellets were dry. The dried 
pellets were fed to a 1-1/2 inch Stirling film extruder having a barrel 
temperature of about 475.degree. F, equipped with a 6 inches wide slit die 
having a 0.022 inch slit opening at about 475.degree. F. The film was 
extruded into a quench bath, at ambient temperature, conveyed past an air 
knife, slit into 250 mil wide, 20 mil thick ribbons, drawn into a drying 
tunnel oven (6 to 1 drawn down ratio) equipped with infrared heaters set 
at about 350.degree. to 370.degree. F. to produce approximately 3 mil 
thick ribbons and wound on spindles. 
The dyeability of the polypropylene ribbon yarns produced in the preceding 
paragraph was determined by adding 0.5 grams of the polypropylene ribbon 
yarn, and 0.075 grams Acid Red 151 to 60 milliters water, which was 
acidified with acetic acid to pH 5.0. After the dye bath was held at a 
boil for 2 hours the polypropylene ribbon yarn was removed from the dye 
bath and washed with water. The results are set forth below in Table I 
with more details about thepolycarbonamide following the Table. 
This example was also repeated using 93.7 parts by weight stabilized 
homopolymeric polypropylene powder, 5 parts by weight polycarbonamide 
powder, 0.3 parts by weight sodium bisulfat (dry solids basis) 0.5 parts 
by weight Syloid 244 and 0.5 parts by weight oleamide. The dyeability of 
the ribbon yarns were determined by the method described in Example I at 
pH 6.5 in the presence of medium dyeability nylon face yarn and Acid Red 
151. The results are set forth below in Table I. 
TABLE I 
______________________________________ 
Dyeability at 
Poly- Imid- Melting pH 6.5 in 
carbon- 
azoline Amine Point Dyeability 
presence of 
amide No. No. in 0.degree. C. 
at ph 5.0 
nylon 
______________________________________ 
A 78 161 133 Excellent 
Excellent 
B 75 195 86 Excellent 
Excellent 
C 74 152 142 Good Good 
D 57 150 120 Good Excellent 
E 57 146 119 Fair Fair 
F 57 79 158 Fair Excellent 
G 48 143 165 Fair Excellent 
H 35 42 185 Poor Good 
J 0 169 149 Poor Good 
K 38 73 183 Poor Good 
______________________________________ 
The polycarbonamides in the above table were produced by the method of 
Example I using the following reactants: 
______________________________________ 
A Polyimidazoline polycarbonamide of Example I. 
B Dimer acid, azelaic acid, diethylene triamine and hexa- 
methylene diamine. 
C Dimer acid, isophthalic acid, diethylene triamine and 
hexamethylene diamine 
D Stearic acid, isophthalic acid, diethylene triamine and 
hexamethylene diamine. 
E Oleic acid, isophthalic acid, diethylene triamine and 
hexamethylene diamine. 
F .53 moles stearic acid, 4.21 moles azelaic acid, 
2.95 moles 
diethylene triamine and 2.31 moles hexamethylene 
diamine. 
G 1.0 moles dimer acid, 3.6 moles adipic acid, 2.9 moles 
diethylene triamine and 2.4 moles hexamethylene 
diamine. 
H .53 moles stearic acid, 4.21 moles azelaic acid and 
2.95 moles diethylene triamine and 2.31 moles hexa- 
methylene diamine. 
J Azelaic acid, bis(aminopropyl)piperazine and 
hexamethylene diamine. 
K Lauric acid, azelaic acid, diethylene triamine and hexa- 
methylene diamine. 
______________________________________ 
The above data illustrates that alkali metal bisulfates act as internal 
activators facilitating dying at pH 6.5 of shaped objects produced from 
resinous polymers of propylene and thermoplastic polymers containing amine 
groups. 
EXAMPLE III 
This example illustrates the production of dyeable multifilament yarns 
based on the compositions of this invention. Ninety-four and seven-tenths 
parts by weight stabilized homopolymeric polypropylene powder having a 
number average molecular weight of 50,000 and a melt flow rate of 8 to 9, 
5 parts by weight of the polyimidazoline polycarbonamide employed in 
Example I of this application and 0.3 parts by weight anhydrous sodium 
bisulfate was pelleted by the method of Example II. The pellets were fed 
into a 1 inch Modern Plastics Machinery MPM multiflament extruder equipped 
with a 34 hole, 0.0375 inch thick spinnerette die, each hole having a 
0.025 inch diameter. The barrel temperature was maintained at 
400.degree.-445.degree. F, the die and melt temperature of the composition 
passing through the die was maintained at 460.degree. F developing a head 
pressure of about 500 psi. The filaments were extruded downwardly from the 
spinnerette die through a six foot long air quenching tunnel over a Godet 
moving at 600 rpm to a spindle takeup forming a 34 filament 575 denier 
spun polypropylene yarn. The yarn was then redrawn at a 4 to 1 drawn down 
ratio in a 325.degree. F hot air oven yielding a 160 denier yarn (4.7 
denier per filament). The fiber was dyed at pH 6.5 in the manner described 
in Example I. The polypropylene yarns had intense hues after drying with 
Acid Red 151. Acid Blue 25, Acid Yellow 40 and Acid Green 25. 
This example clearly illustrates that polypropylene filament yarn of this 
invention containing approximately 5% by weight polyimidazoline 
polycarbonamide and 0.3% sodium bisulfate can be dyed to intense colors at 
pH 6.5.