Patent ID: 8518311

Claim:
A method for forming biodegradable, substantially continuous multicomponent filaments, the method comprising: forming a first thermoplastic composition that contains a first polyester having a melting point of from about 150° C. to about 250° C.; forming a second thermoplastic composition by melt blending a precursor aliphatic-aromatic copolyester with at least one alcohol so that the copolyester undergoes an alcoholysis reaction, the alcoholysis reaction resulting in a modified copolyester having a melt flow index that is greater than the melt flow index of the precursor copolyester, determined at a load of 2160 grams and temperature of 190° C. in accordance with ASTM Test Method D1238-E; and co-extruding the first thermoplastic composition and the second thermoplastic composition to form substantially continuous filaments, wherein the first thermoplastic composition constitutes from about 5 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of the substantially continuous filaments and the second thermoplastic composition constitutes from about 5 wt. % to about 95 wt. % of the substantially continuous filaments.