Patent ID: 7147815

Claim:
A process for preparing a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) bicomponent fiber comprising: (a) providing two poly(trimethylene terephthalate) melts, (b) altering the intrinsic viscosity of at least one of said polymers such that after alteration, said polymers have intrinsic viscosities that differ by at least about 0.03 dL/g; (c) providing the two poly(trimethylene terephthalate) melts to a spinnerette, and (d) spinning bicomponent fiber from the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) melts, wherein the two poly(trimethylene terephthalate) polymer melts are prepared by (i) providing two different remelt systems; and (ii) remelting a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) in each of the remelt systems, wherein at least one of the remelt systems is operated so as to provide the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) melts having intrinsic viscosities that differ by at least about 0.03 dL/g.