Multicomponent fiber comprising a phase change material

Abstract

The present invention is a multicomponent fiber comprising a temperature-regulating inner fiber component encapsulated by an outer fiber component. The invention further provides methods of preparing the inventive multicomponent fiber and methods of preparing a temperature-regulating fiber component incorporating at least one phase change material.

1 . A multicomponent fiber comprising: 
 (a) at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component comprising: 
 (i) at least about 25% by weight of a polyolefin; and  
 (ii) up to about 50% by weight of a phase change material, based on the overall weight of the at least one inner fiber component; and  
   (b) and an outer fiber component encapsulating the at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component.    
   
   
       2 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component further comprises a micro-porous material.  
   
   
       3 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 2 , wherein the micro-porous material comprises fumed silica.  
   
   
       4 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component further comprises an ethylenic material.  
   
   
       5 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 4 , wherein the ethylenic material comprises ethylene vinyl acetate.  
   
   
       6 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises at least one compound having a transition temperature of about 10° C. to about 50° C.  
   
   
       7 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises at least one aliphatic hydrocarbon having between about 8 carbon atoms and about 50 carbon atoms.  
   
   
       8 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 7 , wherein the phase change material comprises octadecane.  
   
   
       9 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the inner fiber component comprises about 5% to about 50% by weight of the phase change material, based on the overall weight of the inner fiber component.  
   
   
       10 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the inner fiber component comprises about 10% to about 50% by weight of the phase change material, based on the overall weight of the inner fiber component.  
   
   
       11 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the inner fiber component comprises about 20% to about 50% by weight of the phase change material, based on the overall weight of the inner fiber component.  
   
   
       12 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises at least about 10% by weight of the overall weight of the multicomponent fiber.  
   
   
       13 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises at least about 15% by weight of the overall weight of the multicomponent fiber.  
   
   
       14 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material comprises about 10% by weight to about 55% by weight of the overall weight of the multicomponent fiber.  
   
   
       15 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises at least one polyolefin having a melt flow index of about 3 to about 1200.  
   
   
       16 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the polyolefin comprises polypropylene.  
   
   
       17 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the outer fiber component comprises a polymeric material having an extrusion temperature of about 120° C. to about 320° C.  
   
   
       18 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the outer fiber component comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyamides, polyamines, polyimides, polyacrylics, polycarbonates, polydienes, polyepoxides, polyesters, polyethers, polyfluorocarbons, polyfluorocarbons, polyolefins, polyphenylenes, silicon containing polymers, polyurethanes, polyvinyls, polyacetals, polyarylates, and co- and ter-polymers thereof, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       19 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the outer fiber component comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyamide, polylactic acid, and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       20 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the outer fiber component is the only component layer encapsulating the at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component.  
   
   
       21 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the phase change material is not microencapsulated.  
   
   
       22 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the multicomponent fiber is selected from the group consisting of islands-in-the-sea fibers and sheath/core fibers.  
   
   
       23 . The multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 , wherein the multicomponent fiber is selected from the group consisting of continuous filament fibers, staple fibers, spunbond fibers, and meltblown fibers.  
   
   
       24 . A fabric comprising the multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       25 . The fabric of  claim 24 , wherein the fabric is selected from the group consisting of nonwoven fabrics, woven fabrics, and knit fabrics.  
   
   
       26 . A composite material, wherein the composite material comprises the multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       27 . The composite material of  claim 26 , wherein said composite comprises the multicomponent fiber at least partially encapsulated by a resinous material and applied to a substrate.  
   
   
       28 . The composite material of  claim 26 , wherein said composite comprises the multicomponent fiber encapsulated in a thermoset resin.  
   
   
       29 . A yarn, wherein the yam comprises the multicomponent fiber of  claim 1 .  
   
   
       30 . A method of making a temperature-regulating fiber component, wherein the method comprises: 
 (a) preparing a precursor material comprising a polyolefin and greater than 50% by weight of a phase change material, said preparing comprising mixing the polyolefin and the phase change material in molten form, cooling the resulting mixture into a solidified mixture, and processing the solidified mixture to be in a particulate form; and    (b) mixing the particulate precursor material with an additional amount of a polyolefin in particulate form such that the temperature-regulating fiber component comprises at least about 25% by weight of a polyolefin and up to 50% by weight of a phase change material, based on the overall weight of the temperature-regulating fiber component.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , said step of preparing a precursor material further comprises adding one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of micro-porous materials and ethylenic materials.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein, in step (a), said processing comprises grinding the solidified mixture.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein step (b) further comprises mixing the precursor material with one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of micro-porous materials and ethylenic materials.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , further comprising extruding and pelletizing the temperature-regulating fiber component.  
   
   
       35 . A method for preparing a multicomponent fiber comprising: 
 (a) providing at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component;    (b) providing an outer fiber component;    (c) introducing the fiber components to a fiber extrusion apparatus including a spinneret; and    (d) extruding the fiber components so as to form a multicomponent fiber wherein the outer fiber component is encapsulating the at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component;    wherein the outer fiber component is introduced to the spinneret prior to introducing the at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component to the spinneret such that that the at least one temperature-regulating inner fiber component is prevented from contacting an ambient atmosphere.    
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the multicomponent fiber is formed into staple fibers having free ends.  
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the method further comprises processing the staple fibers to seal the free ends.  
   
   
       38 . A fabric comprising fibers prepared according to the method of  claim 35.