Loaded Polymer Fibre, Method for the Production Thereof, Use of the Same, and Composition Comprising Such Fibres

Abstract

Filled polymer fiber containing additives within it, the filled polymer fiber having a Young's modulus greater than that of an unfilled polymer fiber and said additives including mineral additives having at least one submicron dimension.

1 . A filled polymer fiber containing additives within it, the filled polymer fiber having a Young's modulus greater than that of an unfilled polymer fiber, characterized in that the additives include mineral additives having at least one submicron dimension.  
     
     
         2 . The filled polymer fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the submicron dimension of the mineral additives is less than 500 nm, and preferably less than 100 nm.  
     
     
         3 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mineral additives are of spherical, rod-shaped or lamellar-type structure.  
     
     
         4 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mineral additives have an aspect ratio greater than 5, and preferably greater than 50.  
     
     
         5 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mineral additives are chosen from metal oxides, clays and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mineral additives include an exfoliable lamellar clay preferably chosen from synthetic and natural phyllosilicates, smectite clays, magadiite, kenyaite, stevensite, halloysite, aluminate oxides, hydrotalcite and the equivalents.  
     
     
         7 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mineral additives are chosen from montmorillonite and boehmite.  
     
     
         8 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mineral additives are surface-modified by one at least of the following agents: cationic surfactants, amphoteric agents, derivatives of aliphatic, aromatic or arylaliphatic amines, phosphines, sulfides and preferably by ammonium, sulfonium or phosphonium salts.  
     
     
         9 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mineral additives may be modified by an adhesion promoter that is preferably an organosilane compound.  
     
     
         10 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the weight content of mineral additives relative to the total weight of the fiber is less than 10%, preferably less than 5%.  
     
     
         11 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is a fiber of filled polyolefin, and preferably of filled polypropylene.  
     
     
         12 . The filled polymer fiber according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the fiber comprises a blend of a polyolefin and a polyolefin having polar functional groups and which is preferably a polyolefin grafted by maleic anhydride, glycidyl methacrylate, vinyl pyrrolidone, styrene-methacrylate, acrylates or acetates, the weight content of the polyolefin having polar functional groups relative to the total weight of the filled polymer fiber being preferably less than 10%.  
     
     
         13 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the linear titer of the polymer fiber is between 0.5 and 10 dtex, preferably between 0.5 dtex to 2 dtex.  
     
     
         14 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a tenacity of at least 4 cN/dtex, preferably at least 7 cN/dtex.  
     
     
         15 . The filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes, on the surface, a sizing that contains an amine or polyamine, phosphoric or polyphosphoric compound, preferably an ester of phosphoric acid based on a fatty chain.  
     
     
         16 . The use of a filled polymer fiber according to any one of the preceding claims as a reinforcing fiber in a product.  
     
     
         17 . A fiber-based product characterized in that it includes filled polymer fibers according to any one of  claims 1  to  15 .  
     
     
         18 . The fiber-based product according to the preceding claim, characterized in that it is in the form of a fabric, fleece, chopped fiber mat, long fiber mat, nonwoven product, unidirectional product, cord, net, ribbon, webbing or strip, or else in the form of a mixture of said fibers with fibers of a different type, and preferably in commingled fiber form.  
     
     
         19 . The fiber-based product according to either of claims  17  and  18 , characterized in that it includes a mineral matrix, preferably a hydraulic-setting material, and more preferentially the product is chosen from adhesives, mortars, concretes, grouts and fiber cements.  
     
     
         20 . The fiber-based product according to  claim 19 , characterized in that the product is a fiber cement and comprises 0.2 to 5 wt % of said fibers relative to the total dry weight of the initial mixture.  
     
     
         21 . The fiber-based product according to either of claims  19  and  20 , characterized in that it has the shape of a flat or corrugated sheet.  
     
     
         22 . The fiber-based product according to either of claims  17  and  18 , characterized in that it includes a polymer matrix and that it is chosen preferably from a polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, epoxy or phenolic matrix.  
     
     
         23 . A method of manufacturing a filled polymer fiber according to any one of  claims 1  to  15 , including a step of spinning a polymer composition containing mineral additives having at least one submicron dimension.  
     
     
         24 . The method of manufacturing a polymer fiber according to  claim 23 , characterized in that it includes a step of drawing below the melting point.  
     
     
         25 . The method of manufacturing a polymer fiber according to either of claims  23  and  24 , characterized in that it includes a step of preparing said composition incorporating at least one filtration operation.  
     
     
         26 . A method of manufacturing a product based on fibers and on a hydraulic-setting material, characterized in that: 
 an initial mixture is prepared, based on hydraulic binder, water and filled polymer fibers defined according to any one of  claims 1  to  15 ;    the fibers are filtered over a stationary or moving support to form a wet elementary layer; and    a plurality of elementary layers are superimposed to form a wet intermediate product and in that the wet intermediate product is dried.    
     
     
         27 . A composition for a hydraulic-setting material including a hydraulic binder and filled polymer fibers according to any one of  claims 1  to  15 .  
     
     
         28 . A composition including a polymer matrix and filled polymer fibers according to any one of  claims 1  to  15 .  
     
     
         29 . The composition according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the matrix is a polyethylene, polypropylene, polyamide, polyester, epoxy or phenolic matrix.