Polymer fiber containing flame retardant, process for producing the same, and material containing such fibers

Abstract

A flame retardant polymer fiber, a process for making such a fiber, and a material containing such fibers are provided. The flame retardant polymer fiber is a high tenacity fiber formed of a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) co-polymer containing a trimethylene terephthalate monomer and a phosphorous containing flame retardant monomer. The flame retardant PTT co-polymer fiber is produced by a process in which the trimethylene terephthalate monomer or its precursors and the phosphorous containing flame retardant monomer or its precursors are combined to form the PTT co-polymer in one or more pre-polymerization and polymerization steps, and the PTT co-polymer is spun into a fiber. Materials including such flame retardant PTT co-polymer fibers, e.g. carpets and textiles, are also provided.

1 . A flame retardant polyester fiber comprised of a polymer formed of from 50 mol % to 99.9 mol % of a trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and from 0.1 mol % to 50 mol % of a phosphorous containing component of formula (II) 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     where p is from 1 to 2500, q is from 1 to 1250, and R 1  is an alkyl alcohol residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkyl acid residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkyl ester residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or an oxygen atom;
 where the fiber has a tenacity of at least 1.5 g/d. 
 
   
   
       2 . The flame retardant polyester fiber of  claim 1  further comprising from 0.5 wt. % to 25 wt. % of a polyamide or a polyester other than the polymer formed of the trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and the phosphorous containing component of formula (II). 
   
   
       3 . A material, comprising a plurality of fibers wherein at least 5% of the fibers are comprised of a polymer comprised of from 50 mol % to 99.9 mol % of a trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and from 0.1 mol % to 50 mol % of a phosphorous containing component of formula (II) 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     where p is from 1 to 2500, q is from 1 to 1250, and R 1  is an alkyl alcohol residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkyl acid residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkyl ester residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or an oxygen atom. 
   
   
       4 . The material of  claim 3  wherein the fibers comprised of the trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and the phosphorous containing component of formula (II) have a tenacity of at least 1.5 g/d. 
   
   
       5 . The material of  claim 3  wherein the material is a carpet. 
   
   
       6 . The carpet material of  claim 5  having a flame resistance such that the probability that a methanamine tablet ignited on the carpet material in a pill test will char the carpet material a distance of at most 7.62 cm from the tablet is at least 85%. 
   
   
       7 . The carpet material of  claim 5  wherein the carpet material has an average minimum radiant flux of at least 0.22 watts per square centimeter. 
   
   
       8 . The material of  claim 3  wherein the material is a textile. 
   
   
       9 . A process for producing a flame retardant polyester fiber, comprising:
 providing a flame retardant poly(trimethylene terephthalate) co-polymer comprising from 50 mol % to 99.9 mol % of a trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and from 0.1 mol % to 50 mol % of a phosphorous containing component of formula (II)   
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
     
     where p is from 1 to 2500, q is from 1 to 1250, and R 1  is an alkyl alcohol residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkyl acid residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an alkyl ester residuum having from 1 to 5 carbon atoms, or an oxygen atom;
 heating the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) co-polymer to a temperature of from 240° C. to 280° C. to melt the co-polymer; and 
 passing the molten poly(trimethylene terephthalate) co-polymer through a spinneret to form a fiber. 
 
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 9  further comprising providing a supplementary polymer selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, a polyester different from the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) co-polymer, and mixtures thereof, mixing the supplementary polymer and the poly(trimethylene terephthalate) co-polymer at a temperature of from 240° C. to 280° C. to form a molten mixture of the supplementary polymer and the co-polymer, and passing the molten mixture through a spinneret to form a fiber. 
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the fiber is a filament and further comprising combining the filament with a plurality of filaments comprised of the trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and the phosphorous containing component of formula (II) and forming the combined filaments into a fully oriented yarn. 
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the fiber is a filament and further comprising combining the filament with a plurality of filaments comprised of the trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and the phosphorous containing component of formula (II) and forming the combined filaments into a partially oriented yarn. 
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the fiber is a filament further comprising combining the filament with a plurality of filaments comprised of the trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and the phosphorous containing component of formula (II) and forming the combined filaments into an undrawn yarn. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 13  further comprising drawing and texturing the undrawn yarn, and cutting the drawn, textured yarn into staple fibers having a length of from 0.5 cm to 15 cm. 
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 9  wherein the fiber is a filament further comprising combining the filament with a plurality of filaments comprised of the trimethylene terephthalate component of formula (I) and the phosphorous containing component of formula (II) and forming the filaments into a bulk continuous filament yarn.