Composite fiber having elastomer and method for making the same, and a substrate having the composite fiber and method for making the same

Abstract

A composite fiber having elastomer and method for making the same, and a substrate having the composite fiber and method for making the same are provided. The composite fiber includes a first composition and a second composition. The first composition is thermoplastic non-elastomer, and the second composition is thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The second composition is in an amount of 5 to 70 weight % of the composite fiber. The first composition and the second composition are alternately distributed in a circumference of a cross-section of the composite fiber, and the length of the second composition is less than 50% of the total length of the circumference. The TPE can be dispersed uniformly and increase the adhesion between fibers, and the segmented fiber cross-section thereof further prevents the TPE from becoming too adhesive and affecting the processing during the fabrication of fibers and non-woven fabric substrates. Therefore, the non-woven fabric substrate or artificial leather made from the composite fiber has excellent textile feeling and physical properties.

1 . A method for making a composite fiber having elastomer, comprising:
 (a) providing a first composition and a second composition, wherein the first composition is thermoplastic non-elastomer, the second composition is thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and the second composition is in an amount of 5 to 70 weight % of the composite fiber; and   (b) using a composite spinneret to simultaneously spin the first composition and the second composition so as to perform segmented composite spinning to obtain a plurality of composite fibers, wherein the first composition and the second composition are alternately distributed in a circumference of a cross-section of each of the composite fibers, and the length of the second composition is less than 50% of the total length of the circumference.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the cross-section of each of the composite fibers, the first composition comprises a plurality of first stripes having first segments on two ends, and the second composition comprises a plurality of second stripes having second segments on two ends. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the cross-section of each of the composite fibers, the first composition comprises a plurality of first sectors, and the second composition comprises a plurality of second sectors. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein in the cross-section of each of the composite fibers, the first composition comprises a central portion and a plurality of first peripheral portions, and the first peripheral portions extend outwards from the central portion, the second composition comprises a plurality of second peripheral portions, and each of the second peripheral portions is located between two of the first peripheral portions. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the material of the first composition is selected from the group consisting of polyester polymers, polyamide polymers, and polyolefin polymers. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the polyester polymers are polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), and modifications or copolymers thereof, the polyamide polymers are polyamide-6 (PA6), polyamide-66 (PA66), polyamide-12 (PA12), and modifications or copolymers thereof, and the polyolefin polymers are polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and modifications or copolymers thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the material of the second composition is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic styrenic block copolymer elastomer, thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), thermoplastic olefin (TPO), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), and thermoplastic polyamide (TPA). 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic styrenic block copolymer elastomer is styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS), styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS), styrene-ethylene/propylene-styrene (SEPS), styrene-isoprene-styrene (SIS), or mixtures thereof, and the TPO is thermoplastic ethylene-propylene copolymer (TEP). 
     
     
         9 . An artificial leather substrate, comprising a plurality of composite fibers, wherein each of the composite fibers comprises a first composition and a second composition, the first composition is thermoplastic non-elastomer, the second composition is thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and the second composition is in an amount of 5 to 70 weight % of the composite fiber; the first composition and the second composition are alternately distributed in a circumference of a cross-section of each of the composite fibers, and the length of the second composition is less than 50% of the total length of the circumference; and cross-points between the composite fibers are elastic bonding points formed by softening the second composition, and the composite fibers are in an amount of 5 to 75 weight % of the substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The substrate according to  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of mixed fibers, wherein the mixed fibers are thermoplastic non-elastomer, cross-points between the mixed fibers and the composite fibers are elastic bonding points formed by softening the second composition, and the material of the mixed fibers is selected from the group consisting of polyester polymers, polyamide polymers, and polyolefin polymers. 
     
     
         11 . The substrate according to  claim 9 , wherein the material of the first composition is selected from the group consisting of polyester polymers, polyamide polymers, and polyolefin polymers, and the material of the second composition is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic styrenic block copolymer elastomer, thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), thermoplastic olefin (TPO), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), and thermoplastic polyamide (TPA). 
     
     
         12 . A method for making an artificial leather substrate, comprising:
 (a) providing a plurality of composite fibers, wherein each of the composite fibers comprises a first composition and a second composition, the first composition is thermoplastic non-elastomer, the second composition is thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), and the second composition is in an amount of 5 to 70 weight % of the composite fiber, the first composition and the second composition are alternately distributed in a circumference of a cross-section of each of the composite fibers, and the length of the second composition is less than 50% of the total length of the circumference;   (b) forming a plurality of fiber webs, wherein the fiber webs contain the composite fibers;   (c) stacking the fiber webs;   (d) performing needle punching or water punching on the fiber webs;   (e) softening the second composition to bond the composite fibers; and   (f) curing the second composition, so that cross-points between the composite fibers are elastic bonding points formed by the second composition.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the material of the first composition is selected from the group consisting of polyester polymers, polyamide polymers, and polyolefin polymers, and the material of the second composition is selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic styrenic block copolymer elastomer, thermoplastic polyester elastomer (TPEE), thermoplastic olefin (TPO), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), and thermoplastic polyamide (TPA). 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein in Step (b), the fiber webs are formed by spunbonding, melt blowing, combing, wet laying, or air laying. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein in Step (e), the second composition is softened by heating or through solution impregnation, and in Step (f), the second composition is cured by removing the heat or the solution.