Flame-retardant hollow fiber with silicone-free soft-touch finish

Abstract

The invention relates to a flame-retardant, modified hollow fiber with a silicone-free soft-touch finish feature, and also to a method for production thereof and the use thereof for fiberfill fiber products, in particular in the fiber filling of clothing, cushions, furniture, insulation, quilts, filters, upholstery (e.g., automobiles), sleeping bags, mattress covers and mattresses. In general, the hollow fibers used for these applications are those with flame-retardant, phosphorus-containing compounds. Polyester hollow fibers are used preferably as hollow fibers.

1 . A flame-retardant modified fiber based on melt-spinnable polyester, characterized in that the fiber is a polyester hollow fiber that is provided with a silicone-free soft-touch finish which comprises at least one polyether and at least one fatty acid condensation product. 
     
     
         2 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the soft-touch finish comprises at least one polyether and at least one fatty acid condensation product and the mixing ratio (weight) of polyether:fatty acid condensation product is 10:1 to 1:1. 
     
     
         3 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the polyether is one or more compounds having the general formula 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which the radicals 
         R 3 , R 4  may be identical or different and are selected from hydrogen, straight-chain and/or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl groups, and aromatic and/or heteroaromatic groups, 
         R 2  may be identical or different and are selected from straight-chain and/or branched alkyl and/or alkenyl groups, and aromatic and/or heteroaromatic groups, and 
         n is a number equal to at least 1. 
       
     
     
         4 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the polyether is polyethylene glycol and/or propylene glycol. 
     
     
         5 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fatty acid condensation product is one or more condensation compounds of fatty acids having the general formula
   R 5 —COOH,
   in which R 5  represents straight-chain or branched alkyl or alkenyl groups containing 6 to 30 carbon atoms,   with aliphatic or aromatic, monofunctional or polyfunctional alcohols or amines.   
     
     
         6 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fiber is a polyester staple fiber. 
     
     
         7 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the polyester fiber consists mainly of building blocks derived from aromatic dicarboxylic acids and from aliphatic diols. 
     
     
         8 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the aromatic dicarboxylic acids are divalent residues of benzenedicarboxylic acids. 
     
     
         9 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the fibers consist of polyethylene terephthalate in a proportion of at least 85 mol %. 
     
     
         10 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 7 , characterized in that the aliphatic diols are those containing 2 to 4 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         11 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the flame retardancy based on the polyester is achieved by additions of halogen compounds or by phosphorus compounds which are incorporated in the polyester chain by condensation. 
     
     
         12 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the flame-retardant modified polyester contains components of formula (I) 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         which are incorporated in the chain by condensation and in which R is alkylene or polymethylene containing 2 to 6 carbon atoms or phenyl and R 1  is alkyl containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms, aryl or aralkyl. 
       
     
     
         13 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the components incorporated by condensation in the chain of the flame-retardant modified polyester may be arranged in the linear chain of the polymer molecule (longest chain) but also in any side chains and branches that may be present. 
     
     
         14 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fiber is textured. 
     
     
         15 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the fiber is crimped. 
     
     
         16 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the crimping K1 is at least 15%. 
     
     
         17 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fibers have titers in the range from 0.9 to 16 dtex, preferably 0.9 to 17 dtex. 
     
     
         18 . The flame-retardant modified fiber according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fibers are in the form of staple fibers and have a staple length of 1 to 150 mm. 
     
     
         19 . A fiber fillings, containing the flame-retardant modified fibers according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . The filled coverings, filled with the fiber fillings according to  claim 19 . 
     
     
         21 . The filled coverings according to  claim 20 , wherein the filled coverings include pillows, duvets and quilts, mattresses, sleeping bags, insulating material, upholstery, and filters. 
     
     
         22 . A textile fabric, containing the flame-retardant modified fibers according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         23 . The textile fabric according to  claim 22 , wherein the textile surfaces comprise the top and bottom covers of the filled coverings, and mattress covers.