Carpet fiber polymeric blend

Abstract

The invention provides carpet fibers prepared from a blend of polymeric components, said fiber exhibiting improved properties, such as improved spinnability and improved fire resistance. The carpet fibers particularly comprise a majority of polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) and a minority of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). The invention further provides yarns and carpets prepared from the inventive fibers, said yarns and carpets likewise exhibiting improved properties. The invention also provides methods of improving various physical properties (such as fire resistance, spinnability, and elongation) of a polymeric composition.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A carpet yarn comprising bulk continuous filaments, said filaments comprising a polymeric blend of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and about 1% by weight to about 30% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate polymer, based on the overall weight of said carpet yarn. 
     
     
         2 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , comprising about 3% by weight to about 15% by weight of said polyethylene terephthalate polymer, based on the overall weight of said yarn. 
     
     
         3 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , comprising about 5% by weight to about 15% by weight of said polyethylene terephthalate polymer, based on the overall weight of said yarn. 
     
     
         4 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , comprising about 10% by weight to about 15% by weight of said polyethylene terephthalate polymer, based on the overall weight of said yarn. 
     
     
         5 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , wherein said polyethylene terephthalate polymer is a copolymer comprising a content of 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol comonomers, aromatic dicarboxylic acids, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the yarn exhibits an increase in elongation in comparison to a carpet yarn comprised of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer having an identical composition with the exception that the comparison carpet yarn has no polyethylene terephthalate polymer. 
     
     
         7 . The carpet yarn of  claim 6 , wherein said increase in elongation is from 5% to about 20%. 
     
     
         8 . The carpet yarn of  claim 6 , wherein said increase in elongation is from about 8% to about 18%. 
     
     
         9 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene terephthalate copolymer comprises recycled polyethylene terephthalate. 
     
     
         10 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , wherein said yarn exhibits improved ignition characteristics according to ASTM D-2859 in relation to a like carpet yarn consisting of a polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer without a polyethylene terephthalate polymer. 
     
     
         11 . The carpet yarn of  claim 10 , wherein said increased ignition characteristics comprises a pass rate of test ASTM D-2859 of greater than about 27%. 
     
     
         12 . The carpet yarn of  claim 10 , wherein said increased ignition characteristics comprises a pass rate of test ASTM D-2859 of at least about 46%. 
     
     
         13 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , wherein said polyethylene terephthalate polymer comprises a polyethylene terephthalate homopolymer, a polyethylene terephthalate copolymer, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . A carpet comprising a carpet yarn according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A carpet fiber comprising a polymeric blend of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and about 1% by weight to about 30% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate polymer, based on the overall weight of said fiber, wherein the fiber exhibits an increase in elongation in comparison to a carpet fiber comprised of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer having an identical composition with the exception that the comparison carpet fiber has no polyethylene terephthalate polymer. 
     
     
         16 . The carpet fiber of  claim 15 , wherein the fiber comprises about 1% by weight to about 15% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate polymer, and said increase in elongation is from 5% to about 20%. 
     
     
         17 . The carpet fiber of  claim 15 , wherein said fiber exhibits increased fire resistance when tested according to ASTM D-2859 in relation to a like carpet prepared using a polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer without the polyethylene terephthalate polymer. 
     
     
         18 . The carpet yarn of  claim 1 , wherein the polyethylene terephthalate polymer comprises ethylene terephthalate monomers and comonomers selected from the group consisting of diethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, butylene glycol, polystyrene, vinyltoluene, halostyrene, dihalostyrene, styrene-butadiene copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers, styrene-acrylonitrile-butadiene terpolymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene terpolymers, styrene-isoprene copolymers, aromatic dicarboxylic acids, aliphatic dicarboxylic acids, glutaric acid, azelaic acid, sebacic acid and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A carpet comprising a primary back through which a plurality of carpet yarns art tufted, said carpet yarns comprising bulk continuous filaments that comprise a polymeric blend of polytrimethylene terephthalate polymer and about 1% by weight to about 30% by weight of a polyethylene terephthalate polymer, based on the overall weight of said carpet yarn. 
     
     
         20 . The carpet of  claim 19 , further comprising a secondary backing.