Polyamide fiber with improved comfort management, process thereof and article made therefrom

Abstract

The present invention relates to a polyamide fiber with improved comfort management properties. The present invention also discloses a method for obtaining such fiber and articles made therefrom. The polyamide fiber is produced from a hygroscopic polyamide in a multilobal cross section profile. The hygroscopic polyamide fiber is produced preferably from polyamide 5.X, X being an integer from 4 to 16. Most preferably polyamide 5.6, which is a biobased polyamide obtained from pentamethylenediamine and is derived from sugar-based renewable feedstocks. The present invention thus discloses a polyamide fiber and articles made therefrom for sportswear and leisurewear applications, with improved water absorption, wicking and drying properties, wherein the sweat is transported away from the skin and is quickly dried, thereby reducing the wet sensation and chill during activity. The present invention provides freshness and comfort by maintaining a pleasant skin temperature and microclimate.

1 . A polyamide fiber with improved comfort management, comprising a hygroscopic, aliphatic, biobased polyamide selected from the group consisting of polyamide 5.X, wherein X is an integer from 4 to 16, and mixtures thereof, said fiber having a multilobal cross section that comprises at least 2 coalescent centers and at least 5 equally dimensioned oblong lobes, wherein each coalescent center connects at least 3 equally dimensioned oblong lobes according to an angular symmetry between the adjacent equally dimensioned oblong lobes. 
     
     
         2 . A polyamide fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the hygroscopic aliphatic, biobased polyamide is polyamide 5.X, with X being an even integer from 4 to 16. 
     
     
         3 . A polyamide fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the hygroscopic aliphatic, biobased polyamide is polyamide 5.6. 
     
     
         4 . A polyamide fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the fiber comprises more than 75% by weight of hygroscopic aliphatic, biobased polyamide. 
     
     
         5 . A polyamide fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the multilobal cross section has 2 to 6 coalescent centers, each coalescent center connecting symmetrically 3 or 4 equally dimensioned oblong lobes according an angle of 120° or 90° respectively between adjacent lobes. 
     
     
         6 . A polyamide fiber according to claim  1 , wherein the multilobal cross section has 2 to 6 coalescent centers, each coalescent center connecting symmetrically 3 equally dimensioned oblong lobes according to an angle of 120° between adjacent lobes. 
     
     
         7 . A polyamide fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the multilobal cross section has 2 or 3 coalescent centers, each coalescent center connecting symmetrically 3 equally dimensioned oblong lobes according to an angle of 120° between adjacent lobes. 
     
     
         8 . A method for obtaining a polyamide fiber according to  claim 1 , comprising melt-spinning of a polyamide composition comprising the hygroscopic, aliphatic, biobased polyamide. 
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein the melt-spinning comprises the following steps:
 a1. feeding the polyamide composition in the form of a melt, pellet, or powder into the inlet of a screw extruder,   a2. melting, homogenizing and pressurizing the polyamide composition,   a3. spinning molten polyamide composition through at least one spinneret that comprises multilobal orifices, each orifice having at least 2 coalescent centers and at least 5 equally dimensioned oblong lobes, with an angular symmetry between adjacent equally dimensioned oblong lobes, wherein each coalescent center connects at least 3 equally dimensioned oblong lobes according to the angular symmetry between the adjacent equally dimensioned oblong lobes, into a fiber, and   a4. cooling and winding the fiber.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the multilobal orifices have 2 to 6 coalescent centers, each coalescent center connecting symmetrically 3 or 4 equally dimensioned oblong lobes according an angle of 120° or 90° respectively between adjacent lobes. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the multilobal orifices have 2 to 6 coalescent centers, each coalescent center connecting symmetrically 3 equally dimensioned oblong lobes according to an angle of 120° between adjacent lobes. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9 , wherein the multilobal orifices have 2 or 3 coalescent centers, each coalescent center connecting symmetrically 3 equally dimensioned oblong lobes according to an angle of 120° between adjacent lobes. 
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 8 , further comprising a false-twist texturizing process, comprising the following steps:
 b1. passing the fiber to delivery rolls.   b2. passing the fiber through a heater, then through a cold zone,   b3. passing the fiber through a spindle containing rotating discs   b4. intermingling points and applying coning oil to the fiber, and   b5. winding fiber into bobbins,   
       wherein a drawing ratio is given to the yarn by altering the speed ratio between step b1 and step b5. 
     
     
         14 . A polyamide article, comprising a polyamide fiber according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         15 . A polyamide article according to  claim 14 , wherein the polyamide article is a fiber, a staple fiber, a flock, a woven, a knitted or non-woven fabric or a textile article comprising the polyamide fiber. 
     
     
         16 . A polyamide article according to  claim 14 , wherein the polyamide article is a flat or textured multi-filament yarn having tenacity (at break) from 20 to 80 cN/Tex, elongation (at break) from 20 to 90%, linear density from 40 to 300 dtex, and dtex per filament from 0.1 to 5.0. 
     
     
         17 . A polyamide article according to  claim 14 , wherein the polyamide article is a fabric wherein the mass per unit area of the polyamide fabric is less than 200 g/m 2 . 
     
     
         18 . A polyamide article according to  claim 14 , wherein the polyamide article is a textile article or a part of a textile article, the polyamide article representing at least 30% by weight of the total weight of the textile article. 
     
     
         19 . A method for obtaining a polyamide article as defined in  claim 14 , comprising warping, knitting, weaving, and/or nonwoven processing of fibers comprising the polyamide fiber, and/or manufacturing a garment comprising the polyamide fiber. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A polyamide article according to  claim 14 , wherein the polyamide article is a textile article.