High tenacity or high load bearing nylon fibers and yarns and fabrics thereof

Abstract

High strength or load bearing nylon fiber with break tenacity greater than 7.5 g/den and/or a tenacity at 10% elongation of greater than 4.0 g/den as well as yarns, fabrics and articles of manufacture thereof and methods for their production are provided.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method for producing high strength or load bearing nylon fibers, said method comprising:
 (a) melt-spinning nylon polymer into filaments;   (b) uniformly quenching the filaments;   (c) forming a tow from a multiplicity of the quenched filaments;   (d) subjecting the tow to drawing in the presence of steam;   (e) annealing the drawn tow; and   (f) converting the resulting drawn and annealed tow into staple fibers.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the nylon polymer is nylon 6,6. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the drawing (d) comprises passing the tow from a set of feed rolls to a set of draw rolls while introducing steam to the tow. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the annealing (e) is performed under tension. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the nylon staple fiber has a break tenacity greater than 7.5 g/den. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the nylon staple fiber has a tenacity at 10% elongation of greater than 4.0 g/den.