Artificial turf with traction control agent for hockey fields

Abstract

An artificial turf fiber comprising a polymer material and a traction control agent disposed within the polymer, wherein the traction control agent ( 404 ) is a grafted polymer ( 404 ) comprising a slip agent ( 302 ) grafted on a backbone ( 304 ) of the grafted polymer ( 404 ).

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . An artificial turf fiber for a hockey artificial turf, the fiber comprising:
 a base polymer, and   a traction control agent in the base polymer,   wherein the traction control agent is a grafted polymer comprising a slip agent grafted on a backbone of the grafted polymer.   
     
     
         18 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the traction control agent is incorporated in the base polymer in an amount effective to reduce the friction coefficient of the artificial turf fiber from 5% to 50% compared to the friction coefficient of the artificial turf fiber without the traction control agent.   
     
     
         19 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the base polymer comprises polyolefin, polyester or a polyamide or a combination thereof, and   wherein the backbone of the traction control agent is made of the same type polymer as a main part of the base polymer, wherein the main part of the base polymer is a polymer making up at least 50% by weight of the base polymer.   
     
     
         20 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the backbone of the grafted polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, and polyamides, and   wherein the slip agent grafted on the backbone of the grafted polymer is one or more siloxanes.   
     
     
         21 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the traction control agent stays dispersed homogeneously within the base polymer for at least one year, preferably for at least 2 years, more preferably for at least 5 years, and most preferably for at least 10 years.   
     
     
         22 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the base polymer is selected from a group consisting of polyolefins, polyesters, and polyamides,   wherein a main part of the base polymer of at least 50%, by weight of the base polymer consists of a polyolefin and   wherein the backbone of the grafted polymer is made of the same polymer type as the main part of the base polymer.   
     
     
         23 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 , wherein the base polymer is ULDPE, LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The artificial turf of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the base polymer is a mixture of LDPE and LLDPE.   
     
     
         25 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 , wherein 0.01% to 0.25% by weight of the artificial turf fiber, consists of the grafted polyolefin grafted with the one or more siloxanes. 
     
     
         26 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the grafted polymer is polyolefin grafted with one or more siloxanes and   wherein the molecular weight of the polyolefin grafted with the one or more siloxanes is at least 2,000 Dalton and less than 1,000,000 Dalton.   
     
     
         27 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 , wherein the base polymer comprises:
 LLDPE-C6: 80-84 wt %, with at least 85 wt % of the LLDPE-C6 being biobased,   HDPE: 8.0-12.0 wt %, with at least 90 wt % of the HDPE being biobased,   masterbatch 6-10 wt %,   process aid 0.1-0.5 wt %, and   the traction control agent is a siloxane grafted polyolefin present in an amount of from 0.01 wt % to 0.25 wt %, and
 wherein the masterbatch includes color pigments and a UV stabilizer. 
   
     
     
         28 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 , wherein the grafted polymer is a polyolefin grafted with one or more siloxanes, and the amount of the one or more siloxanes grafted on the polyolefin is chosen so that the one or more siloxanes are solid or have a wax-consistency at room temperature. 
     
     
         29 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the base polymer comprises a first polymer, a second polymer, and a compatibilizer,   wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are immiscible, and wherein the first polymer forms threadlike regions surrounded by the compatibilizer within the second polymer.   
     
     
         30 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 , further comprising reflective particles and or reflective pigments for preventing overheating of the fiber, and wherein the fiber is texturized with at least 30% of the part of the fiber length which extends above the infill material having at least one of curl, or wave shape for enhanced softness and coverage. 
     
     
         31 . An artificial turf comprising a plurality of the artificial turf fibers according to  claim 17  which are securely attached to a backing material forming closed loops extending above a top surface of the backing. 
     
     
         32 . A hockey field playing surface comprising the artificial turf of  31 . 
     
     
         33 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 , wherein the base polymer is a mixture of LLDPE and HDPE with the amount of LLDPE in the polymer mixture being greater than the amount of the LDPE or the amount of HDPE in the mixture. 
     
     
         34 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the base polymer is a mixture of LDPE and LLDPE, the LLDPE is from 10 to 70 wt % of the base polymer.   
     
     
         35 . The artificial turf of  claim 17 ,
 wherein the base polymer is a mixture of HDPE and LLDPE,   wherein the HDPE has a density of 0.952 to 0.957 g/cm 3  and is in an amount of 5.0 to 18 wt % of the total amount of HDPE and LLDPE.   
     
     
         36 . The artificial turf fiber of  claim 30 , wherein the first polymer is a polyamide, and the second polymer is polyethylene.