Polypropylene fiber

Polypropylene fibers represent a small percent of the total polypropylene production. (Most polypropylene is used as a thermoplastic.) The fibers are usually manufactured from isotactic polypropylene. 

Polypropylene fibers are used for face pile of needle felt, tufted carpets, upholstery fabrics, etc. 

The total 1997 U.S. production of polyolefin fibers, including polypropylene fibers, was approximately 2.5 billion pounds. 

Property Fiber-grade homopolymer Fiber-grade copolymer 

Environmental stress cracking % failure none none 

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Polypropylene fibers for use in car pets and automobile tires consum er Items (luggage appliances etc) packaging material... 

Physical Properties. Table 1 (2) shows that olefin fibers differ from other synthetic fibers in two important respects (/) olefin fibers have very low moisture absorption and thus excellent stain resistance and almost equal wet and dry properties, and (2) the low density of olefin fibers allows a much lighter weight product at a specified size or coverage. Thus one kilogram of polypropylene fiber can produce a fabric, carpet, etc, with much more fiber per unit area than a kilogram of most other fibers. 

Fig. 3. Composite curve of tme stress at break at 40°C vs reduced time to break tjfor polypropylene fibers of three draw ratios (15) (—...

Table 3. Stabilization of Polypropylene Fiber by Polymeric HALS ...

Polypropylene fibers are used in every aspect of carpet constmetion from face fiber to primary and secondary backings. Polypropylene s advantages over jute as carpet backing are dimensional stabiUty and minimal moisture absorption. Drawbacks include difficulty in dyeing and higher cost. Bulked-continuous-filament (BCF) carpet yams provide face fiber with improved crimp and elasticity. BCF carpet yams are especially important in contract carpets, characterized by low dense loops, where easy cleaning is an advantage. 

Most off-quahty or scrap polypropylene fibers may be repeUetized and blended in small percentages with virgin polymer to produce first-grade spunbonded fabrics. The economics are of great importance in a process where high yields are required in order to be competitive. Some manufacturing equipment direcdy recycles edge-trim back into the extmder where it is blended back into the polymer melt (see Fibers, olefin). 

F. Gugumus, Third International Conference, Polypropylene Fibers andTextiles, Oct. 4—6, 1983, University of York, U.K. 

Fibers. Polypropylene fibers are extensively used in carpeting. Bulked continuous filament yams are commonly used in carpet facing in the level loop carpets used in commercial buildings however, nylon remains the dominant face yam in tufted household carpets. The advantages of polypropylene carpeting are superior stain resistance and low moisture absorbance. Polypropylene sHt tape fibers are heavily used in carpet backing. 

A. Ahmed, Polypropylene Fibers—Science and Technology, Elsevier, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 1982. 

The pigments are used primarily in plastics, including polypropylene fibers, because of very good bleed resistance, heat stabiUty, and lightfastness. The reds also find use in printing inks, primarily for high quaUty products. 

Pigment Yellow 141 [76168-75-7] is derived from reaction of l-aminoanthraquiaone with l-phenyl-3,5-dichloto-2,4,6-triaziQe. It is a reddish shade yellow pigment used primarily ia certain plastics and ia polyester and polypropylene fibers. 

Another use of 4-/ f2 octylphenol is ia the productioa of uv stabilizers. 4-/ f2 -Octylpheaol reacts with sulfur dichloride to yield the thio-hisphenol derivative, which thea reacts with nickel acetate to form 2,2 -thiobis(4-/ f2 octylphenolate)-A/-butylamiQe nickel [14516-71 -3]. This type of stabilizer is widely used in the production of outdoor carpeting based on polypropylene fibers. Nickel compounds give a green discoloration which limits their apphcatioas. A second class of uv stabilizers based on the benzotriazole stmcture. 2-(2 -hydroxy-5 -/ f2 octylphenyl)benzotriazole [3147-75-9] is produced from 4-/ i -octylphenol (55). 

The incorporation of metal salts of amphoteric surface active agents (Mostat Series) as internal antistatic agents in polypropylene fibers has been reported (95). Metal salts of alanine, amidoamine, and imida2oiine-type amphoteric surface-active agents show excellent performance as internal antistatic agents and also improve the dyeing abiUty of the fibers with acid dyes. 

From the viewpoint of accommodation to the filter-supporting structure, some cloths cannot be used, even though the filtering characteristics are excellent. For rotary drum filters, for example, the cloth is pressed onto the drum by the caulking method, which uses cords that pass over the drum. In this case, the closely woven cloths manufactured from monofilament polyethylene or polypropylene fiber are less desirable than more flexible cloths of polyfilament fibers or staple cloths. 

Polypropylene fibers for use in carpets and automobile tires consumer items (luggage, appliances, etc.) packaging material. 

Fig. 5-12. Separation of d,1-leucine in hollow-fiber membrane extraction using a Al- -dodecyl-l-hydrox-yproline solution in octanol as the enantioselective extraction liquid. The modules used were 32 cm long and contained 96 Celgard X-20 polypropylene fibers [57].

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