TEXTILE SHEET MATERIAL FORMED WITH FLAME-RESISTANT POLYESTER MONOFILAMENTS

TISSU CONSTITUE DE MONOFILAMENTS DE POLYESTER, IGNIFUGES

English Abstract

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HOE 89/F 193
Abstract
Textile sheet material formed with flame-resistant
polyester monofilaments
A textile sheet material is formed from flame-resistant
synthetic fibers with a stiffening element which com-
prises monofilaments (20,30) comprising polyesters of
dicarboxylic acids and diol components with an incor-
porated flame retardant.
The flame retardant has been incorporated to the poly-
ester chains as copolymerized units comprising
structural elements of the general formula
<IMG>
where R is alkylene, arylene or aralkylene and R1 is
alkyl, aryl or aralkyl.

Claims

_ 4 _ HOE 89/F 193
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A textile sheet material formed from flame-resistant
synthetic fibers which contains a stiffening element,
wherein the stiffening element comprises monofila-
ments (20,30) comprising a polyester which has been
formed from a dicarboxylic acid and a diol component and
into which a flame retardant has been incorporated.
2. The textile sheet material as claimed in claim 1,
wherein the flame retardant is present in the polyester
chain in the form of copolymerized chain elements com-
prising structural units of the general formula
<IMG>
where R is saturated open-chain or cyclic alkylene,
arylene or aralkylene and R1 is alkyl of 1 to 6 carbon
atoms, aryl or aralkyl.
3. The textile sheet material as claimed in claim 1 or 2,
wherein only some of the fibers of the sheet material
comprise monofilaments (20,30).
4. The textile sheet material as claimed in any of the
preceding claims, wherein the monofilaments (20,30) have
a round cross-section and a diameter of from 0.15
to 0.80 mm.
5. The textile sheet material as claimed in claim 4 for
an awning, light-screening lamella or venetian blind,
wherein the diameter of the monofilaments (30) is from
0.15 to 0.40 mm.
6. The textile sheet material as claimed in claim 4 for

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a curtain tape, wherein the diameter of the monofilaments
is from 0.15 to 0.40 mm.
7. The textile sheet material as claimed in claim 4 for
a bellows, wherein the diameter of the monofilaments (20)
is from 0.30 to 0.70 mm.
8. The textile sheet material as claimed in claim 4 for
a sliding door, wherein the diameter of the monofilaments
is from 0.30 to 0.80 mm.

9. A textile sheet material formed from flame-resistant
synthetic fibers as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as
described herein.

Description

HOECHST AXTIENGESELLSCHAFT HOE 89/F 193 Dr. VA
Description:
Textile sheet material formed with flame-resistant
polyester monofilaments
The invention relates to a textile sheet material formed
from flame-resistant synthetic fibers which contains a
stiffening element.
DE-C-2 346 787 discloses polyester fibers and filaments
which are rendered highly flame-resistant by the incor-
poration of phosphorus-containing chain members. Owing to
their high flame resistance, these fibers and filaments
are recommended inter alia for tarpaulin materials,
carpets and curtains.
For certain applications the textile sheet material needs
to be stiffened. DE-U-7 915 593 discloses stiffening
sheet materials formed from flame-resistant polyester
fibers by subjecting them to a plasticization by the
action of heat at 220 to 255C. Such a heat treatment
constitutes an additional processing step, and the
plasticization of the sheet material impairs its textile
properties. DE-U-7 117 085 discloses lamellae for sun
protection or rooM dividing blinds where a monofilament
of polyamide or of a high molecular weight linear poly-
ester has been incorporated in the transverse direction
of the stripe-shaped textile sheet materials in order to
confer the necessary stiffness thereon. However, these
sheet materials have only little flame resistance. It is
true that they could be rendered flame-resistant through
applied finishes. However, the application of finishes is
resource-intensive and hence costly.
It is an ob~ect of the present invention to provide a
textile sheet material having flame-retardant properties
and increased stiffness which is simple to manufacture
and has advantageous textile properties.

2~31~
Starting from a textile sheet material of the type
mentioned at the beginning, this object is achieved by
the present inventio~ by forming the stiffening element
from monofilaments (20,30) comprising a polyester which
has been formed from a dicarboxylic acid and a diol
component and into which a flame retardant has been
incorporated.
By using flame-resistant monofilaments it has become
possible to create flame-resistant sheet materials which
do not require any plasticization or applied finishes to
show a desired degree of stiffness. Despite being simple
to manufacture, the polyester substantially retains its
textile properties. For instance, different stress-strain
characteristics can be achieved for warp and weft (for
example a warp of high modulus and a weft of low modulus
and low shrinkage).
Preferably, the polyester monofilaments are rendered
flame-resistant through a raw material modification as
described in DE-C-2 346 787. The sheet material may
consist of these monofilaments alone. Instead the mono-
filaments may also account only for a proportion of the
sheet material while the remainder comprises flame-
resistant multifilaments or fibers of unlimited staple
length.
Preferred applications for the sheet material formed
according to the present invention are awnings, light-
screening lamellae, venetian blinds, curtain tapes,
sliding doors, bellows and upholstery. The monofilament
diameter is advantageously 0.15-0.40 mm in the case of
awnings, venetian blinds, light-screening lamellae and
curtain tapes, 0.30-0.70 mm in the case of bellows and
0.30-0.80 mm in the case of sliding doors.
Two embodiments of the invention will be illustrated by
reference to the drawings, where

2~ ~3~ ~
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Figure 1 is a schematic cross-section through a
bellows; and
Figure 2 is a schematic cross-section through a
light-screening lamella.
Figure 1 shows a gangway bellows as used between railroad
cars. The bellows comprises two sheetlike layers 10, 12
which are embedded between a central layer 14 and two
outer layers 16, 18 made of rubber, polyvinyl chloride
(PVC) or another rubberlike plastic.
The sheet material forming the layers 10, 12 is a woven
fabric whose weft threads consist of flame-resistant
polyester monofilaments 20 and whose warp threads consist
of flame-resistant polyester multifilaments 22. Both the
monofilaments 20 and the multifilaments 22 are preferably
produced according to the teaching of DE-C-2 346 787.
The monofilaments 20 have a round, preferably a circular,
cross-section. Their diameter is 0.30-0.70 mm.
Figure 2 shows a section through a light-screening
lamella in the warp direction. The light-screening
lamella consists of a woven sheet material comprising
bottGm warp threads 24, top warp threads 26 and weft
threads 28, 30. The warp threads 24, 26 and the weft
threads 28 each consist for example of multifilament
yarns made of flame-resistant polyester or polyamide. The
stiffening monofilaments 30 consist of flame-resistant
polyesters, which are preferably produced according to
the teaching of DE-C-2 346 787.
The diameter of the monofilaments 30 is 0.15-0.40 mm.

Representative Drawing