MONOFILAMENT FOR PAPERMAKER'S FABRIC

MONOFILAMENT POUR FEUTRE DE PAPETIER

English Abstract

A monofilament having high knot strength and good hydrolytic
stability for forming into fabric used in the manufacture of
paper and paper products is disclosed. The monofilament is made
from a polymer blend of an acid-modified poly(cyclohexane-1,4-dimethylene
terephthalate) and a second polymer selected from
among polycarbonate and a glycol-modified poly(cyclohexane-1,4-dimethylene
terephthalate).

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is
claimed are defined as follows:
1. A monofilament of a polymer blend consisting essentially of:
(a) about 1 to about 10 weight percent of a polyester selected from the group
consisting of (1) polycarbonate having recurring units that include a divalent
aromatic radical, and (2) glycol-modified copolyester comprising recurring
units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid
and recurring units of copolymerized glycol having no more than 20 carbon
atoms,
selected from the group consisting of linear, branched and cyclic aliphatic
glycols
and ether glycols, and copolymerized terephthalic acid; and
(b) a complementary amount to total 100 weight percent of acid-modified
copolyester comprising recurring units of copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-
dimethanol
and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and recurring units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized dicarboxylic acid
other than terephthalic acid.
2. A monofilament according to claim 1, wherein said polyester is a
glycol-modified copolyester comprising
about 50 to about 95 mole % of recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and
a complementary amount to total 100 mole % of recurring units of a
copolymerized bifunctional glycol having 2-20 carbon atoms, selected from the
group consisting of linear, branched and cyclic aliphatic glycols and ether
glycols;
and copolymerized terephthalic acid; and
wherein said acid-modified copolyester comprises:
about 50 to about 95 mole % recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and
a complementary amount to total 100 mole % of recurring units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized isophthalic acid.
3. A monofilament according to claim 2, wherein said bifunctional glycol
is ethylene glycol.
4. A monofilament according to claim 3, wherein the glycol-modified
copolyester is present at about 1 to about 6 weight percent.

5. A monofilament according to claim 3, wherein the glycol-modified
copolyester is present at about 1.5 to about 3 weight percent.
6. A monofilament according to claim 1, wherein said polyester is
polycarbonate having recurring units of the following formula:
<IMG>
wherein A is a divalent aromatic radical of bisphenol A; and wherein said
acid-modified copolyester comprises:
about 50 to about 95 mole % recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and
a complementary amount to total 100 mole % of recurring units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized isophthalic acid.
7. A monofilament according to claim 6, wherein the polycarbonate is
present at about 1 to about 5 weight percent.
8. A papermaker's fabric comprising monofilaments of a polymer blend
consisting essentially of:
(a) about 1 to about 10 weight percent of a polyester selected from the group
consisting of (1) polycarbonate having recurring units that include a divalent
aromatic radical, and (2) glycol-modified copolyester comprising recurring
units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid,
and recurring units of copolymerized glycol having no more than 20 carbon
atoms,
selected from the group consisting of linear, branched and cyclic aliphatic
glycols and
ether glycols; and copolymerized terephthalic acid; and
(b) a complementary amount to total 100 weight percent of acid-modified
copolyester comprising recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and recurring
units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized dicarboxylic acid
other than terephthalic acid.

9. A papermaker's fabric according to claim 8, wherein (a) is present from
about 1 to about 6 weight percent and is a glycol-modified copolyester
comprising:
about 50 to about 95 mole % of recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and
a complementary amount to total 100 mole % of recurring units of
copolymerized ethylene glycol and copolymerized terephthalic acid; and
wherein said acid-modified copolyester comprises:
about 50 to about 95 mole % recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and
a complementary amount to total 100 mole % of recurring units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized isophthalic acid.
10. A papermaker's fabric according to claim 8, wherein (a) is present from
about 1 to about 5 weight percent and is polycarbonate having recurring units
of the
following formula:
<IMG>
wherein A is a divalent aromatic radical of bisphenol A; and wherein said
acid-modified copolyester comprises
about 50 to about 95 mole % recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and
a complementary amount to total 100 mole % of recurring units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized isophthalic acid.
11. A method for making papermaker's fabric comprising forming said fabric
from yarns including monofilament of a polymer blend consisting essentially
of:
(a) about 1 to about 10 weight percent of a polyester selected from the
group consisting of (1) polycarbonate having recurring units that include a
divalent
aromatic radical, and (2) glycol-modified copolyester comprising recurring
units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid,
and recurring units of copolymerized glycol having no more than 20 carbon
atoms,
selected from the group consisting of linear, branched and cyclic aliphatic
glycols and
ether glycols; and copolymerized terephthalic acid; and

(b) a complementary amount to total 100 weight percent of
acid-modified copolyester comprising recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized terephthalic acid, and recurring
units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized dicarboxylic acid
other than terephthalic acid.

Description

r. 21 19g 0 4
MONOFILAMENT FOR PAPERMAKER'S FABRIC
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to monofilament
yarns for industrial fabric, and especially to yarns for use in
papermaking fabrics.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, in the process for making paper, incremental
amounts of liquid are removed from a slurry of pulp in a
succession of steps. In a first forming step, the slurry is
deposited on a porous fabric which drains much of the liquid by
gravity and suction and leaves a wet web of solids on the fabric
surface. In a later pressing step, the wet web is typically
compressed between fabrics to remove additional liquid. In a
still later, drying step more liquid is removed by evaporation,
usually by supporting the web by dryer fabrics so that the web
is contacted with large diameter, smooth, heated rolls.
Papermaking places considerable demands on the fabrics used
in each process step. The fabrics should be structurally strong,
flexible, abrasion resistant and able to resist the harsh
chemicals and high temperatures to which they can be exposed for
extended times.
One major improvement in papermaking fabric technology has
been the use of synthetic polymer monofilaments. Use of polymer,
however, presents additional design constraints. For example,
the polymer must be commercially processable to form monofilament
of uniform quality. Furthermore, the polymer must make a
monofilament that is sufficiently strong and impact resistant
for automated fabric manufacturing techniques, as well as, for
running on papermaking machinery at high speed.
Monofilaments have been made from such polymers as
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS).
Each has physical properties which affect its suitability for
papermaking fabric. PET has good dimensional stability,
reasonable resistance to abrasion, is moderately priced but has
marginal hydrolytic stability. PPS monofilament has excellent

X119904
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hydrolytic stability but is very expensive, highly crystalline,
relatively brittle, and exhibits low knot and loop strengths.
It is desired to provide a low cost, strong, polymeric
monofilament for industrial fabrics, which meets the demands of
papermaking, including high knot strength and good hydrolytic
stability. It is also desired to provide a monofilament which
is suitable for use in the automated manufacturing process for
such fabrics.
STJMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides high knot strength,
hydrolysis resistant monofilament for use in papermaker's fabric.
More specifically, there is provided a monofilament of a polymer
blend consisting essentially of:
(a) about 1-10 weight percent of a polyester selected
from the group consisting of (1) polycarbonate and (2)
glycol-modified copolyester comprising recurring units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized
terephthalic acid, and recurring units of a copolymerized
glycol other than cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and
copolymerized terephthalic acid; and
(b) a complementary amount to total 100 weight percent
of acid-modified copolyester comprising recurring units of
copolymerized cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized
terephthalic acid, and recurring units of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol and copolymerized dicarboxylic
acid other than terephthalic acid.
There is also provided a papermaker's fabric of yarns
including the above-described monofilament.
There is further provided a process for making a
papermaker's fabric using the above-described monofilament.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The Figure is a graph of the percent retained knot strength
(A) and the percent coefficient of variation of retained knot

_. ~ 119 9 0 ~
-3-
strength (B), plotted against the weight percent polycarbonate
in a monofilament of one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The polymer blend suitable for the monofilament of this
invention consists essentially of two polymers. The term
"consists essentially of" as used herein means that the blend can
include other components; provided that such components do not
significantly detract from the function or operability of the
invention. The term "monofilament" as used herein means a single
fiber structure and is used interchangeably with the term "yarn" .
One polymer of the blend is an acid-modified copolyester,
occasionally hereinafter referred to as PCTA. It is a
semicrystalline thermoplastic copolymer substantially of two
recurring units. One such recurring unit is of copolymerized
cyclohexane-1,4-dimethanol (CHDM) and copolymerized terephthalic
acid. The other recurring unit is of copolymerized CHDM and a
copolymerized dicarboxylic acid other than terephthalic acid.
Thus, recurring units are according to the following formulae ( I )
and (II), respectively:
O O
(I) -0-CHDM'-O-C-AR1-C-
O O
(II) -O-CHDM'-O-C-AR2-C-
wherein
CHDM' is a radical obtained by dehydroxylation of CHDM;
AR1 is a radical of decarboxylated terephthalic acid;
and
AR2 is a radical obtained by decarboxylation of a
dicarboxylic acid other than terephthalic acid.
PCTA can be prepared either by direct polyesterification of
CHDM with an appropriate mixture of dicarboxylic acids, or by
transesterification of dialkyl esters of dicarboxylic acids with
an effective amount of CHDM followed by polycondensation.

~ 119 9 0 4~
-4-
Preferred other dicarboxylic acids include, for example,
isophthalic acid and phthalic acid. Thus, PCTA is seen to be a
copolyester of poly(cyclohexane-1,4-dimethylene terephthalate)
wherein a portion of the terephthaloyl radical is replaced by
isophthaloyl or phthaloyl radicals.
The amount of recurring unit (I) is from about 10-99 mole
percent, preferably 50-99 mole percent, and more preferably,
about 90-97 mole percent of the total of recurring units (I)
and (II) .
The second polymer of the blend is~polycarbonate or a
glycol-modified copolyester, occasionally hereinafter referred
to as PCTG. PCTG is a semicrystalline thermoplastic copolymer
substantially of two recurring units. One such recurring unit
is of copolymerized CHDM and copolymerized terephthalic acid in
accordance with formula (I). The other recurring unit is of a
copolymerized glycol other than CHDM and copolymerized
terephthalic acid, according to the following formula (III):
O 0
(III) -O-R-O-C-ARl-C-
wherein R is an organic radical containing 2-20 carbon atoms
obtained by dehydroxylation of a linear, branched
or cyclic aliphatic bifunctional glycol or ether
glycol.
Illustrative examples of bifunctional glycols suitable for use
in the glycol-modified copolyester component are ethylene glycol;
1,4-butanediol; 1,5-pentanediol and 1,10-decanediol.
Illustrative examples of ether glycols are diethylene glycol and
triethylene glycol. Ethylene glycol is preferred.
PCTA, PCTG and the method for making them are more fully
described in U.S. Patent 2,901,466.
Polycarbonate suitable for use in the present invention
includes carbonate polymers of dihydric phenols as well as
carbonate copolymers of glycols, such as, for example, ethylene

X119904
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glycol or propylene glycol; dibasic acids, such as, for example,
isophthalic or terephthalic acid; and hydroxyl or acid-terminated
polyesters, such as, for example, the hydroxyl or acid-terminated
polyester of neopentyl glycol and adipic acid. Such
polycarbonate resins may be prepared by reacting a dihydric
phenol with a carbonate precursor such as phosgene, a haloformate
or a carbonate ester. Generally the resulting carbonate polymers
may be typified as having recurring units of the following
formula (IV):
O
( IV) -O-A-O-C-
wherein A is a divalent aromatic radical of the dihydric phenol,
preferably 4,4'-isopropylidenebisbenzenol, (bisphenol A),
employed in the polymer producing reaction. The dihydric phenols
which may be employed to provide such aromatic carbonate polymers
are mononuclear or polynuclear aromatic compounds, containing as
functional groups, two hydroxyl radicals, each of which is
attached directly to a carbon atom of an aromatic nucleus.
Typical dihydric phenols are 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propane;
1,3-benzenediol; 1,4-benzenediol; 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-
pentane; 2,4'-dihydroxydiphenyl methane; bis-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-
methane; bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-methane; bis-(4-hydroxy-5-
nitrophenyl)-methane;l,l-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-ethane;3,3-bis-
(4-hydroxyphenyl)-pentane; 2,6-dihydroxynapthalene; bis-(4-
hydroxyphenyl)-sulfone; 2,2'-dihydroxydiphenyl sulfone; 4,4'-
dihydroxydiphenyl ether; and 4,4'-dihydroxy-2,5-diethoxydiphenyl
ether. It is, of course possible to employ two or more different
dihydric phenols or, as stated above, a dihydric phenol in
combination with a glycol, a hydroxy or acid-terminated
polyester, or a dibasic acid in the event a carbonate copolymer
rather than a homopolymer is desired.
The monofilament of the present invention can be prepared
using conventional monofilament production equipment. The
components of the polymer blend are typically supplied as
particles in granular or pellet form. They should have a low
moisture content to avoid degradation during subsequent melt

- ~l l gg
-6-
processing. The particles can be melt blended continuously, in
equipment such as single screw and twin-screw extruders, or
batchwise in BanburyT"" or BrabenderT"" mixers .
It has been found advantageous to make the monofilament in
a two-step process. In such a process, a melt-blended
masterbatch containing a conveniently high concentration of the
minor component in PCTA is prepared. The masterbatch is
pelletized and the pellets are later melt blended with additional
PCTA to provide monofilament of desired composition. This two-
step process provides good uniformity of composition,
particularly when the product contains small amounts of the minor
component, i.e., 5 weight percent or less.
Monofilament of this invention should be made by blending
the melt at lower shear conditions than is conventional in
polymer melt blending operations. Reduced shear averts polymer
degradation during melt processing. Low shear can be achieved
by known methods such as slowing the processor screw speed or
using a low compression ratio screw. Normally, this is
accompanied by a compensating reduction in production rate to
achieve a uniform blend. The minor component should be uniformly
dispersed throughout the composition.
Typically the melt is filtered through a screen pack,
extruded through a multihole die, quenched to produce strands,
drawn and heat-set to form monofilament. The drawing and heat-
setting can include multiple cycles at different draw ratios and
temperatures and can include one or more relaxation steps.
Monofilament for papermaker's fabric typically has a diameter in
the range of about 0.1 to 1.5 mm.
The monofilament of the present invention can be made into
industrial fabric by conventional methods. It can be woven on
looms in the traditional warp and fill fabric structure or formed
into spiral structure in which parallel spiral monofilaments are
intermeshed with pintle yarns. The fabric of this invention can
be formed exclusively from the novel monofilament or from the
novel monofilament in combination with other materials. A
preferred use for the fabric of this invention is in papermaking
machines.

~11g90 4
Monofilament from PCTA blends of this invention provides
high retained knot strength in combination with good hydrolysis
resistance at reasonable cost. PCTA, absent added polymer blend
components as herein provided, has hydrolysis resistance superior
to PET but only moderate knot strength because it is brittle .
Incorporation of small amounts of polycarbonate or glycol-
modified copolyester into PCTA dramatically improves retained
knot strength, while maintaining hydrolysis resistance, and
without substantially adversely affecting other physical
properties. It is now also revealed that the coefficient of
variation of retained knot strength of the blended composition
yarn is, unexpectedly, significantly less than that of wholly
PCTA yarn. Consequently, the yarn of this invention is not only
more ductile than PCTA yarn, but it can resist breaking during
fabric forming and papermaking operations more consistently, and
with better predictability, than PCTA yarn.
The present invention can be more fully understood by
reference to the following representative examples of certain
preferred embodiments thereof, where all parts, proportions and
percentages are by weight unless otherwise indicated.
EXAMPLES
In the following examples, tensile strength and related
properties were measured on a tensile testing machine operated
with 10 inch/minute jaw separation rate and 10 inch initial jaw
separation. Modulus was measured as the slope of the
stress/strain curve at 1 percent strain. Free shrink was
measured as percent dimensional change after unrestrained
exposure to 400°F for 15 minutes. Hydrolysis resistance was
measured as percent of initial tensile strength at break retained
by the sample after 5 hours of exposure to steam at 325°F.
Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example Cl
LEXANT"' 141 polycarbonate from General Electric, hereinafter
"PC" , and KODART"" "THERMXT"" 13319" PCTA from Eastman Chemicals,
hereinafter "Polymer A", pellets were mixed to obtain mixtures
of 5 % and 10 % PC in Polymer A. In separate runs, each mixture

X11990 4
_8_
was fed to a 1.5 inch single screw extruder equipped with a
general purpose screw operating at 24.7 rpm and 552°F to obtain
a melt blend. The melt blends were filtered through a 250 mesh
(70 ~,m) screen pack and extruded through a multihole die. The
extrudate was quenched under water and drawn to a ratio of
3.82:1, to produce a yarn of 0.4 mm diameter. Some volatiles
generated during extrusion, perhaps from insufficient drying of
the materials, caused the yarn to break frequently during
quenching and drawing. Extrusion was steady, however. Polymer
A, without PC, was similarly processed to produce comparison yarn
C1.
Samples of each yarn were tested for retained knot strength
by the following method. Tensile strength at break was
determined. Knotted breaking strength was measured as the
tensile strength at break after placing an overhand knot in~fresh
a test sample. Retained knot strength was calculated as the
knotted breaking strength expressed as a percentage of the
tensile strength at break. Retained knot strengths of Example
1 samples were about 50 0, which compared favorably to only 10-
15 0 observed for yarn C1.
Examples 2-5 and Comparative Example C2
PC and Polymer A were dried at 250°F for 6 hours to less
than 0.02 o moisture and tumbled to obtain a 30 o PC mixture.
The mixture was continuously melt blended at 225 pounds per hour
in a twin-screw extruder equipped with a vacuum vent port and
operated at 15 inches Hg, to obtain 400 pounds of masterbatch.
The screw speed was 312 rpm and the extruder zones 1-6, die and
melt temperatures were 510, 520, 500, 490, 490, 490, 515 and
495°F, respectively. The melt blend was extruded as strand,
quenched and cut to pellets. The masterbatch pellets were
crystallized in pans at 350°F for 2.5 hours.
Masterbatch pellets were dried at 250°F for 5 hours then fed
to an extruder with polymer A to obtain 0 , 3 . 2 , 4 . 5 , 7 . 3 and 10 . 0
o PC compositions, Examples C2 and 2-5, respectively. The
compositions were extruded at 24.8 rpm screw speed in a 3.5 inch
single screw extruder operated at exit melt temperature in the

~'~ 1890 4
-9-
range of 560-570°F. The compositions were extruded through a
multihole spinneret with 2.0 mm diameter and 4.0 mm capillary
length holes. The extrudate was quenched in water and dried.
It was then drawn and relaxed in a succession of stages to a
ratio of 3.45:1 to provide 0.5 mm diameter monofilaments.
Extrusion and spinning of the low PC concentration yarns went
smoothly. At 10 o PC, polymer began to build up on the die and
to drip into the yarn. Physical properties of the yarns are
shown in Table 1.

X119904
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Table 1
Example C2 2 3 4 5
PC, 0 0 3.2 4.5 7.3 10
denier 2251 2200 2212 2222 2249
elongation at 1.75 grams 11.1 12.6 13.9 18.1 22.6
per denier,
breaking energy, kg-mm 243.9 254.4 275.5 307 321.6
tenacity, grams/denier 2.89 2.81 2.75 2.52 2.33
breaking elongation, a 23.7 25.9 28.3 33.4 37.2
modulus, grams/denier 37.9 37.8 36.9 34.4 32.4
elongation at 1 pound, 0 0.55 0.54 0.54 0.58 0.61
free shrink, 0 4.7 6.1 6.1 5.8 5.9
retained knot strength, 0 40.4 69.7 65.5 74.2 73.3
retained knot strength 37.2 14.2 14.4 9.5 3.1
variability, %COV*
coefficient of variation

~. ~ ~11g90 4
-11-
Above 4.5 % PC, tenacity and modulus decrease. However, as
the concentration of PC increases, toughness which is indicated
by breaking energy and retained knot strength, increases.
Retained knot strength of Examples 2-5 were substantially higher
than those of C2. Above 4.5 o PC, retained knot strength remains
levels at about 70 %. The coefficient of variation of retained
knot strength, calculated by dividing the standard deviation of
replicates by the average, drops as PC concentration
increases. The smaller coefficients of variation show that
retained knot strength of the yarn from blends was less variable
than PCTA yarn and that consistency of retained knot strength
improves with increasing PC content. Knot strength improvement
data from Table 1 is shown graphically in the Figure. The
ordinate is percent property value and the abscissa is percent
PC in the yarn. Line A represents retained knot strength and
Line B represents coefficient of variation.
Examples 6 and 7
A masterbatch of 30 % KODART"" 5445 PCTG from Eastman
Chemicals, hereinafter "Polymer G" and 70% Polymer A was prepared
as in Examples 2-5. Extruder zones 1-6, die and melt
temperatures were 500, 510, 490, 480, 480, 480, 510 and 490°F,
respectively. Screw speed was 325 rpm and production rate was
220 pounds per hour.
The masterbatch was processed as in Examples 2-5 except that
extruder exit melt temperature was in the range of 545-555°F arid
the compositions were 3 and 6o PCTG, Examples 6 and 7,
respectively. Analytical results are presented in Table 2.

21 189 0 4
-12
Table 2
Example 6 7 8 C3
PCTG, % 3 6 3 0
draw ratio 3.8:1 3.8:1 4.2:1 4.2:1
denier 2224 2224 2220 2214
elongation at 1.75 11.6 11.9 8.4 8.1
grams per denier, %
breaking energy, kg-mm 261.7 265.9 219 206.8
tenacity, grams/denier 2.88 2.84 3.23 3.24
breaking elongation, 0 25.4 25.9 19.9 19.0
modulus, grams/denier 38.1 39.3 43.8 44.0
elongation at 1 pound, 0 0.53 0.52 0.48 0.47
free shrink, 0 4.1 3.7 6.1 6.5
retained knot strength, 64.6 59.8 58.9 27.7
%
knot strength 18.0 17.5 6.8 51.5
variability, oCOV*
coefficient of variation

211 g9 0 4
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Relative to Comparative Example C2 (Table 1) retained knot
strength increased from 40.4 o to about 60 %, representing a 50
improvement. Furthermore, the coefficient of variation of
retained knot strength dropped dramatically, indicating that
knot strength of the yarn from blends was much more consistent
than yarn of PCTA alone. Other yarn properties were not
significantly affected by incorporation of PCTG.
Example 8 and Comparative Example C3
The procedures of Examples 6 and C2 were repeated except
that the first stage draw ratio was increased from 3.8:1 to
4.2:1. Yarn samples were analyzed and the results are shown in
Table 2. Tenacity improvement from about 2.9 of Examples 6 and
C2, to about 3.2 grams/denier was observed in both Examples 8 and
C3. However, retained knot strength of C3 dropped to 27.7 % and
coefficient of variation increased to 51.5 0. Surprisingly, the
retained knot strength of Example 8 remained high at 58.9 % and
variability improved to 6.8 %, despite the fact that tenacity was
increased by raising the draw ratio relative to Example 6.
Examples 9-10 and Comparative Example C4
A masterbatch of 30o Polymer G and 70o Polymer A was
prepared as in Example 6. The masterbatch and a separate stream
of Polymer A pellets were metered to a yarn extrusion line in
proportions to produce yarns of 3.0, 1.5 and 0 o Polymer G.
Samples of the 0.6 mm diameter yarns were tested and the results
are shown in Table 3.

21 1890 4
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Table 3
Example C4 9 10
Polymer G, % 0 3.0 1.5
denier 3136 3071 3050
elongation at 1.75 grams 10.4 10.8 11.0
per denier, o
tenacity, grams per denier 2.6 2.67 2.53
breaking energy, kg-mm 308.4 349.5 297.8
breaking elongation, % 22.3 24.9 22.7
modulus, grams per denier 39.4 39.6 40.3
free shrink, % 5.0 4.4 5.3
hydrolysis resistance, 0 95.3 95.3 98.4
retained knot strength, % 52.5 64.6 72.2
knot strength, lbs 9.47 11.4 12.3

-15- 211Q90 4
Table 3 data confirm that only low concentrations of PCTG
in PCTA were needed to improve retained knot strength and did not
adversely affect other properties. Although the unknotted
tensile strength (17 pounds) of the yarn of Example 10 dropped
relative to C4 (18 pounds), knot strength of the monofilament
with only 1.5 % PCTG was much higher than of C4. The hydrolysis
resistance of the yarns from blends remained excellent at greater
than 95%. A comparable sample of PET yarn was not tested,
however, its hydrolysis resistance is expected to be only about
SOo.