Material for a primary carpet backing and manufacturing method thereof and carpet tile

Abstract

This invention discloses a material comprising a nonwoven fabric for carpet backing, comprising a first bicomponent core / sheath fiber, wherein the core contains a first thermoplastic polymer and the sheath contains a second thermoplastic polymer; and a second bicomponent core / sheath fiber, wherein the core contains a third thermoplastic polymer and the sheath contains a fourth thermoplastic polymer, wherein the polymer family of the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber is different from that of the third thermoplastic polymer in the core of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber, and wherein the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber are polymers of the same polymer family, preferably having the same melting temperature.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a material for carpet backing, particularly for tufted carpets, and especially for carpet tiles; a method for manufacturing the material for carpet backing; a tufted carpet comprising the material for carpet backing; and a carpet tile comprising the material for carpet backing and / or tufted carpet. Prior Technology

[0002] EP 3009553 A1 discloses a carpet base backing comprising at least one nonwoven layer made of dual-component core / sheath fibers, wherein the core contains a polyamide polymer and the sheath contains a polymer obtained by polymerization of an olefin having terminal or unterminated double bonds.

[0003] Although the carpet backing of EP 3009553 A1 facilitates the chemical recycling of tufted carpets, especially when the pile yarns in the tufted carpet are formed of polyamide, the processing stability of this carpet backing cannot always be sufficient in the manufacturing process of tufted carpets.

[0004] Therefore, there is still a need for a material for carpet backing that has sufficient processing stability at both 22°C and 100°C after being wetted, and for tufted carpets containing the material for carpet backing that can also be chemically recycled. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a material for carpet backing that has sufficient processing stability and facilitates the chemical recycling of tufted carpets containing the material for carpet backing.

[0006] The object of the present invention is achieved by means of any one of claims 1 to 11.

[0007] The material for carpet backing comprises a nonwoven fabric containing a first bicomponent core / sheath fiber, the core containing a first thermoplastic polymer and the sheath containing a second thermoplastic polymer; and a second bicomponent core / sheath fiber, the core containing a third thermoplastic polymer and the sheath containing a fourth thermoplastic polymer, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber is of a different polymer family than the third thermoplastic polymer in the core of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber, and wherein the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber are polymers of the same polymer family, thereby providing a carpet backing with sufficient processing stability and facilitating the chemical recycling of tufted carpets containing the material for carpet backing.

[0008] The core of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber contains at least 75% by weight, preferably at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight of one or more thermoplastic polymers based on the total weight of the core, but may contain at most 25% by weight, preferably at most 20% by weight, more preferably at most 15% by weight, even more preferably at most 10% by weight, and most preferably at most 5% by weight of commonly used additives, such as spinning aids, fillers, flame retardants, UV inhibitors, crystallization inhibitors / accelerators, plasticizers, heat stabilizers, antimicrobial additives, antistatic agents, colorants, or any combination thereof based on the total weight of the core.

[0009] The core of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber comprises a first thermoplastic polymer as a principal component, wherein the term principal component indicates that the first dual-component core / sheath fiber comprises more than 50% by weight of the first thermoplastic polymer, preferably at least 75% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and even more preferably at least 95% by weight of the first thermoplastic polymer. The first dual-component core / sheath fiber may be composed of the first thermoplastic polymer, and, where applicable, commonly used additives.

[0010] The core of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber contains at least 75% by weight, preferably at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight of one or more thermoplastic polymers based on the total weight of the core, but may contain at most 25% by weight, preferably at most 20% by weight, more preferably at most 15% by weight, even more preferably at most 10% by weight, and most preferably at most 5% by weight of commonly used additives, such as spinning aids, fillers, flame retardants, UV inhibitors, crystallization inhibitors / accelerators, plasticizers, heat stabilizers, antimicrobial additives, antistatic agents, colorants, or any combination thereof based on the total weight of the core.

[0011] The core of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber comprises a third thermoplastic polymer as a major component. It should be understood that the term "major component" indicates that the second dual-component core / sheath fiber contains more than 50% by weight of the third thermoplastic polymer, preferably at least 75% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and even more preferably at least 95% by weight. The second dual-component core / sheath fiber may consist of the third thermoplastic polymer, and, where applicable, commonly used additives.

[0012] The sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber comprises at least 75% by weight, preferably at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight of one or more thermoplastic polymers based on the total weight of the sheath. However, it may also comprise at most 25% by weight, preferably at most 20% by weight, more preferably at most 15% by weight, even more preferably at most 10% by weight, and most preferably at most 5% by weight of commonly used additives, such as spinning aids, fillers, flame retardants, UV inhibitors, crystallization inhibitors / accelerators, plasticizers, heat stabilizers, antimicrobial additives, antistatic agents, colorants, or any combination thereof, based on the total weight of the core.

[0013] The sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber comprises a second thermoplastic polymer as a major component. It should be understood that the term "major component" indicates that the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber comprises more than 50% by weight of the second thermoplastic polymer, preferably at least 75% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and even more preferably at least 95% by weight. The sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber may be composed of the second thermoplastic polymer, and, where applicable, commonly used additives.

[0014] The sheath of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber contains at least 75% by weight, preferably at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight of one or more thermoplastic polymers based on the total weight of the sheath. However, it may contain at most 25% by weight, preferably at most 20% by weight, more preferably at most 15% by weight, even more preferably at most 10% by weight, and most preferably at most 5% by weight of commonly used additives based on the total weight of the core, such as spinning aids, fillers, flame retardants, UV inhibitors, crystallization inhibitors / accelerators, plasticizers, heat stabilizers, antimicrobial additives, antistatic agents, colorants, or any combination thereof.

[0015] The sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber contains a fourth thermoplastic polymer as a major component. It should be understood that the term "major component" indicates that the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber contains more than 50% by weight of the fourth thermoplastic polymer, preferably at least 75% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and even more preferably at least 95% by weight of the fourth thermoplastic polymer. The sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber may be composed of the fourth thermoplastic polymer, and, where applicable, commonly used additives.

[0016] It should be understood that the term "polymers of the same family" refers to monomers contained in one polymer being linked to monomers contained in another polymer by like-type chemical bonds, as is known to those skilled in the art. For example, when two monomers in a first polymer are linked by ester units (i.e., ester bonds), and two monomers in a second polymer are linked by ester bonds, the first polymer and the second polymer are members of the polyester polymer family. When, for example, two monomers in a first polymer are linked by amide units (i.e., amide bonds), and two monomers in a second polymer are linked by amide bonds, the first polymer and the second polymer are members of the polyamide polymer family.

[0017] Preferably, at least 50% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the second thermoplastic polymer of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical, and at least 50% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the fourth thermoplastic polymer of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical. More preferably, at least 75% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the second thermoplastic polymer of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical, and at least 75% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the fourth thermoplastic polymer of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical. Even more preferably, at least 90% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the second thermoplastic polymer of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical, and at least 90% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the fourth thermoplastic polymer of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical. Even more preferably, at least 95% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the second thermoplastic polymer of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical, and at least 95% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the fourth thermoplastic polymer of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical. Most preferably, at least 98% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the second thermoplastic polymer of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical, and at least 98% of the chemical bonds between monomers in the fourth thermoplastic polymer of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber sheath are identical.

[0018] The second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber can have substantially the same melting temperature. It should be understood that the term "substantially the same melting temperature" means that the melting temperature of the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber does not deviate from the melting temperature of the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber by more than 10°C. Preferably, the melting temperature of the fourth thermoplastic polymer does not deviate from the melting temperature of the second thermoplastic polymer by more than 5°C, more preferably not more than 3°C, and most preferably not more than 1°C. The second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber have substantially the same melting temperature, enabling the material used as a carpet backing to be thermally bonded at a temperature higher than the melting temperature of the second thermoplastic polymer. This forms a bond at the fiber joints without the risk that the fourth thermoplastic polymer would not contribute to bond formation at the fiber joints, especially when the melting temperature of the fourth thermoplastic polymer is significantly higher than that of the second thermoplastic polymer, or vice versa. Furthermore, it prevents or at least reduces undesirable degradation of the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber during thermal bonding, especially when the melting temperature of the fourth thermoplastic polymer is significantly lower than that of the second thermoplastic polymer, or vice versa.

[0019] In one specific embodiment, the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber has the exact same melting temperature as the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber. It should be understood that the term "exactly the same melting temperature" means that the melting temperature of the fourth thermoplastic polymer deviates from the melting temperature of the second thermoplastic polymer by less than 1°C, preferably less than 0.5°C.

[0020] The second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber can be the same as the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber, thus reducing the amount of raw materials required to manufacture the material for carpet backing.

[0021] The weight ratio of the core of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber to the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber can vary from 90:10 to 40:60, but a preferred range is between 85:15 and 45:55, and more preferably between 80:20 and 60:40.

[0022] The weight ratio of the core of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber to the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber can vary from 90:10 to 40:60, but the preferred range is between 85:15 and 45:55, and more preferably between 80:20 and 60:40.

[0023] In materials used as carpet backing, the first dual-component core / sheath fiber can have any cross-sectional shape. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is circular or elliptical. However, the cross-sectional shape of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber can also be triangular, rectangular, or multi-lobed, such as bilobed or trilobed.

[0024] In materials used as carpet backing, the second dual-component core / sheath fiber can have any cross-sectional shape. Preferably, the cross-sectional shape of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is circular or elliptical. However, the cross-sectional shape of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber can also be triangular, rectangular, or multi-lobed, such as bilobed or trilobed.

[0025] Selecting specific cross-sectional shapes for the first dual-component core / sheath fiber and / or the second dual-component core / sheath fiber allows for fine-tuning of the bonding strength between the first dual-component core / sheath fiber and / or the second dual-component core / sheath fiber, and can improve the friction between the material used for the carpet backing and the pile yarn.

[0026] Within the scope of this invention, the term "fiber" should be understood to refer to both short fibers and long fibers. Short fibers are fibers with a specified relatively short length ranging from 2 to 200 millimeters. Long fibers are fibers with a length exceeding 200 millimeters, preferably exceeding 500 millimeters, and more preferably exceeding 1000 millimeters. Long fibers can even be virtually infinitely long, for example, when formed by continuous extrusion and spinning long fibers through spinning holes in a spinneret. Preferably, the first double-component core / sheath fiber contained in the nonwoven fabric of the carpet backing material is a long fiber and / or the second double-component core / sheath fiber contained in the nonwoven fabric of the carpet backing material is a long fiber, to further improve the breaking strength and / or tear strength of the carpet backing material and / or tufted carpets and / or carpet tiles.

[0027] In this material used as a carpet backing, the linear density of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber can vary, but it is preferably in the range of 1 dtex to 25 dtex, more preferably in the range of 2 to 20 dtex, and most preferably in the range of 5 to 15 dtex. The linear density of the fiber is expressed in dtex, which is the weight in grams of fiber per 10,000 meters of fiber.

[0028] In the material used as a carpet backing, the linear density of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber can vary, but it is preferred that the linear density of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is in the range of 1 dtex to 25 dtex, more preferably in the range of 2 to 20 dtex, and most preferably in the range of 5 to 15 dtex.

[0029] The nonwoven material for carpet backing, comprising a first bicomponent core / sheath fiber having these preferred linear density ranges and / or a second bicomponent core / sheath fiber having these preferred linear density ranges, provides a backing with minimal processing stability and minimal stitch holding capacity (the ability to hold the tufts in place) during tufting of the carpet backing.

[0030] The material used for carpet backing may contain a first dual-component core / sheath fiber mixed with different linear densities and / or may contain a second dual-component core / sheath fiber mixed with different linear densities.

[0031] The nonwoven fabric contained in the material used for carpet backing can, in principle, be any type of nonwoven fabric, such as short-fiber nonwoven fabric manufactured by known methods, such as carding, wet-laid, or air-laid methods, or any combination thereof. However, the nonwoven fabric contained in the material used for carpet backing is preferably a nonwoven fabric composed of long fibers manufactured by known spinning methods, wherein the long fibers are squeezed from a spindle and then laid on a conveyor belt to form a long-fiber web, and then the web is fixed (also known as bonding) to form a nonwoven fabric; or a two-step method in which long fibers are spun and wound on a yarn tube, preferably in the form of multiple long-fiber yarns, then the long fibers or multiple long-fiber yarns are unwound and laid on a conveyor belt to form a long-fiber web, and the web is fixed to form a nonwoven fabric.

[0032] The nonwoven fabric contained in the material used as the carpet backing can be bonded by any suitable known bonding technique, including mechanical bonding, such as by sewing, mechanical knitting and / or hydrodynamic bonding by fluid jetting, especially by hydraulic entanglement; chemical bonding, such as applying an adhesive dispersion or adhesive solution to the web, which is typically dried and cured as appropriate; and / or thermal bonding, such as by calendering, ultrasonic bonding and / or hot air bonding. Preferably, the nonwoven fabric contained in the material used as the carpet backing is bonded by thermal bonding, and more preferably by hot air bonding.

[0033] In one specific embodiment, the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer is polyamide.

[0034] The melting temperature of the polyamide can vary, but it is preferred to be between 180°C and 300°C, more preferably between 200°C and 270°C, and most preferably between 215°C and 230°C.

[0035] The polyamide contained within the sheath of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber as a second thermoplastic polymer and the polyamide contained within the sheath of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber as a fourth thermoplastic polymer can each be an independently selected polyamide or copolyamide, and preferably selected from the group consisting of polyamide-6, recycled polyamide-6, bio-based polyamide-6 (i.e., polyamide-6 polymerized from monomers derived from renewable resources), and copolymers and / or blends thereof. Selecting recycled polyamide-6 and / or bio-based polyamide-6 allows for the further manufacture of materials for the base liner in a more sustainable manner.

[0036] In one specific embodiment, the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide-6, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide-6.

[0037] In one specific embodiment, the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is a polyolefin, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is a polyolefin.

[0038] The melting temperature of the polyolefin can vary, but it is preferred to be between 80°C and 200°C, more preferably between 100°C and 180°C, and most preferably between 150°C and 170°C.

[0039] The polyolefin contained in the sheath of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber as a second thermoplastic polymer and the polyolefin contained in the sheath of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber as a fourth thermoplastic polymer may each be independently selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene (such as, for example, homocysteine, paracysteine ​​or heterocysteine), copolymers and / or blends thereof.

[0040] In one specific embodiment, the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polypropylene, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polypropylene.

[0041] In one specific embodiment, the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyester, and the third thermoplastic polymer in the core of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide.

[0042] The polyester in the core of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber can be recycled polyester, preferably recycled polyethylene terephthalate, which can produce the material for the base liner in a more sustainable way.

[0043] In one specific embodiment, the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyester, and the third thermoplastic polymer in the core of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide, especially when the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyolefin and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyolefin. It has now been observed that when the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide, especially polyamide-6, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide, especially polyamide-6, and when the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyester, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, the stability of tufted carpets, especially carpet tiles, is improved compared to the dimensional stability of tufted carpets, especially carpet tiles, composed of dual-component core / sheath fibers having a core composed of polyamide and a sheath composed of polyolefin.

[0044] In a preferred embodiment, the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyester, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, and the third thermoplastic polymer in the core of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide-6. Preferably, the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polypropylene, and preferably the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polypropylene. This allows tufted carpets containing the material for carpet backing and / or carpet tiles containing the material for carpet backing and / or tufted carpets to be chemically recycled by a method including the steps of depolymerizing polyamide-6 into its constituent monomers and repolymerizing it back into polyamide-6, especially when the pile yarns in the tufted carpet contain polyamide-6 or are composed of it. In this chemical recycling method, polyamide can be depolymerized into its monomers, which can then be used to synthesize new polyamides—without costly separation steps to remove unwanted monomers. The first thermoplastic polymer is polyester, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, which provides sufficient processing stability and / or dimensional stability for tufted carpets, especially carpet tiles containing materials used as carpet backing.

[0045] In one specific embodiment, the first thermoplastic polymer is a polyester, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, and the third thermoplastic polymer is a polyolefin, such as polypropylene or polymethylpentene, preferably polypropylene.

[0046] In one specific embodiment, the first thermoplastic polymer is polyester, and the third thermoplastic polymer is polyolefin, especially when the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the first thermoplastic polymer is polyethylene terephthalate, the third thermoplastic polymer is a polyolefin, preferably polypropylene or polymethylpentene, and the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is preferably polyamide, especially polyamide-6, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is preferably polyamide, especially polyamide-6. The first thermoplastic polymer is polyester, preferably polyethylene terephthalate, which provides sufficient processing stability and / or dimensional stability for tufted carpets, especially carpet tiles containing the material used for carpet backing. The polyamide contained in the sheath of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber and the sheath of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber, especially polyamide-6, enables the tufted carpet and / or carpet tiles containing the material used for carpet backing to be chemically recycled by a method including the steps of depolymerizing polyamide-6 into its constituent monomers and repolymerizing the monomers into polyamide-6, especially when the pile yarn in the tufted carpet contains polyamide-6. The third thermoplastic polymer contained in the core of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber is a polyolefin, which can manufacture materials for carpet backing in a more economical way, while still allowing for the chemical recycling of tufted carpets and / or carpet tiles, and at the same time providing sufficient processing stability for the materials used as carpet backing.

[0048] The material used for carpet backing may contain one or more layers of a mixture of first dual-component core / sheath fibers and second dual-component core / sheath fibers, preferably a homogeneous mixture of fibers, which can prevent or at least reduce delamination between the fiber layers of the material used for carpet backing.

[0049] The material for carpet backing may comprise a first layer of fibers and a second layer of fibers, wherein the first layer comprises a first dual-component core / sheath fiber, and the second layer comprises a second dual-component core / sheath fiber, thereby improving the processing stability of the material for carpet backing. The first layer of fibers is preferably composed of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber. The second layer of fibers is preferably composed of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber.

[0050] The material used for carpet backing may further comprise a third and / or a fourth layer of fibers, wherein the third layer comprises a first dual-component core / sheath fiber, and the fourth layer comprises a second dual-component core / sheath fiber. Preferably, the third layer is composed of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber. Preferably, the fourth layer is composed of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber.

[0051] The third layer of fibers, which includes the first dual-component core / sheath fibers, can be positioned directly adjacent to, and preferably planar parallel to, the first layer of fibers, which includes the first dual-component core / sheath fibers, thereby enabling the material used as a carpet backing to have improved processing stability.

[0052] The fourth layer of fibers, which includes the second dual-component core / sheath fibers, can be positioned directly adjacent to, and preferably in a plane parallel to, the second layer of fibers, which includes the second dual-component core / sheath fibers.

[0053] In one specific embodiment, a fourth layer of fibers comprising the second dual-component core / sheath fibers is arranged to be directly adjacent, and preferably planar parallel to a third layer of fibers comprising the first dual-component core / sheath fibers; a third layer of fibers comprising the first dual-component core / sheath fibers is arranged to be directly adjacent, and preferably planar parallel to a second layer of fibers comprising the second dual-component core / sheath fibers; and a second layer of fibers comprising the second dual-component core / sheath fibers is arranged to be directly adjacent, and preferably planar parallel to a first layer of fibers comprising the first dual-component core / sheath fibers.

[0054] In one specific embodiment, a second layer of fibers containing a second dual-component core / sheath fiber and / or a fourth layer of fibers containing a second dual-component core / sheath fiber are disposed between a first layer of fibers containing a first dual-component core / sheath fiber and a third layer of fibers containing a first dual-component core / sheath fiber, thereby preventing or at least reducing carpet tile depressions or protrusions caused by differences in shrinkage and / or expansion effects between individual layers.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, a first layer of fibers comprising a first dual-component core / sheath fiber and / or a third layer of fibers comprising a first dual-component core / sheath fiber are disposed between a second layer of fibers comprising a second dual-component core / sheath fiber and a fourth layer of fibers comprising a second dual-component core / sheath fiber, thereby preventing or at least reducing carpet tile depressions or bulges caused by differences in shrinkage and / or expansion effects between individual layers, while also enabling the use of materials for carpet backing to have improved processing stability.

[0056] The third and / or fourth fiber layers may be composed of a mixture of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber and the second dual-component core / sheath fiber, preferably a homogeneous mixture, which can improve the delamination strength between fiber layers of the material used as a carpet backing.

[0057] The nonwoven fabric contained in the material used as a carpet backing may have a weight of 30 g / m² to 250 g / m², preferably 40 g / m² to 200 g / m², more preferably 50 g / m² to 150 g / m², more preferably 60 g / m² to 140 g / m², more preferably 65 g / m² to 125 g / m², and most preferably 70 g / m² to 120 g / m².

[0058] The material used for carpet backing may include a reinforcing layer, preferably a scrim, to further improve the processing stability of the carpet backing at 22°C and 100°C after it is wetted.

[0059] The gauze curtain can be a laid gauze curtain or a woven gauze curtain. As is well known to those skilled in the art, whether laid or woven, the gauze curtain is an open grid structure composed of at least two sets of parallel lines, wherein the first set of parallel lines is oriented at an angle of 90° to the second set of parallel lines. The first set of parallel lines can be chemically bonded to the second set of parallel lines to form a laid gauze curtain, or the first set of parallel lines can be interwoven with the second set of parallel lines to form a woven gauze curtain. In one specific embodiment, the openings in the gauze curtain have at least one dimension in the gauze curtain plane that is at least 1 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, and more preferably 5 mm.

[0060] Preferably, the material used for the base layer comprises up to 45% by weight polyester based on the total weight of the material used for the carpet base layer, and more preferably, the material used for the base layer comprises up to 40% by weight polyester based on the total weight of the material used for the carpet base layer.

[0061] The object of the present invention can be further achieved by including a tufted carpet containing the material for carpet backing according to any of the above specific embodiments, and the pile yarns that are fixedly connected to the backing.

[0062] The pile yarn contains at least 75% by weight, preferably at least 85% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight of one or more thermoplastic polymers based on the total weight of the pile yarn, but may contain at most 25% by weight, preferably at most 20% by weight, more preferably at most 15% by weight, even more preferably at most 10% by weight, and most preferably at most 5% by weight based on the total weight of the core, such as spinning aids, fillers, flame retardants, UV inhibitors, crystallization inhibitors / accelerators, plasticizers, heat stabilizers, antimicrobial additives, antistatic agents, colorants, or any combination thereof.

[0063] The pile yarn that is fixedly connected to the base backing may contain any suitable polyamide, preferably polyamide-6. Preferably, the pile yarn contains polyamide, most preferably polyamide-6, as a major component. It should be understood that the term "major component" means that the pile yarn contains more than 50% by weight of polyamide, preferably at least 75% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and even more preferably at least 95% by weight of polyamide. This allows tufted carpets containing materials for carpet base backing and / or carpet tiles containing tufted carpets to be efficiently chemically recycled by a method including the steps of depolymerizing polyamide-6 into constituent monomers and repolymerizing those monomers into polyamide-6.

[0064] The tufted carpet may include a material for a carpet backing, wherein the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber is polyamide, preferably polyamide-6, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer is polyamide, preferably polyamide-6; and may include pile yarns fixedly connected to the backing, wherein the pile yarns contain polyamide, preferably polyamide-6, and can provide increased tufting adhesion strength in the tufted carpet in accordance with ISO 4919 by creating a thermal bond between the pile yarns and the material for the carpet backing, for example by applying the methods disclosed in EP1598476 or WO2012 / 076348.

[0065] The tufted carpet may include a reinforcing layer, preferably a gauze layer, to further improve the dimensional stability of the tufted carpet. This reinforcing layer may be incorporated into the material used for the carpet backing, or it may be incorporated into the tufted carpet itself, which is placed beneath the carpet backing and the pile yarns.

[0066] The gauze curtain can be a laid gauze curtain or a woven gauze curtain. As is well known to those skilled in the art, whether laid or woven, the gauze curtain is an open grid structure composed of at least two sets of parallel lines, wherein the first set of parallel lines is oriented at an angle of 90° to the second set of parallel lines. The first set of parallel lines can be chemically bonded to the second set of parallel lines to form a laid gauze curtain, or the first set of parallel lines can be interwoven with the second set of parallel lines to form a woven gauze curtain. In one specific embodiment, the openings in the gauze curtain have at least one dimension in the gauze curtain plane that is at least 1 mm, preferably at least 2 mm, and more preferably 5 mm.

[0067] A tufted carpet comprising a carpet backing material according to any of the above specific embodiments as a backing material and pile yarns fixedly connected to the backing material, enables the tufted carpet to be chemically recycled using a polyamide-6 recycling method. Preferably, the tufted carpet comprises up to 10% by weight polyester, more preferably up to 6% by weight, based on the total weight of the material used for the carpet backing material and the pile yarns. Preferably, the tufted carpet comprises up to 5% by weight polyester, more preferably up to 4% by weight, and most preferably up to 3% by weight, based on the total weight of the material used for the carpet backing material and the pile yarns, enabling the tufted carpet to be chemically recycled using a method including the steps of depolymerizing polyamide-6 into its constituent monomers and repolymerizing it back into polyamide-6, especially when the pile yarns contain polyamide as a major component or are composed of polyamide, particularly polyamide-6.

[0068] The object of the present invention can be further achieved by including materials for carpet backing according to any of the above specific embodiments, and / or carpet tiles for tufted carpets according to any of the above specific embodiments.

[0069] The carpet brick can further include a separation layer between the tufted carpet base backing, which contains the pile yarns of the material used for carpet base backing, and the underlying structure, thereby separating the underlying structure from the material used for carpet base backing and the pile yarns, to improve chemical recycling methods. Simple Explanation of the Diagram

[0070] none Implementation

[0071] [Example] Example 1

[0072] A material comprising a nonwoven fabric for use as a carpet backing is provided, the nonwoven fabric comprising four layers of fibers having a linear density of 15 dtex.

[0073] The first layer of fibers consists of a first dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the first dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a polyethylene terephthalate core with a weight ratio of 80:20 and a melting temperature of 250°C, and a polypropylene sheath with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0074] The second layer of fibers is composed of a second dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the second dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a core of polyamide-6 with a weight ratio of 77:23 and a melting temperature of 220°C, and a sheath of polypropylene with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0075] The third layer of fiber is composed of a first dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the first dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a polyethylene terephthalate core with a weight ratio of 80:20 and a melting temperature of 250°C, and a polypropylene sheath with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0076] The fourth layer of fiber is composed of a second dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the second dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a core of polyamide-6 with a weight ratio of 77:23 and a melting temperature of 220°C, and a sheath of polypropylene with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0077] The third layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the first layer of fibers, the first layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the fourth layer of fibers, and the fourth layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the second layer of fibers.

[0078] Nonwoven fabric has a weight of 110 grams per square meter. Example 2

[0079] A material comprising a nonwoven fabric for use as a carpet backing is provided, the nonwoven fabric comprising four layers of fibers having a linear density of 15 dtex.

[0080] The first layer of fibers consists of a first dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the first dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a polyethylene terephthalate core with a weight ratio of 80:20 and a melting temperature of 250°C, and a polypropylene sheath with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0081] The second layer of fibers is composed of a second dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the second dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a core of polyamide-6 with a weight ratio of 77:23 and a melting temperature of 220°C, and a sheath of polypropylene with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0082] The third layer of fiber is composed of a first dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the first dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a polyethylene terephthalate core with a weight ratio of 80:20 and a melting temperature of 250°C, and a polypropylene sheath with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0083] The fourth layer of fiber is composed of a second dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the second dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a core of polyamide-6 with a weight ratio of 77:23 and a melting temperature of 220°C, and a sheath of polypropylene with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0084] The third layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the fourth layer of fibers, the fourth layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the first layer of fibers, and the first layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the second layer of fibers.

[0085] Nonwoven fabric has a weight of 110 grams per square meter. Example 3

[0086] A material comprising a nonwoven fabric for use as a carpet backing is provided, the nonwoven fabric comprising four layers of fibers having a linear density of 15 dtex.

[0087] The first layer of fibers consists of a first dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the first dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a polyethylene terephthalate core with a weight ratio of 80:20 and a melting temperature of 250°C, and a polypropylene sheath with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0088] The second layer of fibers is composed of a second dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the second dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a core of polyamide-6 with a weight ratio of 77:23 and a melting temperature of 220°C, and a sheath of polypropylene with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0089] The third layer of fiber is composed of a first dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the first dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a polyethylene terephthalate core with a weight ratio of 80:20 and a melting temperature of 250°C, and a polypropylene sheath with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0090] The fourth layer of fiber is composed of a second dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the second dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a core of polyamide-6 with a weight ratio of 77:23 and a melting temperature of 220°C, and a sheath of polypropylene with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0091] The fourth layer of fiber is positioned directly adjacent to the third layer of fiber, the third layer of fiber is positioned directly adjacent to the first layer of fiber, and the first layer of fiber is positioned directly adjacent to the second layer of fiber.

[0092] Nonwoven fabric has a weight of 110 grams per square meter. Example 4

[0093] A material comprising a nonwoven fabric for use as a carpet backing is provided, the nonwoven fabric comprising four layers of fibers having a linear density of 15 dtex.

[0094] The first layer of fibers consists of a first dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the first dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a polyethylene terephthalate core with a weight ratio of 80:20 and a melting temperature of 250°C, and a polypropylene sheath with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0095] The second layer of fibers is composed of a second dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the second dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a core of polyamide-6 with a weight ratio of 77:23 and a melting temperature of 220°C, and a sheath of polypropylene with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0096] The third layer of fiber is composed of a first dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the first dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a polyethylene terephthalate core with a weight ratio of 80:20 and a melting temperature of 250°C, and a polypropylene sheath with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0097] The fourth layer of fiber is composed of a second dual-component core / sheath long fiber, wherein the second dual-component core / sheath long fiber comprises a core of polyamide-6 with a weight ratio of 77:23 and a melting temperature of 220°C, and a sheath of polypropylene with a melting temperature of 165°C and a melt flow index of 25 g / 10 min.

[0098] The third layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the fourth layer of fibers, the fourth layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the second layer of fibers, and the second layer of fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the first layer of fibers.

[0099] Nonwoven fabric has a weight of 110 grams per square meter. Comparative Example 1

[0100] The present invention provides a material for carpet backing in accordance with EP 3009553 A1, comprising a nonwoven fabric consisting of four layers of fibers having a linear density of 15 dtex, each layer of fibers being composed of a dual-component core / sheath fiber comprising a polyamide-6 core and a polypropylene sheath in a weight ratio of 77:23.

[0101] Nonwoven fabric has a weight of 110 grams per square meter.

[0102] The material used for carpet backing is tucked to create a tufted carpet, which includes the material used for carpet backing and pile yarns that securely connect the backing. The pile yarns are polyamide-6 pile yarns with a linear density of 2700 dtex. The tufted carpet contains pile yarns spaced 1 / 10 inch apart in the transverse mechanical direction, and has 50 pile yarns every 10 centimeters in the mechanical direction.

[0103] Under humid conditions where 200 ml of water is sprayed onto an area of ​​1 square meter, the processing stability of the carpet backing material at 22°C is determined by applying a load of 30 kg / m to a material 50 cm wide and 600 cm long in the mechanical direction. The stability is defined as the dimensional changes in the mechanical direction and the transverse mechanical direction.

[0104] The processing stability of a carpet backing material at 100°C was determined by applying a 30 kg / m load in the mechanical direction to a 50 cm wide and 600 cm long section of material under wet conditions where 200 ml of water was sprayed onto an area of ​​1 square meter, and measuring the dimensional changes in the mechanical and transverse directions at 100°C. The material was heated to 100°C. After reaching 100°C, the material was removed from the oven. Processing stability was defined as the dimensional changes in the mechanical and transverse directions, and was measured directly after removal from the oven.

[0105] The free shrinkage of a tufted carpet, including the material used for the carpet backing and the pile yarns that are fixedly connected to the backing, was determined by heating a 50 cm wide and 50 cm long tufted carpet in an oven at 100°C for 15 minutes and measuring the dimensional changes in the mechanical and transverse mechanical directions. Table 1: Processing stability of materials used for carpet backing, and free shrinkage of tufted carpets including materials used for carpet backing and the pile yarns that are fixedly connected to the backing. Comparative example Example 1 1 2 3 4 At 22℃ Processing stability MD 3.7% 1.9% 2.1% 1.9% 2.4% CMD -5.4% -3.4% -3.7% -3.3% -3.6% At 100℃ Processing stability MD 5.5% 4.2% 4.5% 4.1% 4.6% CMD -14.9% -10.2% -11.0% -9.6% -10.6% At 100℃ free contraction MD -1.6% -1.4% -1.3% -1.3% -1.3% CMD -1.3% -1.3% -1.3% -1.2% -1.1%

[0106] The materials used for carpet backing according to Examples 1 to 4 exhibit significantly improved processing stability at 22°C and a load of 30 kg / m, meaning that they show smaller dimensional changes in both the mechanical direction (MD) and the transverse mechanical direction (CMD) compared to Comparative Example 1.

[0107] The materials used for carpet backing according to Examples 1 to 4, after being wetted, exhibit significantly improved processing stability at 100°C and a load of 30 kg / m, that is, smaller dimensional changes in both the mechanical direction (MD) and the transverse mechanical direction (CMD) compared to Comparative Example 1.

[0108] Compared to Comparative Example 1, the materials used for carpet base backing according to Examples 1 to 4 have improved free shrinkage at least in the mechanical direction.

[0109] Compared to Examples 2 and 4, the materials used for carpet backing according to Examples 1 and 3 have even more improved processing stability under a load of 30 kg / m at 22°C, i.e., smaller dimensional changes in both the mechanical direction (MD) and the transverse mechanical direction (CMD).

[0110] Compared to Examples 2 and 4, the materials used for carpet backing according to Examples 1 and 3 have even more improved processing stability when wetted and subjected to a load of 30 kg / m at 100°C, i.e., smaller dimensional changes in both the mechanical direction (MD) and the transverse mechanical direction (CMD).

[0111] Compared to Example 1, the material for carpet backing according to Example 3 comprises symmetrical stacking of fiber layers with respect to the order of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber and the second dual-component core / sheath fiber, thereby preventing or at least reducing the risk of carpet tiles containing the material for carpet backing denting or bulging due to differences in shrinkage and / or expansion effects between individual fiber layers.

[0112] While this material is primarily suitable as a carpet backing, it can also be used as a carrier for (shock-absorbing) vinyl flooring pads, filter media, roofing linings, or bitumen roofing membranes.

[0113] none

Claims

1. A material comprising a nonwoven fabric for use as a carpet backing, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a first bicomponent core / sheath fiber and a second bicomponent core / sheath fiber, wherein the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber comprises a first thermoplastic polymer in its core and a second thermoplastic polymer in its sheath, the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber comprises a third thermoplastic polymer in its core and a fourth thermoplastic polymer in its sheath, wherein the polymer family of the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber is different from that of the third thermoplastic polymer in the core of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber, and wherein the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber are polymers of the same polymer family and have substantially the same melting temperature.

2. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is identical to the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber.

3. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is a polyolefin, and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is a polyolefin.

4. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyester, and the third thermoplastic polymer in the core of the second dual-component core / sheath fiber is polyamide.

5. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the second thermoplastic polymer is polyamide and the fourth thermoplastic polymer is polyamide.

6. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer is polyester and the third thermoplastic polymer is polyolefin.

7. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a first layer of fibers and a second layer of fibers, wherein the first layer of fibers comprises a first dual-component core / sheath fiber and the second layer of fibers comprises a second dual-component core / sheath fiber.

8. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 7, wherein the nonwoven fabric comprises a third layer of fibers and / or a fourth layer of fibers, wherein the third layer of fibers comprises a first dual-component core / sheath fiber and the fourth layer of fibers comprises a second dual-component core / sheath fiber.

9. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the third layer of fibers comprising the first dual-component core / sheath fibers is positioned directly adjacent to the first layer of fibers comprising the first dual-component core / sheath fibers.

10. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first layer of fibers and / or the third layer of fibers are disposed between the second layer of fibers and the fourth layer of fibers.

11. The material for carpet backing as claimed in claim 8, wherein the second layer of fibers and / or the fourth layer of fibers are disposed between the first layer of fibers and the third layer of fibers.

12. A tufted carpet comprising a carpet backing material as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, and pile yarns fixedly connected to the backing.

13. The tufted carpet of claim 12, wherein the pile yarn contains a polyamide polymer as a main component.

14. A carpet tile comprising a material for carpet backing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, and / or a tufted carpet as claimed in claim 12 or 13.

15. A method of manufacturing a material for carpet backing as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising the steps of providing a first bicomponent core / sheath fiber containing a first thermoplastic polymer in its core and a second thermoplastic polymer in its sheath; providing a second bicomponent core / sheath fiber containing a third thermoplastic polymer in its core and a fourth thermoplastic polymer in its sheath, wherein the first thermoplastic polymer in the core of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber is of a different polymer family than the third thermoplastic polymer in the core of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber, and wherein the second thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber and the fourth thermoplastic polymer in the sheath of the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber are polymers of the same polymer family and have substantially the same melting temperature; and forming the first bicomponent core / sheath fiber and the second bicomponent core / sheath fiber into a nonwoven fabric.