Water stable fibers and articles comprising starch, and methods of making the same

a technology of thermoplastic starch and water stable fibers, which is applied in the direction of filament/thread forming, monocomponent polyester artificial filament, monocomponent polyamide artificial filament, etc., can solve the problems of starch fibers that are difficult to produce, small defects, and non-homogeneity in melt, and serious disruption of the stable supply of petroleum-based polymers used in making synthetic fibers

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-04-12
THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] In general, the present invention provides starch-based compositions, fibers and articles in other forms with improved water stability, and compositions and processes for making such water stable compositions and articles. Water stability may be achieved without requiring the use of petroleum based polymers including, but not limited to, polyolefins. Water stability can provide a variety of consumer-related benefits. The fibers, compositions and processes may provide a low-cost alternative to conventional petroleum-based materials. These and additional advantages will be more apparent in view of the following detailed description.

Problems solved by technology

However, starch fibers can be much more difficult to produce than films, blow-molded articles, and injection-molded articles containing starch because the material and processing characteristics for fibers are much more stringent.
For spinning fine fibers, small defects, slight inconsistencies, or non-homogeneity in the melt are typically not acceptable for current, commercially viable processes.
Unpredictable fluctuations in price and availability of petroleum and its derivatives have created serious disruptions to the stable supply of petroleum-based polymers used in making synthetic fibers, for example, those based on polyolefins.
Unfortunately, thermoplastic starch (TPS) is highly susceptible to moisture.
In fact, fibers made of TPS can spontaneously pick up atmospheric moisture and become tacky.
Although methods exist for rendering thermoplastic compositions containing starch more water stable including, but not limited the addition of petroleum based polymers, there remains an unmet need for greater water stability in such compositions and in articles made from such compositions.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

[0090] This example demonstrates melt mixing and one-shot spinning of water stable fibers. The following materials are mixed in a Haake Rheocord 90 melt mixer, Thermo Electron Corporation, Newington, N.H.: [0091] 30 g Ethylex™ 2015 hydroxyethylated starch (Tate & Lyle, Decatur, Ill.) [0092] 12.5 g Glycerol (Aldrich Chemicals, St. Louis, Mo.) [0093] 7.5 g Soybean oil (Aldrich Chemicals, St. Louis, Mo.) [0094] 0.0125 g p-Toluenesulfonic acid (Aldrich Chemicals, St. Louis, Mo.)

[0095] The starch and the glycerol are mixed for about 3 minutes at about 60 rpm at a temperature of about 160° C. The balance of components are added and mixed for an additional 7 minutes at about 60 rpm. The contents are removed and allowed to cool to room temperature. The mixture is then chopped using a knife into pieces approximately 50 mm in diameter.

[0096] After 24 hours, the pieces are placed into a piston / cylinder one shot spinning system, Alex James, Inc. of Greer, S.C. The extruder barrel is preheated...

example 3

[0103] This example demonstrates melt mixing and one-shot spinning of water stable starch fibers of various compositions. The following materials are mixed in the described Haake Rheocord 90 melt mixer in a manner as described in Example 1 and melt blended. Approximately 50 g of each composition is made.

Ethylex ™GlycerolLinseed oilSoybean oilp-Toluenesulfonic2015 starch(Aldrich(Aldrich(Aldrichacid (AldrichMaterial,(Tate& Lyle,Chemicals,Chemicals,Chemicals,Chemicals,wt %Decatur, IL)St. Louis, MO)St. Louis, MO)St. Louis, MO)St. Louis, MO)Sample 1602512.52.40.1Sample 26025104.90.1Sample 360257.57.40.1

[0104] After 24 hours, the materials are spun into fibers using the described piston / cylinder one shot spinning system. The extruder barrel is preheated to 160° C. The spinneret capillary is 0.016″ diameter and has an L / D of 3. Fibers are extruded by activating the piston at an extrusion rate of approximately 0.8 g / minute. Approximately 40 g of fibers of each composition are collected.

[...

example 4

[0106] This example demonstrates additional blending and spinning of fibers with water stability. The following materials are used: [0107] 3500 g Ethylex™ 2015 (Tate & Lyle, Decatur, Ill.) [0108] 1095 g Glycerol (Aldrich Chemicals, St. Louis, Mo.) [0109] 438 g Linseed oil (Aldrich Chemicals, St. Louis, Mo.) [0110] 438 g Stearic acid (Aldrich Chemicals, St. Louis, Mo.) [0111] 50 g Magnesium stearate (Aldrich Chemicals, St. Louis, Mo.)

[0112] The starch, linseed oil, stearic acid and magnesium stearate (employed as a process aid) are dry mixed in a Henschel Raw Material Mixer (Green Bay, Wis.) for 4 minutes at 1000 rpm. The mixture is then fed into a B&P Process System Twin Screw Extrusion Compounding System (Saginaw, Mich.) with 40 mm co-rotating screws. Glycerol is fed through a liquid feed port at a rate that maintains the desired composition stated above. The screw speed is set at 90 rpm with the thermal profile as shown below:

Temperaturezone 1zone 2zone 3zone 4zone 5zone 6zone ...

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Abstract

Water stable fibers and articles made therefrom are formed from a thermoplastic composition comprising destructured starch, polyhydric alcohol, triglyceride, and optionally acid. Processes for making water stable compositions may comprise melt extruding a mixture of destructured starch, polyhydric alcohol, triglyceride, and optionally acid, to form an extrudate, and heating the mixture, extrudate, or both to provide a water stable article.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 725,424, filed 11 Oct. 2005.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to fibers made from thermoplastic starch compositions, and articles made therefrom. The fibers and articles are water stable, or may be rendered so. The invention also relates to methods of making the fibers and articles. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] There have been many attempts to make starch-containing fibers, particularly on a high speed industrial level. However, starch fibers can be much more difficult to produce than films, blow-molded articles, and injection-molded articles containing starch because the material and processing characteristics for fibers are much more stringent. For example, local strain rates and shear rates can be much greater in fiber production than in other processes. Additionally, a homogeneous composition may be required for fiber spinning. ...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): D01D5/30B32B5/16D04H3/00D04H1/42D04H1/54D04H1/70D04H3/16
CPCA61L15/28Y10T428/2931C08L3/08C08L23/12C08L91/00C08L2205/02D01F1/10D01F6/46D01F6/90D01F6/92D01F8/06D01F8/14D01F8/18D01F9/00D01F11/00D04H1/42D04H1/54D04H1/70D04H3/16D21H13/14D21H13/30D21H15/10D21H17/13D21H17/15D21H17/28D21H17/38D21H17/47D21H17/53D21H27/10C08L3/02Y10T428/2929C08L2666/02C08L3/04D04H1/4266D04H1/435Y10T442/642Y10T442/696Y10T442/641Y10T442/637Y10T442/638D04H1/43828
Inventor NODA, ISAOSATKOWSKI, MICHAEL M.ALLEN, WILLIAM M. JR.KNAPMEYER, JAMES T.
Owner THE PROCTER & GAMBLE COMPANY
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