Filament composition

Abstract

Provided herein is a composition for forming a filament, the composition comprising a blend of: (a) 1 wt% to 40 wt% of a post-consumer recycled material having a viscosity of 0.910 g / cm 3 Up to 0.940g / cm 3 of density and a melt index of 1.0 g / 10 min to 5.0 g / 10 min; wherein the post-consumer recycled material is essentially composed of (ai) 30 wt% to 99 wt% of linear low density polyethylene and (aii) 1 wt% to 70 wt% of low density polyethylene; and (b) 60 wt% to 99 wt% of virgin linear low density polyethylene; wherein within the range of 50 rad / s shear rate to 220 rad / s shear rate, the viscosity of the virgin linear low density polyethylene in Pascal seconds is not less than 0.5 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material and not more than 2.0 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material; a method for preparing the above-mentioned filament composition; a filament made from the above-mentioned filament composition; a method for preparing the above-mentioned filament; an artificial turf made from the above-mentioned filament; and a method for manufacturing artificial turf.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition comprising post-consumer recycled (PCR) material; and a monofilament made from the composition, wherein the processability of the monofilament is enhanced without compromising its mechanical properties. The monofilament is suitable for making artificial turf and other artificial grass applications. In one embodiment, the source of the PCR material is from packaging waste. Background Art

[0002] The demand for plastics has increased exponentially over the past few decades due to increasing world population and prosperity. Most of the plastics used are derived from natural resources, such as non-renewable fossil fuel sources. It is generally believed in the industry that in order to meet the growing demand for plastics in the future, plastics must be recycled, especially recycled plastic materials or fibers for use in disposable products. It is also believed that using recycled materials is better for the environment and reduces the waste of natural resources used for disposable products.

[0003] The largest plastics market (and therefore the largest source of recycled materials) is packaging, which accounts for about 40% of the total plastic production. It is advantageous for the plastics industry to develop methods for recovering surplus or unused materials that would otherwise be wasted by burning or placing them in landfills. However, the use of recycled materials and fibers has disadvantages. It is generally recognized in the art that recycled materials and fibers often result in products with physical properties that are generally not as acceptable as products made from virgin materials or fibers. As a result, the amount of recycled materials or fibers used in products is generally limited due to the loss of physical properties of products made from recycled materials or fibers.

[0004] The use of recycled materials or fibers is becoming a larger part of some industries. For example, EP3040199B1 discloses barrier packaging that is recyclable itself and describes an all-PO multilayer structure that facilitates the recycling of post-consumer waste for barrier packaging applications. US9447269 B2 discloses modified flexible EVOH for high-performance films, wherein the film exhibits good flexibility and barrier properties by incorporating a polymer modifier. A presentation given at the 2019 AMI conference by STC Spinnzwim entitled “Efficient and sustainable solutions for synthetic grass yarns” described a bicomponent artificial turf yarn, wherein coreEnabling the option of recycling old straw carpets or production waste. A publication entitled "Insights into the Complex Issue of Recycling Plastic Packaging Waste"; Wageningen UR food and biobased research (2013) describes a scientific approach to calculating the cost / efficiency and environmental impact of plastic packaging waste. Another doctoral thesis by Benny Lujjsterburg entitled "Mechanical Recycling of Plastic Packaging Waste" (2014) describes similar work to the above publication and describes the complex issue of recycling packaging waste. Another publication by General Services of America entitled "Polyethylene Useful for Producing Film and Molded Articles in a Process which Uses Solid State Stretching" describes a method for orienting cast articles using specific resins with different properties such as melt index (MI) and density.

[0005] None of the above prior art references disclose the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials from packaging applications or the incorporation of PCR materials into resins such as polyethylene resins. Nor do the above prior art references disclose the orientation characteristics and properties of the resulting material combining PCR materials and resins. Nor do the above prior art references mention the use of PCR materials for artificial turf applications. The properties of artificial turf yarns can vary significantly when made from various different known resin products.

[0006] Current artificial turf fields contain polyethylene fibers, called yarns, that mimic real blades of grass. The performance of the entire turf system depends largely on the yarns used to make the turf system. The general method of making artificial turf includes the steps of tufting polyethylene fibers into a primary backing and coating the primary backing with a secondary backing to keep the yarns distributed and fixed. Granular fillers are spread over the field to keep the yarns in an upright position. And typically, a cushioning layer is added to the secondary backing to provide shock absorption.

[0007] Traditionally, synthetic turf has been widely used in demanding sports applications requiring high durability and must meet other stringent requirements in order to be certified by sports or government agencies. Known PCR materials, such as those derived from packaging waste streams, cannot be processed into monofilaments with the required properties for making synthetic or artificial turf yarns, which in turn can be used to make artificial turf surface products with the high performance attributes required for sports applications. Summary of the invention

[0008] The present invention relates to a composition comprising a PCR material which can be easily converted into filamentary products, such as single component monofilament yarns and bicomponent monofilament yarns, as well as into single layer fibrillated tape yarns and multi-layer fibrillated tape yarns.

[0009] In a general embodiment, the filament composition of the present invention includes a combination of the following substances: (a) PCR material and (b) a "reinforcer" additive. In a preferred embodiment, the PCR material includes a mixture of (ai) linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) resin and (aii) low density polyethylene (LDPE) resin material derived from a packaging waste stream of a flexible packaging production application; and the reinforcing agent additive includes virgin LLDPE resin. The virgin LLDPE resin is referred to as a "reinforcer" additive because the additive advantageously enhances the properties of the PCR material to make the PCR material suitable for artificial turf yarn, wherein the yarn has a combination of processability and mechanical properties for artificial turf applications.

[0010] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a composition for forming filaments, the filament composition comprising a blend of: (a) 1 wt% to 40 wt% of a PCR material having a density of 0.910 g / cm3 to 0.940 g / cm3 and a melt index of 1.0 g / 10 min to 5.0 g / 10 min; wherein the PCR material is essentially composed of 70 wt% to 95 wt% of LLDPE and 5 wt% to 30 wt% of LDPE; and (b) 60 wt% to 99 wt% of a reinforcing agent comprising virgin LLDPE; wherein within the range of shear rate from 50 rad / s to 220 rad / s, the viscosity of the reinforcing agent in Pa.s is not less than 0.5 times the viscosity of the PCR material and not more than 2.0 times the viscosity of the PCR material.

[0011] In another embodiment, the present invention includes a filament made from the above-described filament composition.

[0012] In yet another embodiment, the present invention relates to an artificial turf product made from the above-mentioned filaments.

[0013] In other embodiments, the present invention includes methods for making the above-mentioned filament compositions, the above-mentioned filaments, and the above-mentioned artificial turf products. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Figure 1 is a side view of an artificial turf product showing partial cross-sections of the layers of the product.

[0015] Figure 2 is a graphical illustration showing the increase in gel area as PCR content increases. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0016] As used throughout this specification, the abbreviations given below have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise: "=" means "equal to"; "<" means "less than"; ">" means "greater than"; g = gram; mg = milligram; kg = kilogram; kg / hr = kilogram per hour; % = percentage; kg / m3 = kilogram per cubic meter; g / 10min = gram per 10 minutes; g / min = gram per minute; mbar / min = millibar per minute; mL = milliliter; g / L = gram per liter; Mw = fraction mass; m = meter; μm = micrometer; mm = millimeter; cm = centimeter; min = minute; m / min = meter / minute; mm / min = millimeter / minute; s = second; hr = hour; rad / s = radian / second; ℃ = degrees Celsius; Pa.s = Pascal second; dtex or Decitex = gram / 10,000 meter; cN = hundredth Newton; cN / dtex = hundredth Newton / dtex; mm2 = square millimeter; vol% = volume percentage; and wt% = weight percentage.

[0017] Unless otherwise indicated, all percentages described herein are by weight (wt %).

[0018] Unless otherwise stated, temperatures are in degrees Celsius (°C), and "ambient temperature" means between 20°C and 25°C.

[0019] ISO 14021:2016 defines "post-consumer recycled (PCR) material" as material that is generated by households or commercial, industrial and institutional facilities as the end-user of a product and can no longer be used for the intended use of the product. PCR materials include materials returned from the distribution chain. Some characteristic features of PCR materials typically include, for example, a melt index in the range of 1 g / 10min to 5 g / 10min; a density of 0.910 g / cm3 to 0.940 g / cm3. PCR materials are typically blends of two or more compounds, such as a combination of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE); polyamide (PA) and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH); and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP).

[0020] In one broad embodiment of the present invention, a blend composition or compositions useful for preparing artificial turf filaments include, for example, a blend of: (a) post-consumer recycled material; and (b) virgin linear low density polyethylene.

[0021] Examples of PCR materials that can be used in the filament blend composition of the present invention include, for example, two or more of the following compounds: LLDPE, LDPE, high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), PA, EVOH, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and mixtures thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the PCR material may include, for example, LLDPE, LDPE and mixtures thereof.

[0022] Typically, PCR materials are derived from packaging waste, such as material generated by households or by commercial, industrial, and institutional facilities as end users of the product. The PCR material has a melt index in the following range: 1 g / 10 min to 5 g / 10 min in one general embodiment; and 1.5 g / 10 min to 3 g / 10 min in another embodiment. The density of the PCR material is typically 0.910 g / cm3 to 0.940 g / cm3 in one embodiment; and 0.915 g / cm3 to 0.925 g / cm3 in another embodiment.

[0023] The PCR material component (a) used in the blended filament composition can be present in an amount of PCR material from packaging waste that is typically <40 wt% in one embodiment; 1 wt% to 35 wt% in another embodiment; from 5 wt% to 30 wt% in another embodiment; and 10 wt% to 20 wt% in yet another embodiment. The PCR material has the above-mentioned melt index range and density range. If >40 wt% of PCR material is used, the resulting yarn is not processable due to extrusion instability and filament breakage during drawing.

[0024] The PCR material component (a) itself is a blend of (ai) at least one LLDPE and (aii) at least one LDPE. The amount of LLDPE component (ai) used to prepare the PCR is typically 20 wt% to 99 wt% in one embodiment; 40 wt% to 95 wt% in another embodiment; and 60 wt% to 90 wt% in yet another embodiment. If the amount of LLDPE is <20 wt%, the mechanical properties of the filament may be impaired. If the amount of LLDPE is >99 wt%, the processability of the filament may be impaired.

[0025] The amount of LDPE component (aii) used to prepare the PCR is typically 1 wt% to 80 wt% in one embodiment; 5 wt% to 60 wt% in another embodiment; and 10 wt% to 40 wt% in yet another embodiment. If the amount of LDPE is >80 wt%, the mechanical properties of the filament may be impaired. If the amount of LDPE is <1 wt%, the processability of the filament may be impaired. In a preferred embodiment, the PCR comprises a blend of at least 75 wt% of the LLDPE component (ai) and <25 wt% of the LDPE component (aii).

[0026] The object of the present invention is to provide a "reinforcer" component (which is component (b), virgin linear low density polyethylene) to a PCR material (component (a)) to increase the performance and processability of the PCR material. In a general embodiment, the reinforcing agent component (b) used in the present invention is a virgin linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) with a medium density range. For example, to ensure uniformity between virgin linear low density and PCR, the viscosity of the components in Pascal seconds is measured by the procedures described in ASTM D4440-84 and ASTM D4703. The method of ASTM D4703 per compression molded plaque is used as the first step in measuring the rheology of the mixture; and, the method of ASTM D4440-84 is then used for rheological measurements. Within the range of 50 rad / s shear rate to 220 rad / s shear rate, the viscosity of the virgin linear low density polyethylene is not less than 0.5 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material and not more than 2.0 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material.

[0027] The virgin linear low density polyethylene component (b), which acts as an enhancer for the processability of the blended composition, may be present in an amount typically >60 wt% in one embodiment; 65 wt% to 99 wt% in another embodiment; and from about 70 wt% to about 95 wt% in yet another embodiment. If the concentration of virgin polymer is <60 wt%, the processability and mechanical properties of the filaments may be impaired. If the concentration of virgin polymer is >99 wt%, the chance of incorporating sufficient post-consumer waste into the composition is minimized.

[0028] In another embodiment, the blend composition of the present invention may include a variety of other optional additives. The additives combined with the present composition can be formulated to achieve the performance of a specific function while maintaining the excellent benefits / characteristics of the blend composition. For example, the following additives can be blended with the blend composition to form the filament composition of the present invention, including: antioxidants, pigments, colorants, UV stabilizers, UV absorbers, curing agents, crosslinking aids, reinforcing agents and retarder, processing aids, fillers, coupling agents, ultraviolet light absorbers or stabilizers, antistatic agents, nucleating agents, slip agents, plasticizers, lubricants, viscosity control agents, tackifiers, antiblocking agents, surfactants, extender oils, acid scavengers and metal passivators, etc.; and mixtures thereof.

[0029] In one embodiment, for example, a colorant such as SICOLEN may be used in the filament composition. TM Green 85-125345 (available from BASF). The colorant may be added in an amount of 0 wt% to <10 wt% in one embodiment, 0.01 wt% to <8 wt% in another embodiment, 0.1 wt% to <6 wt% in another embodiment, and 1 wt% to <4 wt% in yet another embodiment.

[0030] In another embodiment, for example, a processing aid can be used in the filament composition, such as ARX-741 (available from Argus). The processing aid can be added in an amount of 0 wt% to <2 wt% in one embodiment, 0.01 wt% to <1.5 wt% in another embodiment, and 0.1 wt% to <1 wt% in yet another embodiment.

[0031] When used in a blended filament composition, other optional additives may be used in amounts ranging from 0 wt % to 10 wt %, in one embodiment, from 0.001 wt % to 10 wt %, in another embodiment, from 0.5 wt % to 10 wt %, and in yet another embodiment, based on the weight of the composition.

[0032] In a broad embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing a blended composition includes, for example, mixing the above-mentioned components (a) and (b); and any desired optional component (c) as described above. Components (a) and (b) can be mixed together using any conventional mixing equipment and method. For example, a dry blend can be prepared by mixing the two components together. In another embodiment, the mixed components are granulated using, for example, methods known in the art, such as the method described in PCT Patent Application Publication No. WO1993000400A1, which discloses polyethylene blends for molding, and the two components can be formed into pellet form.

[0033] One of the advantageous / beneficial properties exhibited by the blended composition produced according to the above method includes: for example, the composition of the present invention may have an improvement in processability. "Improvement in processability" means that the composition can be processed by the production of filaments without stopping in the process due to filter blockage or other failures in the process. The composition also advantageously provides filaments with mechanical properties (toughness, shrinkage and elongation) that remain constant in all samples of any blended composition between PCR and LDPE. For example, the mechanical properties of the filaments are evaluated by toughness and ultimate elongation, which are measured using a single filament with a length of 250 mm and measured in a Zwick tensile dynamometer at 250 mm / min until the fiber breaks. Tenacity is defined as the tensile force at break divided by the linear weight and expressed in cN / dtex. Ultimate elongation is the strain at fiber break, expressed as a percentage of deformation. The shrinkage characteristics of the filaments are measured by cutting one meter of yarn and immersing the yarn in a hot oil bath at 90°C for 20s. The yarn is removed from the bath, dried manually and the length is remeasured. Thermal shrinkage is expressed as the percentage of length reduction before and after immersion.

[0034] There was no effect on the mechanical properties of the filaments made from the compositions including the PCR material, which were the same as the virgin LLDPE in all blend compositions. The differences between the blend compositions were indicated by the processability of the resulting filaments made from the compositions. For example, for compositions with PCR>60%, the yarn was not processable due to filter clogging. Thus, with respect to the increase in pressure in the extruder, the processability of the filaments was higher as the increase in pressure in the extruder was reduced.

[0035] Compositions of virgin PCR material cannot be extruded due to high pressure build-up and film breakage during the process. Addition of reinforcing agents such as virgin LLDPE helps avoid breakage of filaments and films by reducing the pressure build-up in the extruder. Blends containing <40 wt% PCR have acceptable pressure build-up over time for continuous processing, and with amounts >40 wt% PCR, the pressure build-up is considered unacceptable.

[0036] The composition of the present invention can be converted into a monocomponent monofilament yarn and / or a bicomponent monofilament yarn, and into a single-layer fibrillated tape yarn and / or a multi-layer fibrillated tape yarn.

[0037] In a broad embodiment of the invention, the above blend composition is used to prepare the filament itself. The filament assembly includes, for example, the following components (a) and (b) as described above. For example, if the additive is used in an amount of 9 wt% of the composition, the remaining 91 wt% of the composition is a blend between PCR and virgin LLDPE (with a defined composition range).

[0038] In a broad embodiment of the present invention, a method for preparing filaments includes, for example (A) preparing a blended composition by mixing components (a) and (b) as described above; and then (B) extruding the mixture from step (A) through an extruder to form filaments.

[0039] Suitable conventional filament extruders, particularly artificial turf filament extruders can be equipped with a single universal screw and melt pump ("gear pump" or "melt pump") to accurately control the consistency of the polymer volume flow rate entering the die. The artificial turf filament die can have multiple single holes for distributing a single filament on a circular or rectangular spinneret. The shape of the hole corresponds to the desired filament cross-sectional profile, including, for example, a rectangular profile, a dog-bone profile, a V-shaped profile, and a Mexican hat-shaped profile. The standard spinneret has 50 die holes to 160 die holes of a specific size. In a general embodiment, the pipeline can have an output rate of 50kg / hr to 350kg / hr.

[0040] In a general embodiment, the artificial turf filaments can be extruded into a water bath with a distance of 16mm to 40mm from the die to the water bath. The coated guide rod in the water redirects the filaments to the first output group rollers. The linear speed of the first output group rollers can generally vary from 15m / min to 70m / min. The first output group rollers can be heated and used to preheat the filaments after the water bath and before entering the stretching oven. The stretching oven can be a hot air or water bath oven. The filaments can be stretched to a predetermined stretch ratio in the stretching oven. In some embodiments, the stretch ratio is at least 3.5. In other embodiments, the stretch ratio is at least 4.5, at least 4.8, at least 5.0, at least 5.2 or at least 5.5. The stretch ratio is the ratio between the speed of the second output group rollers after the stretching oven and the speed of the first output group rollers before the stretching oven. The second output group rollers can be operated at a speed different from (higher or lower) the first group rollers.

[0041] After the filaments pass through the second output set of rollers, the filaments are then stretched through a set of three annealing ovens. The three annealing ovens can be hot air ovens with co-current or countercurrent hot air flows, which can operate at 50°C to 150°C, or hot water ovens, where the filaments are oriented at a temperature of 50°C to 98°C. At the exit of the first annealing oven, the filaments are conveyed to a third set of rollers that can be operated at a speed different from (higher or lower) the second set of rollers. The linear speed ratio of the third set of rollers located behind the oven to the second set of rollers located in front of the oven can be referred to as a stretch ratio or a relaxation ratio. At the exit of the second annealing oven, the filaments are conveyed to a fourth set of rollers that can be operated at a speed different from (higher or lower) the third set of rollers. At the exit of the third annealing oven, the filaments are conveyed to a fifth set of rollers that can be operated at a speed different from (higher or lower) the fourth set of rollers.

[0042] The artificial turf filaments may optionally undergo further post-extrusion processing (eg, annealing, cutting, etc.).

[0043] The artificial turf filaments of the present invention may be defined by various properties. For example, in some embodiments herein, the artificial turf filaments may exhibit a shrinkage of <8.0%, a tenacity of >0.8 cN / dtex, and an elongation of >60%. All individual values ​​and subranges of <8.0% are included and disclosed herein.

[0044] Some advantageous / beneficial properties exhibited by the filaments (or yarns) produced according to the above method may include, for example, processable yarns when using the present invention. Due to the pressure increase in the extruder, processability is limited. The present invention allows the possibility of keeping the pressure in the extruder close to constant and minimizing the pressure increase in the extruder. If the pressure increase becomes too high, yarns cannot be produced in a fixed manner. In all blends used in the present invention, mechanical properties remain constant (e.g., there is no influence of recycled materials incorporated into the structure).

[0045] For example, the pressure increase is measured by measuring the slope of the pressure inside the extruder.In a general embodiment, the pressure increase in the extruder is maintained at < 700 mbar / min.

[0046] The mechanical properties of the filaments, such as tenacity, are determined using a Zwick tensile tester, operating on a single filament of 250 mm length, and using a tensile speed of 250 mm / min until the filament breaks. The tenacity (in cN / dtex) is the tensile stress at break (in cN) divided by the linear weight (in dtex). In a typical embodiment, the tenacity of the filament is > 0.6 cN / dtex.

[0047] Mechanical properties such as tenacity of the filament elongation are also determined using a Zwick tensile tester, where the elongation is the strain at break. Typically, in one embodiment, the filament has an elongation of >60%.

[0048] The favorable properties of tenacity and elongation of the filaments of the present invention are important because such properties allow the use of PCR in yarns and provide extrudable properties for PCR in yarns. In addition, the favorable properties of the filaments are important because the benefit is the processability of the filaments and the mechanical properties of the filaments are not compromised.

[0049] In a broad embodiment of the present invention, the above filaments are used to make various products, such as yarns, films, fabrics, carpets, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the filaments are used to make products such as artificial turf (also known as artificial grass, artificial grass or artificial carpet).

[0050] The artificial turf produced using the yarn (filament) of the present invention includes, for example, the following components: yarn, filler, primary backing, secondary backing, shock absorbing pad and optional drainage system. The yarn can be a single-layer structure or a multi-layer structure. For example, referring to Figure 1 , shows an assembly of a multi-layer artificial turf product generally indicated by reference numeral 10, including, for example, a yarn turf layer 11, a granular filling material 12, a primary backing layer 13, a secondary backing layer 14 and a planar shock absorbing pad member 15. Figure 1 As shown, the layers 11, 13, 14 and 15 are connected to each other and the granular fill material 12 is spread over the top of the yarn turf layer 11 to form a multi-layer artificial turf product. The artificial turf 10 may be placed on a ground 16 or other desired surface.

[0051] The artificial turf 10 produced using the yarn (filament) 11 of the present invention is produced by tufting the yarn 11 into a primary backing layer 13 .

[0052] The artificial turf 10 may optionally include a filler material 12. Suitable filler materials include, but are not limited to, a mixture of granulated rubber particles such as SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) recycled from automobile tires, EPDM (ethylene-propylene-diene monomer), other vulcanized rubbers or rubber recycled from belts, thermoplastic elastomers (TPE), thermoplastic vulcanizates (TPV), and mixtures thereof.

[0053] The primary backing 13 may include, but is not limited to, a woven, knitted, or nonwoven web or fabric made from one or more natural or synthetic fibers or yarns, such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polyamide, polyester, rayon, and mixtures thereof.

[0054] The secondary backing 14 may include a polyurethane (including, for example, polyurethanes known under the name ENFORCER TM or ENHANCER TM Polyurethanes are provided, available from Dow Chemical Company) or latex-based materials, such as styrene-butadiene latex or acrylates; and mixtures thereof.

[0055] The artificial turf 10 may optionally include a shock absorbing layer 15 below the secondary backing 14 of the artificial turf 10. The shock absorbing layer 15 may be made of polyurethane, PVC foam or polyurethane foam, rubber, closed-cell cross-linked polyethylene foam, polyurethane backing with voids, elastomeric foam of polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene, polyurethane, polypropylene, and mixtures thereof. Non-limiting examples of shock absorbing layers include, for example ENFORCER TM Sports polyurethane systems and ENHANCER TM Sports polyurethane system.

[0056] The artificial turf 10 may optionally include a drainage system ( Figure 1 The drainage system allows water to be removed from the artificial turf 10 and prevents the artificial turf 10 from being soaked by water. Non-limiting examples of drainage systems include stone-based drainage systems, EXCELDRAIN TM Sheet 100, EXCELDRAIN TM Sheet 200 and EXCELDRAIN TM EX-T STRIP (available from American Wick Drain Corp., Monroe, NC).

[0057] In a broad embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an artificial turf product 10 includes, for example, the method described in WO2019133789. Generally, the method includes the following steps (A): providing (i) an artificial turf carpet or filament carpet 11; (II) at least one primary backing 13; and (III) at least one secondary backing 14; and (B) combining the above components by integrally connecting the primary backing layer 13 to the turf carpet 11 and the secondary backing layer 14 to the primary backing layer 13. Then, (C) optionally adding a shock-absorbing pad layer 15 to the above assembly. In another embodiment, the artificial turf system or assembly of the present invention may further optionally include (IV) a granular filling material 12, and the filling material 12 may be spread over the artificial twisted yarn carpet 11. In yet another embodiment, a drainage system may optionally be included in the artificial turf below the shock-absorbing pad 15.

[0058] The advantageous properties of the artificial turf product are based on the benefits of the filaments (yarns) described above, as the PCR material is incorporated into the filament yarn; and in turn, the yarn is incorporated into a turf product or turf system as described above.

[0059] The artificial turf product produced according to the above method has all the desired properties for use in areas such as sports fields and is advantageously able to withstand the rigors of sports such as football.

[0060] As mentioned above, the filaments of the present invention are used, for example, to provide a yarn of a plurality of filaments. The yarn is in turn used to make an artificial turf product. And, the turf product can be used to cover a surface to form a field for playing sports such as golf, football, soccer, baseball, etc.

[0061] Other applications where the filaments or yarns of the present invention may be used in applications such as monofilament yarns, fibrillated flat yarns, thatch yarns or other yarns, landscaping turf, recreational turf, homemade turf, contact sports and non-contact sports applications.

[0062] Examples

[0063] The following examples are provided to further illustrate the present invention in detail but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Unless otherwise indicated, all parts and percentages are by weight.

[0064] The various ingredients, components, additives or raw materials used in the inventive examples (Inv.Ex.) and comparative examples (Comp.Ex.) are explained below:

[0065] The raw materials used in the present invention include: (1) a density of 0.922 g / cm 3 and a PCR with a melt flow index of 2 g / min; (2) Reinforcer 1, which is a hexenyl Ziegler Natta catalyst LLDPE with a density of 0.918 g / cm3 and a melt index of 2.3 g / 10 min; and (3) Reinforcer 2, which is an octenyl Ziegler Natta catalyst LLDPE with a density of 0.917 g / cm3 and a melt index of 2.3 g / 10 min. The masterbatch used is Green 1229, and the processing aid is ARX-741.

[0066] Examples 1 to 5 and Comparative Example A

[0067] Several sample filament compositions were prepared and tested as described below. The post-consumer recycled material was reinforced by adding a reinforcement agent such as virgin LLDPE (eg, Reinforcement Agent 1 and Reinforcement Agent 2 described above).

[0068] Table I below summarizes the filament compositions of the samples used in Inventive Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example A. The samples in Table I focus on single component samples.

[0069] Table I - Single Component Samples

[0070]

[0071] Table II below summarizes the filament compositions of the samples used in Inventive Examples 4 and 5. The samples in Table II focus on bicomponent samples.

[0072] Table II - Two-component samples

[0073]

[0074] In the above Tables I and II, the total PCR composition is the same in Inventive Example 1 and Inventive Example 4, and in Inventive Example 5 and Inventive Example 3.

[0075] Test Method

[0076] Filaments were prepared from the filament compositions for testing using a conventional monofilament machine. In all examples, 8 wt% of a color concentrate (Green 1229) and 1 wt% of a processing aid (ARX-741) were used in the filament compositions.

[0077] The inventive and comparative examples were run at 2,000 dtex. The stretch ratio and annealing were kept constant for all examples at 5.2 and 20%, respectively.

[0078] The extrusion conditions are summarized in Table III as follows:

[0079] Table III - Processing Conditions for Yarn Processability

[0080]

[0081] All filaments or yarns are extruded in a diamond shape. The mechanical properties of the yarns are measured in the laboratory, including tenacity, ultimate elongation and shrinkage.

[0082] Tenacity and ultimate elongation

[0083] A single filament of 250 mm in length is measured in a Zwick tensile dynamometer at 250 mm / min until the fiber (filament) breaks. The tenacity of the filament is defined as the tensile force at break divided by the linear weight; and the tenacity is expressed in cN / dtex units.

[0084] The ultimate elongation of a filament is the strain at which the fiber breaks, expressed as a percentage of deformation.

[0085] Shrinkage

[0086] 1 meter of yarn was cut and immersed in a hot oil bath at 90°C for 20 seconds. The yarn was removed from the bath, dried manually and the length was remeasured. The heat shrinkage was expressed as the percentage of the length reduction before and after the yarn was immersed in the hot oil bath.

[0087] The pressure of the extruder is determined as a criterion for processability. The PCR leads to filter clogging, which causes a linear increase in pressure in the extruder, and therefore the pressure increase per minute is reported as a characteristic for processability.

[0088] Filament test results

[0089] Table IV describes the pressure increase in the extruder when running the inventive and comparative examples.

[0090] Table IV - Pressure Increase in Extruder

[0091]

[0092] Due to the PCR insertion, there was instability in the extruder, which resulted in a pressure increase. The pressure increase in the extruder decreased as the amount of reinforcing agent increased. It was not possible to collect samples of Comparative Example A due to the pressure increase and fiber breakage during drawing.

[0093] Inventive Example 7 and Inventive Example 8 showed the lowest pressure increase. The pressure increase of Inventive Examples 6, 9 and 10 was at least half of that of Comparative Example B.

[0094] Figure 2 The mechanical properties of the inventive examples and comparative examples are summarized. Even though it was not possible to collect the sample of Comparative Example B due to fiber breakage during drawing, the mechanical properties of the sample were evaluated for comparative purposes.

[0095] Table V - Mechanical Properties

[0096]

[0097] As shown by the results in Table V, the addition of the reinforcing agent did not affect the mechanical properties of the filament samples, as the mechanical properties did not change significantly for all of the examples described in Table V. It is expected that the mechanical properties of the filament samples would not change.

[0098] As also shown in the results in Table V, the processability of the filament composition of Comparative Example B is improved by adding reinforcing agents as indicated in Inventive Example 6, Inventive Example 7, and Inventive Example 8; and the mechanical properties of the filament samples made from the filament composition are not affected by the increase in the amount of reinforcing agent.

[0099] Membrane test results

[0100] The film prototypes were prepared using the same filament (yarn) composition used to prepare the yarn structures. All films were 200 μm and extruded in a cast extrusion line for evaluation. The extrusion conditions are summarized in Table VI as follows:

[0101] Table VI - Extrusion Conditions for Film Formation

[0102]

[0103]

[0104] In Table VI, "N / A" means "not applicable."

[0105] Gel content test method

[0106] Tests to determine gel count per square meter of film were performed on film prototypes to quantify the impact of enhancer addition. Gel content tests were used to determine gel content both online and offline by optical measurement of gel. The film details and test specifications are summarized in Table VII below:

[0107] Table VII - Test Specifications for Gel Content Test

[0108]

[0109] Table VIII summarizes the gel counts per square meter of film as a function of gel size.

[0110] Table VIII - Gel counts per square meter as a function of gel size

[0111] Gel size, μm: 64 100 200 300 400 500 800 1,000 1,200 1,600 Comparative Example C: 1240 608 1569 903 527 310 397 1 0 0 Example 11 of the present invention: 315 155 411 218 112 69 119 2 1 0

[0112] From the results in Table VIII, it can be seen that the addition of enhancers in Example 11 of the present invention reduced the PCR gel content (Comparative Example C). The parameter used to define the acceptable gel content in a sample is the gel area / square meter of product. The gel area of ​​each sample has been calculated, and only gels with a size of >100 μm are considered for gel counting because the mesh size of the filter is about 120 μm. Tables IX and IX below show that the gel content of the sample is 100 μm. Figure 2 The graph depicts all values ​​including the overall increase in gel area based on PCR content. Gel area is in mm2, while membrane is in square meters.

[0113] Table IX - Gel area per square meter (mm) as a function of PCR content 2 / sqm)

[0114] PCR content 0％ 20％ 50％ 100％ Area (100μm) 0 1.21737 3.33794 4.77522 Area (200 μm) 0 12.9119 36.5053 49.2916 Area (300μm) 0 15.4095 45.3803 63.8293 Area (400μm) 0.25133 14.0743 43.2283 66.2248 Area (500μm) 0 13.5481 43.1969 60.8684 Area (800μm) 0.50265 59.8159 139.738 199.554 Area (1,000μm) 0 1.5708 0.7854 0.7854 Area (1,200 μm) 0 1.13097 0 0 total 0.75398224 119.6789721 312.172208 445.328613

Claims

1. A composition for forming a filament, the composition comprising a blend of: (a) 20 to 40 weight percent post-consumer recycled material having a density of 0.910 to 0.930 g / cm3 and a melt index of 1.0 to 5.0 g / 10 minutes; wherein the post-consumer recycled material consists of (ai) 30 to 99 weight percent linear low density polyethylene and (aii) 1 to 70 weight percent low density polyethylene; and (b) 60 wt% to 95 wt% virgin linear low density polyethylene; wherein the virgin linear low density polyethylene has a viscosity in Pascal-seconds of not less than 0.5 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material and not more than 2.0 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material over a shear rate range of 50 rad / sec to 220 rad / sec.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the post-consumer recycled material has a gel content of less than 312 Gel Area per square millimeter per square meter of film as measured according to the method described in the Gel Content Test Method herein; wherein the gel area takes into account gels with a diameter greater than 100 microns.

3. The composition of any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the post-consumer recycled material has a melt index of 1.5 g / 10 min to 3 g / 10 min.

4. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the virgin linear low density polyethylene has a density of 0.910 g / cm3 to 0.940 g / cm3.

5. The composition of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the filaments have a core / sheath cross-sectional profile; and wherein the core comprises the blend of claim 1 and the sheath comprises virgin linear low density polyethylene.

6. A filament comprising: A composition comprising a blend of: (a) 20 to 40 weight percent post-consumer recycled material having a density of 0.910 to 0.930 g / cm3 and a melt index of 1.0 to 5.0 g / 10 minutes; wherein the post-consumer recycled material consists of (ai) 30 to 99 weight percent linear low density polyethylene and (aii) 1 to 70 weight percent low density polyethylene; and (b) 60 to 95 weight percent virgin linear low density polyethylene; Wherein within the range of 50 rad / sec shear rate to 220 rad / sec shear rate, the viscosity of the virgin linear low density polyethylene in Pascal-seconds is not less than 0.5 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material and not greater than 2.0 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material.

7. A method for producing a filament composition, the method comprising the steps of mixing: (a) 20 to 40 weight percent post-consumer recycled material having a density of 0.910 to 0.930 g / cm3 and a melt index of 1.0 to 5.0 g / 10 minutes; wherein the post-consumer recycled material consists of (ai) 30 to 99 weight percent linear low density polyethylene and (aii) 1 to 70 weight percent low density polyethylene; and (b) 60 wt% to 95 wt% virgin linear low density polyethylene; wherein the virgin linear low density polyethylene has a viscosity in Pascal-seconds of not less than 0.5 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material and not more than 2.0 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material over a shear rate range of 50 rad / sec to 220 rad / sec.

8. A method for producing filaments, the method comprising the steps of: (A) Mix the following materials in an extruder: (a) 20 to 40 weight percent post-consumer recycled material having a density of 0.910 to 0.930 g / cm3 and a melt index of 1.0 to 5.0 g / 10 minutes; wherein the post-consumer recycled material consists of (ai) 30 to 99 weight percent linear low density polyethylene and (aii) 1 to 70 weight percent low density polyethylene; and (b) 60 wt% to 95 wt% virgin linear low density polyethylene; wherein the virgin linear low density polyethylene has a viscosity in Pascal-seconds of not less than 0.5 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material and not more than 2.0 times the viscosity of the post-consumer recycled material over a shear rate range of 50 rad / sec to 220 rad / sec; and (B) Extruding the mixture of step (A) through the extruder to form filaments.

9. An artificial turf carpet comprising a plurality of filaments according to claim 6.

10. An artificial turf system, comprising: (I) The artificial turf carpet according to claim 9; (II) at least one primary backing integral with the artificial turf carpet of (I); and (III) at least one secondary backing integral with the at least one primary backing of (II).

11. The artificial turf system according to claim 10, further comprising (IV) granular filling dispersed on the artificial turf carpet of (I).

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