Claims
- 1. An elastic fiber having a percent recovery of at least about 50 percent consisting essentially of at least one homogeneously branched substantially linear ethylene polymer characterized as having:
a) a melt flow ratio, I10/I2, ≧5.63, b) a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, defined by the equation: Mw/Mn<(I10/I2)−4.63, c) a critical shear rate at onset of surface melt fracture of at least 50 percent greater than the critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture of a linear ethylene polymer having about the same I2 and Mw/Mn, and d) a density less than about 0.90 g/cm3.
- 2. The elastic fiber of claim 1 wherein the Mw/Mn of the homogeneously branched substantially linear ethylene polymer is less than about 3.5.
- 3. The elastic fiber of claim 1 wherein the Mw/Mn of the homogeneously branched substantially linear ethylene polymer is from about 1.5 to about 2.5.
- 4. The elastic fiber of claim 3 wherein the I10/I2 of the ethylene polymer is at least about 6.
- 5. The elastic fiber of claim 3 wherein the I10/I2 of the ethylene polymer is at least about 7.
- 6. The elastic fiber of claim 3 wherein the I10/I2 of the ethylene polymer is at least about 8.
- 7. The elastic fiber of claim 1 wherein the ethylene polymer is an interpolymer of ethylene with at least one C3-C20 α-olefin.
- 8. The elastic fiber of claim 1 wherein the ethylene polymer is a copolymer of ethylene with a C3-C20 α-olefin.
- 9. The elastic fiber of claim 1 wherein the ethylene polymer is a copolymer of ethylene with 1-butene, 1-hexene, 4-methy-1-pentene or 1-octene.
- 10. The elastic fiber of claim 9 wherein the ethylene polymer is a copolymer of ethylene with 1-octene.
- 11. The elastic fiber of claim 10 wherein the density is from about 0.85 to about 0.89 g/cm3.
- 12. An elastic fabric comprising elastic fibers having a percent recovery of at least about 50 percent, wherein the elastic fibers consist essentially of at least one homogeneously branched substantially linear ethylene polymer characterized as having.
a) a melt flow ratio, I10/I2, ≧5.63, b) a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, defined by the equation: Mw/Mn≦(I10/I2)−4.63, c) a critical shear rate at onset of surface melt fracture of at least 50 percent greater than the critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture of a linear ethylene polymer having about the same I2 and Mw/Mn, and d) a density less than about 0.90 g/cm3.
- 13. A fabricated article comprising an elastic fabric, wherein the elastic fabric comprises elastic fibers having a percent recovery of at least about 50 percent, wherein the elastic fibers consist essentially of at least one homogeneously branched substantially linear ethylene polymer characterized as having:
a) a melt flow ratio, I10/I2, ≧5.63, b) a molecular weight distribution, Mw/Mn, defined by the equation: Mw/Mn≦(I10/I2)−4.63, c) a critical shear rate at onset of surface melt fracture of at least 50 percent greater than the critical shear rate at the onset of surface melt fracture of a linear ethylene polymer having about the same I2 and Mw/Mn, and d) a density less than about 0.90 g/cm3.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of pending application Ser. No. 07/776,130, filed Oct. 15, 1991, and a continuation-in-part of pending application Ser. No. 07/939,281, filed Sep. 2, 1992, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08688416 |
Jul 1996 |
US |
Child |
09906440 |
Jul 2001 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07776130 |
Oct 1991 |
US |
Child |
08688416 |
Jul 1996 |
US |
Parent |
07939281 |
Sep 1992 |
US |
Child |
08688416 |
Jul 1996 |
US |