Claims
- 1. A hollow plastic fiber comprising a polymeric shell surrounding a continuous series of internal gaseous voids, the polymeric shell comprising polymer chains that are at least partially radially oriented.
- 2. A hollow fiber according to claim 1 wherein the hollow fiber is derived from a thermo-expandable fiber, the thermo-expandable fiber characterized by a polymeric wall surrounding a continuous series of pockets of blowing agent, the polymeric wall comprising reactive functionalities.
- 3. A hollow fiber according to claim 1 wherein the hollow fiber is derived from a thermo-expandable fiber, the thermo-expandable fiber characterized by a polymeric wall comprising a polymer and one or more reactive oligomers or crosslinkable moieties capable of forming a crosslinked, interpenetrating, or semi-interpenetrating polymeric network within the polymeric wall.
- 4. A hollow fiber according to claim 1 wherein the polymeric shell comprises an engineering thermoplastic polymer.
- 5. A hollow fiber according to claim 1 wherein the polymeric shell comprises a copolymer, multiblock polymer, or polymer blend.
- 6. A hollow fiber according to claim 1 wherein the polymeric shell comprises a naturally occurring polymer.
- 7. A hollow fiber according to claim 6 wherein the naturally occurring polymer is selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, and proteins.
- 8. A hollow fiber according to claim 7 wherein the naturally occurring polymer is Zein.
- 9. An insulating material comprising a plurality of expanded hollow fibers, each hollow fiber comprising a polymeric shell surrounding a continuous series of internal gaseous voids, the polymeric shell comprising polymer chains that are at least partially radially oriented.
- 10. An insulating material according to claim 9 wherein the hollow fibers are fused to each other.
- 11. A hollow plastic fiber according to claim 2 wherein the blowing agent is liquid.
- 12. A hollow plastic fiber according to claim 2 wherein the blowing agent is a solid at room temperature.
- 13. A hollow plastic fiber according to claim 2 wherein the blowing agent is insoluble and is in the shape of a cylinder.
- 14. An insulating material according to claim 9 wherein the hollow fiber is derived from a thermo-expandable fiber, the thermo-expandable fiber characterized by a polymeric wall surrounding one or more pockets of blowing agent, the polymeric wall comprising reactive functionalities.
- 15. An insulating material according to claim 9 wherein the hollow fiber is derived from a thermo-expandable fiber, the thermo-expandable fiber characterized by a polymeric wall comprising a polymer and one or more reactive oligomers or crosslinkable moieties capable of forming a crosslinked, interpenetrating, or semi-interpenetrating polymeric network within the polymeric wall.
- 16. An insulating material according to claim 9 wherein the polymeric shell comprises an engineering thermoplastic polymer.
- 17. An insulating material according to claim 9 wherein the polymeric shell comprises a copolymer, multiblock polymer, or polymer blend.
- 18. An insulating material according to claim 9 wherein the polymeric shell comprises a naturally occuring polymer.
- 19. An insulating material according to claim 18 wherein the naturally occuring polymer is selected from the group consisting of polysaccharides, lipids, proteins, and Zein.
- 20. An insulating material according to claim 14 wherein the blowing agent is a liquid.
- 21. An insulating material according to claim 14 wherein the blowing agent is a solid at room temperature.
- 22. An insulating material according to claim 14 wherein the blowing agent is insoluble and is in the shape of a cylinder.
Parent Case Info
This application is a divisional of Ser. No. 09/458,220 filed on Dec. 9, 1999, U.S. Pat. No. 6,221,486.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Hawley's Condensed Chemical Dictionary, 12th Ed., pp. 325, 331, 332 and 936, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., NY (1993). |
Encyclopedia of Polymer Science and Engineering, vol. 2, pp. 434-446 (1985, rev. ed. of 1964). |