Process for the preparation of polybenzazole filaments and fibers
US5525638A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 12, 1995 |
| Grant date | Jun 11, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 12, 2015 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC D)Textiles; Paper
- CPC primaryD01F6/74
- WIPO fieldTextile and paper machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Described is a continuous process for removing polyphosphoric acid from a polybenzazole dope filament, which comprises: (a) contacting the dope filament with water or a mixture of water and polyphosphoric acid under conditions sufficient to reduce the phosphorous content of the filament to less than about 10,000 ppm by weight; and then (b) contacting the dope filament with an aqueous solution of an inorganic base under conditions sufficient to convert at least about 50 percent of the polyphosphoric acid groups present in the filament to a salt of the base and the acid. It has been discovered that contacting the dope filament with a solution of a base after washing the filament to remove most of the residual phosphorous advantageously leads to an improvement in the initial tensile strength of the filament, as well as improved retention of tensile strength and/or molecular weight (of the polybenzazole polymer) following exposure to light and/or high temperatures.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.