1. A thermoplastic composition which comprises in admixture:
(a) a crystalline polybutene-1;
(b) a crystalline polyolefin other than the polybutene-1;
(c) a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer;
(d) a lubricant additive comprising an unsaturated fatty acid ester which reduces surface friction to improve scratch and mar performance and produces a glossy finish;
(e) optionally a nucleating agent that acts as a surface hardener;
(f) optionally a nano sized filler which improves material stability under temperature change and physical properties; and
(g) optionally a coupling agent which couples the composition together in an amount up to about 10% by weight.
2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.
3. The composition of claim 1 containing a color pigment.
4. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 as a molded product.
5. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 as a body part for a vehicle.
6. The composition of any one of claims 1, 2 or 3 as a body part for a vehicle which duplicates a paint color of the vehicle.
7. The composition of claim 1 or 2 which is as pellets formable into a molded product.
8. A method for the preparation of a molded article which comprises:
(a) providing a thermoplastic composition which comprises in admixture: a crystalline polybutene-1; a crystalline polyolefin other than the polybutene-1; a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer; a lubricant additive comprising an unsaturated fatty acid ester which reduces surface friction to improve scratch and mar performance and produces a glossy finish; optionally a nucleating agent that acts as a surface hardener; optionally a nano sized filler which improves material stability under temperature change and physical properties; and optionally a coupling agent which couples the composition together in an amount up to about 10% by weight; and
(b) forming the article in a molding process using a warm highly polished tool to achieve a high gloss scratch resistant surface.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the composition contains a color pigment that may be added during either the material extrusion process or the injection molding process.
10. The method of claim 8 or 9 wherein the composition in step (a) has been mixed in an extruder and then injection molded to produce the molded article.
11. The method of claim 8 or 9 wherein the composition in step (a) is mixed in an extruder, cut into pellets and then injection molded to produce the article.
12. A recycled polyolefin composition which comprises:
a particulate comprising a ground molded product of the thermoplastic composition of claim 1.
13. A method of recycling a polyolefin composition which comprises:
(a) providing a first molded article of a thermoplastic composition of claim 1;
(b) reducing the molded product to a particulate; and
(c) molding the particulate into a second molded article.
14. The composition of claim 1 wherein a nucleating agent is provided to facilitate crystallinity of the polyolefins when the composition is molded.
15. The method of claim 8 wherein a nucleating agent is provided in the composition to facilitate crystallinity of the polyolefins when the composition is molded.
16. A thermoplastic composition which comprises in admixture;
(a) a crystalline polybutene-1;
(b) a crystalline polyolefin other than the polybutene-1;
(c) a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer;
(d) a nucleating agent comprising a solid bicyclic dicarboxylic acid salt; and
(e) optionally a coupling agent which couples (a), (b), (c) and (d) together in an amount up to about 10% by weight.
17. The composition of claim 16 wherein the polyolefin is polypropylene.
18. The composition of claim 16 containing a color pigment.
19. The composition of any one of claims 16, 17 or 18 as a molded product.
20. The composition of any one of claims 16, 17 or 18 as a body part for a vehicle.
21. The composition of any one of claims 16, 17 or 18 as a body part for a vehicle which duplicates a paint color of the vehicle.
22. The composition of any one of claims 16, 17 or 18 which is as pellets formable into a molded product.
23. A method for the preparation of a molded article which comprises:
(a) providing a thermoplastic composition which comprises in admixture: a crystalline polybutene-1; a crystalline polyolefin other than the polybutene-1; a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer; a nucleating agent comprising a solid bicyclic dicarboxylic acid salt; and optionally a coupling agent which couples (a), (b), (c) and (d) together in an amount up to about 10% by weight; and
(b) forming the article in a molding process.
24. The method of claim 23 wherein the composition contains a color pigment.
25. The method of claim 23 or 24 wherein the composition in step (a) has been mixed in an extruder and then injection molded to produce the molded article.
26. The method of claim 23 or 24 wherein the composition in step (a) is mixed in an extruder, cut into pellets and then injection molded to produce the article.
27. A recycled polyolefin composition which comprises:
a particulate comprising a ground molded product of the thermoplastic composition of claim 16.
28. A method of recycling a polyolefin composition which comprises:
(a) providing a first molded article of a thermoplastic composition of claim 16;
(b) reducing the molded product to a particulate; and
(c) molding the particulate into a second molded article.
29. The composition of claim 16 wherein the nucleating agent is provided to facilitate crystallinity of the polyolefins when the composition is molded.
30. The method of claim 23 wherein the nucleating agent is provided in the composition to facilitate crystallinity of the polyolefins when the composition is molded.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A process for producing 6 to 25 dpf carpet staple fiber comprising the steps of: melt spinning poly(trimethylene terephthalate) into fibers on equipment having a quench zone shorter than 16 feet; accumulating the fibers under conditions to produce an aged undrawn yarn; prewetting the aged undrawn yarn, said aged undrawn yarn consisting essentially of poly(trimethylene terephthalate), at a temperature less than about 45\xb0 C.; drawing the yarn under wet conditions at a temperature of from about 45\xb0 C. to about 95\xb0 C. in a first stage to a length of about 30 to about 90 percent of its final length; further drawing the yarn in a second stage at a temperature from about 45\xb0 C. to about 98\xb0 C. under wet conditions; crimping the drawn yarn; thermo-fixing the crimped yarn in the presence of steam at a temperature from about 80\xb0 C. to about 100\xb0 C.; and drying the crimped yarn at 60\xb0 C. to 140\xb0 C.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein said undrawn yarn is spun on equipment having a spinneret capillary density of at least 2cm2.
3. The process of claim 1, wherein the undrawn yarn is spun at a speed less than about 600 ypm.
4. The process of claim 1, wherein said prewetting and drawing are carried out under water or under an aqueous solution of processing finish.
5. The process of claim 1, wherein during said prewetting and drawing, said yarn is in the form of a spun rope of less than about 300,000 denierinch.
6. The process of claim 1, wherein in said first draw stage, the yarn is drawn to a length from about 40 to about 70 percent of its final length.
7. The process of claim 1, wherein in said first draw stage, the yarn is drawn to a length from about 50 to about 55 percent of its final length.
8. The process of claim 1, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 80\xb0 C. or less.
9. The process of claim 1, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 70\xb0 C. or less.
10. The process of claim 1, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 60\xb0 C. or less.
11. The process of claim 1, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 50\xb0 C. to about 55\xb0 C.
12. The process of claim 1, wherein said second draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 60\xb0 C. to about 80\xb0 C.
13. The process of claim 1 wherein said thermo-fixing is carried out at a temperature of about 85\xb0 C.
14. The process of claim 1 wherein said drawn yarn has a denier of 6 to 20 dpf.
15. The process of claim 1 wherein the crimped yarn is dried at a temperature from about 60\xb0 C. to about 100\xb0 C.
16. A process for producing 1 to 6 dpf textile staple fiber comprising the steps of: melt spinning poly(trimethylene terephthalate) into fibers on equipment having a quench zone shorter than 16 feet; accumulating the fibers under conditions to produce an aged undrawn yarn; prewetting the aged undrawn yarn, said aged undrawn yarn consisting essentially of poly(trimethylene terephthalate), at a temperature less than about 45\xb0 C.; drawing the yarn under wet conditions at a temperature of from about 45\xb0 C. to about 95\xb0 C. in a first stage to a length of about 30 to about 90 percent of its final length; further drawing the yarn in a second stage at a temperature from about 45\xb0 C. to about 98\xb0 C. under wet conditions; crimping the drawn yarn; thermo-fixing the crimped yarn in the presence of steam at a temperature from about 80\xb0 C. to about 100\xb0 C.; and drying the crimped yarn at 60\xb0 C. to 140\xb0 C.
17. The process of claim 16, wherein said undrawn yarn is spun on equipment having a spinneret capillary density of at least about 8cm2.
18. The process of claim 16 wherein said undrawn yarn is spun at a speed of 1300 ypm or less.
19. The process of claim 16 wherein said undrawn yarn is spun at a speed of 900 ypm or less.
20. The process of claim 16 wherein said prewetting and drawing are carried out under water or under an aqueous solution of processing finish.
21. The process of claim 16, wherein during said prewetting and drawing, said yarn is in the form of a spun rope of less than about 200,000 denierinch.
22. The process of claim 16, wherein in said first draw stage, the yarn is drawn to a length from about 40 to about 90 percent of its final length.
23. The process of claim 16, wherein in said first draw stage, the yarn is drawn to a length from about 70 to about 90 percent of its final length.
24. The process of claim 16, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 80\xb0 C. or less.
25. The process of claim 16, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 70\xb0 C. or less.
26. The process of claim 16, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 60\xb0 C. or less.
27. The process of claim 16, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 50\xb0 C. to about 55\xb0 C.
28. The process of claim 16, wherein said second draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 60\xb0 C. to about 80\xb0 C.
29. The process of claim 16, wherein said thermo-fixing is carried out at a temperature of about 85\xb0 C.
30. The process of claim 16, wherein said crimped yarn is dried at a temperature from about 60\xb0 C. to about 100\xb0 C.
31. A process for producing 6 to 25 dpf carpet staple fiber comprising the steps of: melt spinning poly(trimethylene terephthalate) into fibers; accumulating the fibers under conditions to produce an aged undrawn yarn; prewetting the aged undrawn yarn, said aged undrawn yarn consisting essentially of poly(trimethylene terephthalate), at a temperature less than about 45\xb0 C.; drawing the yarn under wet conditions at a temperature of less than 60\xb0 C. in a first stage to a length of about 30 to about 90 percent of its final length; further drawing the yarn in a second stage at a temperature from about 45\xb0 C. to about 98\xb0 C. under wet conditions; crimping the drawn yarn; thermo-fixing the crimped yarn in the presence of steam at a temperature from about 80\xb0 C. to about 100\xb0 C.; and drying the crimped yarn at 60\xb0 C. to 140\xb0 C.
32. The process of claim 31, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 50\xb0 C. to about 55\xb0 C.
33. The process of claim 32, wherein said second draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 60\xb0 C. to about 80\xb0 C.
34. The process of claim 33, wherein said thermo-fixing is carried out at a temperature of about 85\xb0 C.
35. A process for producing 1 to 6 dpf textile staple fiber comprising the steps of: melt spinning poly(trimethylene terephthalate) into fibers; accumulating the fibers under conditions to produce an aged undrawn yarn; prewetting the aged undrawn yarn, said aged undrawn yarn consisting essentially of poly(trimethylene terephthalate), at a temperature less than about 45\xb0 C.; drawing the yarn under wet conditions at a temperature of less than 60\xb0 C. in a first stage to a length of about 30 to about 90 percent of its final length; further drawing the yarn in a second stage at a temperature from about 45\xb0 C. to about 98\xb0 C. under wet conditions; crimping the drawn yarn; thermo-fixing the crimped yarn in the presence of steam at a temperature from about 80\xb0 C. to about 100\xb0 C.; and drying the crimped yarn at 60\xb0 C. to 140\xb0 C.
36. The process of claim 35, wherein said first draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 50\xb0 C. to about 55\xb0 C.
37. The process of claim 36, wherein said second draw stage is carried out at a temperature of about 60\xb0 C. to about 80\xb0 C.
38. The process of claim 37, wherein said thermo-fixing is carried out at a temperature of about 85\xb0 C.