Oscar A. Pickett

Flame-Retarded Nylon Carpets

Variables affecting nylon carpet flammability were investigated. They included carpet-face yarn construction, face-yarn,additive modifications, and backing materials. Carpets of the looser shag construction or carpets having certain modified face yarns exhibited some increase in flammability, but both carpet types passed the Tablet Test with suitable overall construction. Shag carpets, however, with these chemically modified face yams, generally exhibited frequent Tablet Test failures. Three flame retardants, found stable in molten nylon, were effective in modified shags in converting carpets failing the Tablet Test to carpets consistently passing the test. Similar flame retardant results were also obtained using alumina trihydrate in the carpet latex or by application of polyvinyl chloride to the face side of the primary backing. These studies encompass only the effects of specific changes on carpet flammability and have not been fully evaluated in terms of total carpet performance.

Relationships Between Chemical Structure and Properties of Fibers from Certain Partially Aromatic Polyamides

A new group of nylon yarns was prepared from copolymers of terephthalic and isophthalic acids with hexamethylene diamine, containing up to 80/20 molar ratios of the two acids, respectively. The corresponding polymers were characterized as to melting point, and spinning was explored. Compositions containing 60/40 and 65/35 molar ratios were evaluated more extensively, with the 65/35 ratio being used for detailed studies. Physical property tests, a Hat-spotting evaluation in tires, and wrinkle testing of three fabric types showed yarns of this composition to have dimensional stability approaching but not fully equalling that of poly(ethylene terephthalate), while having dyeing characteristics similar to those of nylon 66.