Fiber Product Overview

Entec Polymers is a key distribution partner for several major resin producers that target various components within the fiber/monofilament application space. We have the knowledge and expertise utilizing polymers from DOW, Celanese, Pinnacle, INEOS, Formosa, NOVA Chemicals, and LyondellBasell. Our technical and product management teams can help with material selection, troubleshooting, and product development.

The referenced material in the table provides a high-level breakdown of the various types of materials that can be used in fiber conversion processes:

Common Fiber Units:

• Denier is the weight in grams of 9,000 meters of fiber. A 100-denier fiber would weigh 100 gram/9000 meters.
• Tenacity is determined by dividing the tensile strength by the denier.
• Be careful when comparing units! Tenacity measurements can be reported in cN/tex while other units (microns, mils, inches, etc.) are used interchangeably with conversion.
• It is important to understand that material selection is a function of density, ultimate tensile strength, and tenacity of the product.

There are numerous classes of materials that can be selected based on application needs and conversion process. High strength and high temperature fibers are possible utilizing engineered resins. Softer/more ductile fibers can be produced utilizing polyolefin materials; moreover, TPO and PB-1 products can be used to soften a synthetic fiber while maintaining extruder output.

It should be noted that other factors play a role in product selection for the fiber conversion process. Hydrophilicity/lipophilicity, chemical resistance, oxidation resistance, number average molecular weight, extensional viscosity, and melt flow all factor into specific grades that are utilized in various industrial applications.

Applications for Polymer Fibers