| (19) |
 |
|
(11) |
EP 0 598 536 A3 |
| (12) |
EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
| (88) |
Date of publication A3: |
|
14.09.1994 Bulletin 1994/37 |
| (43) |
Date of publication A2: |
|
25.05.1994 Bulletin 1994/21 |
| (22) |
Date of filing: 09.11.1993 |
|
|
| (84) |
Designated Contracting States: |
|
AT BE CH DE DK ES FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE |
| (30) |
Priority: |
10.11.1992 GB 9223562
|
| (71) |
Applicant: Du Pont Canada Inc. |
|
Mississauga,
Ontario L5M 2H3 (CA) |
|
| (72) |
Inventors: |
|
- Cloutier, Sylvie
Kingston,
Ontario K7K 6V9 (CA)
- Manuel, Lynne Marie
Ontario K0H 2NO (CA)
- Zboril, Vaclav George
Kingston,
Ontario K7M 5T7 (CA)
|
| (74) |
Representative: Harrison, David Christopher et al |
|
MEWBURN ELLIS
York House
23 Kingsway
London WC2B 6HP
London WC2B 6HP (GB) |
|
| |
|
| (54) |
Strong discontinuous polyethylene fibres |
(57) Strong discontinuous fibres formed from polyethylene are disclosed. The fibres have
a length of 1-25 mm, a fibre diameter of less than 30 microns and a handset zero span
strength of greater than 3 kg/15 mm. The fibres may be in the form of a polyethylene
pulp having a surface area of at least 4 m²/g, a Pulmac defect value of less than
3% and a handsheet zero span value of at least 3 kg/15 mm. Polyethylene sheet may
be formed from the strong discontinuous fibres. The fibres and sheet may be used in
blends with cellulose fibres, fillers, thixotropic agents and as synthetic paper.