Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
A process for preparation of porous fibers and membranes in the form of flat foils, tube foils or hollow fibers, comprising forming a homogeneous mixture of at least two components, wherein one component is a meltable polymer and a second component is a liquid inert to said polymer which forms a binary mixture with said polymer in its liquid state, said binary mixture in liquid aggregate form exhibiting a temperature range of complete miscibility and a range with a miscibility gap; and extruding said mixture at a temperature above the temperature at which said components separate directly into a bath containing at least some of said inert liquid, said bath having a temperature below said separation temperature, whereby the fiber structure of said porous fiber is fixed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
A process for preparation of porous fibers and membranes in the form of flat foils, tube foils or hollow fibers, comprising forming a homogeneous mixture of at least two components, wherein one component is a meltable polymer and a second component is a liquid inert to said polymer which forms a binary mixture with said polymer in its liquid state, said binary mixture in liquid aggregate form exhibiting a temperature range of complete miscibility and a range with a miscibility gap; and extruding said mixture at a temperature above the temperature at which said components separate directly into a bath containing at least some of said inert liquid, said bath having a temperature below said separation temperature, whereby the fiber structure of said porous fiber is fixed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said fiber is washed after fixing with a solvent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process as defined in claim 2, wherein said solvent is acetone.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein the temperature of said bath is at least 100° C. below said separation temperature of said binary mixture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said homogeneous mixture is extruded into a spinning tube arranged before said bath and filled with bath liquid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
12 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymer is polypropylene.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
13 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said inert liquid is N,N-bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-hexadecylamine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said polymer and said liquid are selected from the group of polymer/liquid systems consisting of low pressure polyethylene/1-dodecanol, high pressure polyethylene/methylnonylketone, and polymethylpentene/2-undecanol.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said bath is a temperature-step bath comprising two or more separate baths, each of which has a different temperature.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said mixture comprises between about 10 to 90 weight % polymer and about 90 to 10 weight % inert liquid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said components are continuously mixed prior to extrusion.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said mixing is effected by means of a rod or pin mixer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A process as defined in claim 1, wherein said bath is a temperature-gradient bath comprising one or more portions with a temperature gradient of the type in which the temperature from the beginning of the bath until the end is continuously reduced.