| abstract |
Novel bicomponent fibers have a polyamide domain and an amorphous non-fiber-forming polymer domain which is embedded entirely within, and thereby completely surrounded by, the polyamide domain. The preferred bicomponent fibers have a sheath-core structure wherein the polyamide domain constitutes the sheath and the amorphous non-fiber-forming polymer constitutes the core. Surprisingly, even though the core is formed of a non-fiber-forming polymer, the bicomponent fibers exhibit properties which are comparable in many respects to fibers formed from 100% polyamide. Preferably, the fibers are concentric sheath-core bicomponent fibers having a nylon sheath and a core formed from polystyrene, polyisobutene and poly(methyl methacrylate). Polystyrene, and particularly atactic polystyrene, is preferred as the amorphous polymer domain. |