CONTINUOUS POLYMERIZATION AND DIRECT FIBER SPINNING AND SYSTEMS FOR ACCOMPLISHING SAME

Continuous anionic polymerization and meltspinning of a polycaprolactam includes forming a reaction mixture by bringing at least two streams of liquid caprolactam respectively containing a polymerization initiator and coinitiator into contact with one another, and then subjecting the reaction mixture to anionic polymerization reaction conditions to obtain a molten polycaprolactam. The molten polycaprolactam is the directly (i.e., without intermediate solidification) transferred to, and extruded through, a fiberforming orifice of a spinneret to form a fiber thereof. One exemplary system to achieve such continuous anionic polymerization and meltspinning of polycaprolactam includes a mixer for receiving and mixing at least two streams of liquid caprolactam respectively containing a polymerization initiator and coinitiator, and a reactor and meltspinning apparatus downstream of the mixer. The reactor and meltspinning apparatus most preferably is formed of multiple plates which establish a reactor zone having a flow path for the reaction mixture which is sized and configured to achieve a predetermined residence time of the reaction mixture therein, and a temperature control zone in thermal communication with the reactor plate for controlling the temperature of the reaction plate to achieve anionic polymerization reaction conditions while the reaction mixture is flowing along the defined flow path therein to obtain the molten polycaprolactam. A spinneret zone downstream of the reactor zone thus receives the molten polycaprolactam directly and forms a fiber therefrom by extruding it through the spinnerets fiberspinning orifice. La polimerizacion anionica continua y el hilado en el estado fundido de una caprolactama incluye formar una mezcla de reaccion poniendo en contacto entre si cuando menos dos corrientes de caprolactama liquida conteniendo respectivamente un iniciador y co-iniciador de la polimerizacion, y luego someter la mezcla de reaccion a las condiciones de la reaccion de polimerizacion anionica para obtener una policaprolactama fundida. La policaprolactama fundida entonces se transfiere directamente (es decir, sin solidificacion intermedia) a, y se extruye a traves de, un orificio formador de fibras de una hilera para formar una fibra de esta. Un sistema ejemplar para lograr la polimerizacion anionica continua y el hilado en el estado fundido de la caprolactama incluye un mezclador para recibir y mezclar cuando menos dos corrientes de caprolactama liqu