Manufacture of fibrids of polyolefins

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Discrete fibrids of polyethylene having lengths of 1 to 50 mm and thicknesses between 2 and 30 µm are produced by (a), dissolving in a pressure vessel polyethylene obtained by low-, pressure polymerization of ethylene in a solvent which is a mixture, of pentanes and a naphtha cut boiling at 25 to 140°C. and containing pentanes in an amount of from 5 to 50% by weight the pentanes being, selected from the group consisting of n-pentane isopentane, cyclo-, pentane and neopentane; (b) maintaining the vapor pressure in the pressure vessel at 4 to 60 atmospheres and maintaining the temperature of the polyethylene solution in the pressure vessel at temperature of 80 to 250°C and above the boiling …