Polytetrafluoroethylene fiber and method for manufacturing the same

摘要

A PTFE fiber with a low density and having a network structure that allows effective performances to be given to its finished articles and a method for manufacturing the PTFE fiber are provided. The PTFE fiber is a filament obtained by giving a heat treatment to a biaxially stretched polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) film, followed by slitting partially in a lengthwise direction of the film. The filament includes a network structured fiber in which single fibers are opened partially in the width direction, and the filament is an aggregate of the single fibers. This fiber is manufactured as the filament by feeding a biaxially stretched PTFE film to a revolving pin roll with needles implanted thereon, the needles being arranged so that a plurality of rows run obliquely along a circumferential direction at substantially regular intervals, and slitting the film partially in a lengthwise direction. This PTFE filament may be cut into short fibers with a cutter. The short fibers include a branch structure.