| Abstract: | Modification of the threadline dynamics has effected significant alternations in the structure and improvements in the properties of high-speed melt spun poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers. Key process parameters extant in the threadline dynamics, such as temperature, tensile stress, and deformation time, were independently controlled through proper implementation of on-line perturbations. The placement of a liquid isothermal bath in close proximity to the spinneret in the melt spinning threadline provided tremendous increase in the spinning stress while at the same time controlled the filament temperature corresponding to development of the desired fiber structure. Characterization of the fiber structure and physical properties has been carried out using birefringence measurements, density, shrinkage, x-ray diffraction, DSC, FTIR spectroscopy, and tensile tests. The results provided sufficient evidence to support the existence of a unique crystalline morphology that led to the significantly improved tensile properties and excellent dimensional stability of the resulting fibers. This unique crystalline morphology was typically characterized by the presence of a larger amount of extended chain segments and an enhanced molecular connectivity. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
