Fiber surface

Zong Q, inniss D, K]oiier K and Eiings V B 1993 Fractured poiymer/siiica fiber surface studied by tapping mode atomic force microscopy Surf. Sc/. Lett. 290 L688... 

Coating Theory. This theory includes fire retardants which form an impervious skin on the fiber surface. This coating may be formed during normal chemical finishing, or subsequently when the fire retardant and substrate are heated. It excludes the air necessary for flame propagation and traps any tarry volatiles produced during pyrolysis of the substrate. Examples of this type of agent include the easily fusible salts such as carbonates or borates. 

Aluminum resinate particles, ie, size precipitate, are attracted to the fiber surfaces because of a difference in charge and thus are retained (45,46,54). In general, the particles of size precipitate are small and are distributed fairly uniformly over the sheet. However, on drying, there is some sintering of the particles which helps to redistribute them on the fibers. 

After drying, the aluminum resinates are immobile below 100°C and are oriented with the hydrophilic carboxyl groups combined with aluminum on the fiber surface, and the hydrophobic bulk of the rosin molecule oriented outwardly. 

The greatest industrial consumption of monobasic aluminum acetate has been as a solution in the preparation of red color lakes for the dyeing of cotton. Formation of a water-resistant coating on fabrics, paper, leather, or other materials is also an important appHcation. In this process, for example, cloth is dipped into a solution of water-soluble soap, then into the aluminum salt solution, forming an insoluble, water-resistant aluminum soap coating on the fiber surfaces (10). 

Synthetic fiber producers have attempted to minimise the tendency for pilling by several methods, one of which is to reduce polymer molecular weight. The resulting lower strength fiber would break away from the fabric surface more readily. Another method for reducing pilling is to notch or etch the fiber surface either before or after incorporation in fabric form. 

Fluorochemicals repel both water and oU because they produce an extremely low energy surface (18—26). The effectiveness of the fluorochemicals depends upon uniform surface coverage and orientation of the molecules on the fiber surface so that the perfluoroalkyl chains are directed away from the surface. The result is a GST as low as 5—10 mN /m (dyne/cm). Fluorochemical finishes are often formulated with nonfluorinated resin-based water-repeUent extenders. These water repeUents not only reduce the cost of the finish but may also improve durabUity (27,28). 

The water repeUency of sUicone finishes results from the low CST (ca 22 mN/m or dyne/cm) produced by the methyl groups in the sUicone that are oriented away from the fiber surface. The CST is lower than that produced by any class of compounds except for fluorochemicals. 

In fine wool such as that obtained from merino sheep, the cuticle is normally one cell thick (20 x 30 x 0.5 mm, approximate dimensions) and usually constitutes about 10% by weight of the total fiber. Sections of cuticle cells show an internal series of laminations (Figs. 1 and 2) comprising outer sulfur-rich bands known as the exocuticle and inner regions of lower sulfur content called the endocuticle (13). On the exposed surface of cuticle cells, a membrane-like proteinaceous band (epicuticle) and a unique hpid component form a hydrophobic resistant barrier (14). These hpid and protein components are the functional moieties of the fiber surface and are important in fiber protection and textile processing (15). 

There are two mechanisms of PAN-based carbon fiber oxidation dependent on oxidation temperature ((67,68). At temperatures below 400°C, oxygen diffuses into the fiber and attacks at pores resulting in significantly increased fiber surface area. At higher temperatures impurities catalyze the oxidation reaction. 

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