Polyamides stabilization methods

Another method of achieving the desired molecular weight is by addition of a small amount of a monofunctional monomer, a monomer with only one functional group. Acetic acid or lauric acid, for example, are often used to achieve molecular weight stabilization of polyamides. The monofunctional monomer, often referred to as a chain stopper, controls and limits the polymerization of bifunctional monomers because the growing polymer yields chain ends devoid of functional groups and therefore incapable of further reaction. Thus, the use of benzoic acid in the polyamide synthesis yields a polyamide (XI) with phenyl end groups that are unreactive toward polymerization. 

Apart from cellulose, direct dyes have a strong affinity to wool and polyamide fibers. Blends of cellulose with wool ( half wool ) used to occupy a considerable segment of the market, but are today without any significance. However polyamide (PA) fibers are included in articles made of cellulose fibers to improve dimensional stability, ease of care, and durability, e.g., in sportswear and knitwear, corduroy fabrics, or plush articles, in which a PA pile is often anchored to a cellulose fabric base. Different dyeing methods are described in [50 pp. 433-4371, [6, p. 570],... 

Effect of thermostabilizers on the polymer properties was studied by different physicochemical methods. For example, in the work [260] method of DSS (differential spectroscopy) was used to define the effect of polyester-imide on thermo-physical properties of PETP. By this method it was found out that polyester-imide reduces PETP ability to crystallization. Methods of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and infrared spectroscopy in the nitrogen atmosphere were used in the work [261] to define thermal stability of the mixture of PETP and polyamide with the additive - modifier - polyethylene. It has been found that introduction of the additive decreases activation energy which positively tells on the ability of PETP to thermal destruction. 

Some three decades ago, scientists from the Du Pont company developed polycondensation methods which allowed the preparation of high molecular weight wholly aromatic polyamides. The first commercially produced wholly aromatic polyamide fibre was poly(m-phenyleneisophthalamide) (Nomex, Du Pont, 1967) [la, c]. Some years later, development of the preparation and processing of poly(p-phenyleneterephthalamide) (PPTA) led to the commercialization of the para product Kevlar (Du Pont) in the early seventies [lb, c]. While Nomex shows excellent thermal stability and flame-retardance, and indeed is referred to as a heat and flame resistant aramid fibre, Kevlar fibre also has similar properties, but in addition it has exceptional tensile strength and modulus, and is referred to as an ultra-high strength, high modulus aramid fibre. 

The low temperature solution method described above has been used successfully in the preparation of numerous polyamides by reacting different diamines with diacid chlorides. Nevertheless, in this method, the diacid needs to be converted to its diacid chloride. Although the synthesis itself does not seem to be difficult, and usually involves treatment with thionyl chloride, this is an additional reaction step and produces environmentally undesirable SO2 and HQ. Also the stability of diacid chloride towards hydrolysis is another problem, in... 

Melt spinninq is the most economical method. The polymer granulate is fed into a heated reservoir. The melt is then pumped or extruded through spinnerets and the filaments arc allowed to cool in the air. The filaments are produced at rates of up to 1200 m/min. Only thermally stable or stabilized polymers that give a melt can be melt spun. Polyamides, polyesters, poly-(olefins), and glass are spun in this way (Figure 12- ). 

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