Spinning polymer melts

Polymer melt spinning is one of the major processes for the manufacture of synthetic fibers. Typically, a polymer melt is extruded vertically downward through a spinneret or die, which may have hundreds of openings. The resulting filaments are simultaneously cooled by crossflow air and are stretched by the action of rollers. On solidification, the yam is wound onto a bobbin. Different aspects of this operation have been described in the literature.(, 59-63) When the fiber-spinning process is used as an extensional viscometer, the setup is simplified and only a single filament of circular cross section is employed. This is shown schematically in Fig 6. Also, the operation is run in an isothermal manner by spinning into an isothermal oven. 

Metal fibers are mainly used for woven and knitted fabrics. Typical applications of metal fibers are filters (as in polymer melt spinning), antistatic applications (for example, filters, protective clothing), reinforcement structures (tire cord), and also sensors (smart textiles) and architecture (metal fabric fagade). 

Figure 15.24 Schematic diagram of the melt-spinning apparatus (a) gear pump drive, (b) gear pump, (c) hopper purged with nitrogen gas, (d) extruder, (e) spinneret, (f) insulated isothermal oven, and (g) winder. (From J. Appl. Polym. Set, vol. 34, Gupta R. K., and K. F. Auyeung Crystallization in Polymer Melt Spinning, Copyright 1987 hy John Wiley Sons, Inc. Reprinted hy permission of John Wiley Sons, Inc.)...

Fisher, R. J., and M. M. Derm, Mechanics of Nonisothermal Polymer Melt Spinning,... 

Polymers owe much of their attractiveness to their ease of processing. In many important teclmiques, such as injection moulding, fibre spinning and film fonnation, polymers are processed in the melt, so that their flow behaviour is of paramount importance. Because of the viscoelastic properties of polymers, their flow behaviour is much more complex than that of Newtonian liquids for which the viscosity is the only essential parameter. In polymer melts, the recoverable shear compliance, which relates to the elastic forces, is used in addition to the viscosity in the description of flow [48]. 

Cakmak M, Teitge A, Zachman FI G and White J L 1993 On-line small-angle and wide-angle x-ray scattering studies on melt-spinning poly(vinylidene fluoride) tape using synchrotron radiation J. Polym. Sc/. 31 371- 81... 

In melt spinning the polymer is heated above its melting point and the molten polymer is forced through a spinneret. Spinnerets are dies with many... 

Synthetic Fiber and Plastics Industries. In the synthetic fibers and plastics industries, the substrate itself serves as the solvent, and the whitener is not appHed from solutions as in textiles. Table 6 Hsts the types of FWAs used in the synthetic fibers and plastic industries. In the case of synthetic fibers, such as polyamide and polyester produced by the melt-spinning process, FWAs can be added at the start or during the course of polymerization or polycondensation. However, FWAs can also be powdered onto the polymer chips prior to spinning. The above types of appHcation place severe thermal and chemical demands on FWAs. They must not interfere with the polymerization reaction and must remain stable under spinning conditions. 

First,/)-hydroxybenzoic acid (HBA) and 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (HNA) are acetylated to produce the low melting acetate esters which are molten at 200°C. In an inert gas, the two monomers are melted together at 200°C. The temperature is raised to 250—280°C and acetic acid is coUected for 0.5 to 3 h. The temperature is raised to 280—340°C and additional acetic acid is removed in vacuum for a period of 10 to 60 min. The opalescent polymer melt produced is extmded through a spinning jet, foUowed by melt drawdown. The use of the paraUel offset monomer, acetylated HNA, results in the formation of a series of random copolyesters of different compositions, many of which faU within the commercially acceptable melting range of... 

HoUow-fiber fabrication methods can be divided into two classes (61). The most common is solution spinning, in which a 20—30% polymer solution is extmded and precipitated into a bath of a nonsolvent, generally water. Solution spinning allows fibers with the asymmetric Loeb-Soufirajan stmcture to be made. An alternative technique is melt spinning, in which a hot polymer melt is extmded from an appropriate die and is then cooled and sohdified in air or a quench tank. Melt-spun fibers are usually relatively dense and have lower fluxes than solution-spun fibers, but because the fiber can be stretched after it leaves the die, very fine fibers can be made. Melt spinning can also be used with polymers such as poly(trimethylpentene), which are not soluble in convenient solvents and are difficult to form by wet spinning. 

Extmsion technology is used to produce spunbond, meltblown, and porous-film nonwovens. Fabrics produced by these systems are referred to individually as spunbonded, meltblown, and textured- or apertured-film nonwovens, or genericaHy as polymer-laid nonwovens. These fabrics are produced with machinery associated with such polymer extmsion methods as melt-spinning, film casting, and extmsion coating. In polymer-laid systems, fiber stmctures are simultaneously formed and manipulated. 

Tensile Properties. Tensile properties of nylon-6 and nylon-6,6 yams shown in Table 1 are a function of polymer molecular weight, fiber spinning speed, quenching rate, and draw ratio. The degree of crystallinity and crystal and amorphous orientation obtained by modifying elements of the melt-spinning process have been related to the tenacity of nylon fiber (23,27). 

Braided Synthetic Nonabsorbable Sutures. Braided synthetic nonabsorbable sutures are made by melt-spinning thermoplastic polymers into fine filaments (yams), and braiding them, with or without a core, to form multifilament sutures in a range of sizes. Nylon-6,6 [32131 -17-2] (7) is a polyamide produced by the condensation polymerization of adipic acid and 1,6-hexanediamine. 

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