Thermoplastics fibers

Thermoplastic Fibers. The thermoplastic fibers, eg, polyester and nylon, are considered less flammable than natural fibers. They possess a relatively low melting point furthermore, the melt drips rather than remaining to propagate the flame when the source of ignition is removed. Most common synthetic fibers have low melting points. Reported values for polyester and nylon are 255—290°C and 210—260°C, respectively. 

Considerable effort is being made (ca 1993) to develop satisfactory flame retardants for blended fabrics. It has been feasible for a number of years to produce flame-resistant blended fabrics provided that they contain about 65% or more ceUulosic fibers. It appears probable that blends of even greater synthetic fiber content can be effectively made flame resistant. An alternative approach may be to first produce flame-resistant thermoplastic fibers by altering the chemical stmcture of the polymers. These flame-resistant fibers could then be blended with cotton or rayon and the blend treated with an appropriate flame retardant for the ceUulose, thereby producing a flame-resistant fabric. Several noteworthy finishes have been reported since the early 1970s. 

For fabrics of thermoplastic fibers, permanent effects are obtainable if heat and pressure are appHed to soften the material. Processes dealing with carpets, nonwovens, and chemical modifications or additions that occur before the fiber is formed are not discussed herein (see Nonwoven fabrics). 

Polyamides (nylons) are thermoplastic fibers that retain their form produced by heat treatment. They are usually given an alkaline scour and then heat-set. The heat-setting treatment is conducted at ca 10°C above the subsequent wet processiag steps this ensures good form retention after processiag. Woven fabrics are usually heat-set on a contact heat-setting machine and nylon tricot is generally heat-set on a tenter frame or ia steam chambers. 

The chemistry of synthetic polymers is similar to the chemistry of small molecules with the same functional groups, but the physical properties of polymers are greatly affected by size. Polymers can be classified by physical property into four groups thermoplastics, fibers, elastomers, and thermosetting resins. The properties of each group can be accounted for by the structure, the degree of crystallinity, and the amount of cross-Jinking they contain. 

Poly(ethylene), low density Poly(e-caprolactam) 1933 1938 1939 1939 Thermoplastics Fibers, thermoplastics Silicone 1901 Epoxy resins 1938 1942 1946 1956 Fluids, resins, elastomers Adhesives... 

The thermoplastic fiber is tough, with relatively high temperature resistance. It can be processed into yams that maintain their properties at elevated environmental temperatures, e.g. in tire reinforcement or for permanent-press fabrics. 

Williams J.H. and Kousiounelos P.N. (1978). Thermoplastic fiber coatings enhance composites strength and toughness. Fiber Sci. Technol. 11, 83-88. 

The final mechanism of stress relief is thermomechanically activated chain scission. Primary bond breakage can be homolytic, ionic or by a degrading chemical reaction. It is worthwhile to note that the relative slippage of chains, microfibrils and fibrils reduces or prevents the mechanical scission of chains in quasi-isotropic polymeric solids. In other words, chain scission is an important mode of fracture only in highly oriented thermoplastic fibers or in thermosets. 

Flame relardanls are used in smolder-resistant upholstery fabric, combination flame retardant-durable press performance, flame-retardant treatments for wool, thermoplastic fibers (Tris. decabromodiphenyl oxide-polyacrylate finishes. Antihlu/e 19. nylon finishes), polyester-cotton fiber blends (THPOH-ummonju-Tris finish, decabromodiphenyl oxide-polyacrylate finish. THPC-amide-polytv illy I bromide) finish, THPOH-NHi and Fyrol 76. LRC-UX) finish, phusphonium salt-urea precondcn-satej. cotton-wool blends, and core-yam fabric,... 

Fundamentally, the manufacture of textured yarns is closely related to the heat setting of fabrics, which must be composed of thermoplastic fibers such as nylon or polyester, the difference being that the individual filaments or bundle of filaments in textured yams are distorted from an essentially straight rodlike form and then heat-set. In some instances, the fibers are distorted in a more or less random way at other times, a regular pattern is introduced. 

Sulfur, modified in its structure so as to become plastic, presents other problems as it can be a very ductile material. Reinforcement in the sense of load sharing may be effected by incorporating relatively ductile thermoplastic fibers. There is a commercial interest in using polypropylene fibers, and Bennett (10,11) has patented a process whereby woven polypropylene fibers are impregnated with asphalt or bitumen and then are coated on at least one side with a sulfur composition. The plasticized sulfur coating sticks to the base and makes the laminate flexible, weather resistant, and light reflecting. 

Another important application of thermoplastic fibers such as poly ether ether ketone (PEEK), Poly etherimide(PEI), and VectranM andHS (Vectranis the trade mark of Hoechst liquid crystalline polymer) is in making thermoplastic matrix composites. Commingled yams of the reinforcement and matrix such as quartz/PEEK, glass/PEI, Vectran HS/M are used to make the composites wherein the matrix yarn fuses to form the continuous phase of the composite. 

Thermoplastic fiber, high degree of preferred orientation along the fiber axis... 

In general, polymers can be divided into four major categories, depending on their physical behavior thermoplastics, fibers, elastomers, and thermosetting resins. Thermoplastics are the polymers most people think of when the word plastic is mentioned. These polymers have a high T, and are therefore hard at room temperature, but they become soft, and viscous when heated. As a result, they can be molded into toys, beads, telephone housings, or into any of a thousand other items. Because thermoplastics have little or no cross-linking, the individual chains can slip past one... 

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