Effects of Fiber Spinning on the Morphology, Rheology, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Blends

• The morphology, thermal behavior, rheological, and mechanical properties of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT)/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) blend fibers were investigated. The scanning electron microscopy studies revealed the formation of a microfibrillar network of the PET within the PTT matrix after the fiber-spinning process. Differential scanning calorimetry results demonstrated that although the thermal characteristics of the amorphous phase were unaffected by the fiber-spinning process, the melting and crystallization behavior of the blends was altered by the elongation flow imposed during the melt spinning. The viscoelastic behavior of the PTT/PET blends was also studied by a steady shear rate and dynamic sweep rheological experiments before and after the spinning process. The induced morphology and crystallization reordering resulting from the fibrillation process are shown to have a remarkable effect on the complex viscosity profile of the PTT/PET fibers, particularly in the blend containing 30 wt% PET. The mechanical testing showed that tenacity and Young's modulus of the PTT fibers increased with the addition of PET up to 30 wt%.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Kemiteknik -- Polymerteknologi (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Chemical Engineering -- Polymer Technologies (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Blending

Fibers

Fibrillar network

Polyesters

Rheology

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)