Developing an ecologically friendly isothermal bath to obtain a new class high-tenacity and high-modulus polypropylene fibers

• Published in: Journal of materials science 2013-11, Vol.48 (22), p.7791-7804
• Main Authors: Avci, H., Kotek, R., Yoon, J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Byproducts; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry and Materials Science; Classical Mechanics; Crystal structure; Crystallinity; Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Draw ratio; Elongation; Fibers; Fine structure; Materials Science; Mechanical properties; Melt spinning; Melting points; Morphology; Polymer Fibers; Polymer Sciences; Polypropylene; Production methods; Solid Mechanics
• ISSN: 0022-2461; 1573-4803
• DOI: 10.1007/s10853-013-7427-1

A number of production methods have been developed for high-performance fibers; however, most processes use toxic solvents or generate a lot of unwanted by-products. Our research resulted in the development of a new family of high-performance polypropylene (PP) fibers by utilizing a simple, ecologically friendly bath (ECOB). Various commodity polymers can be used with ECOB melt spinning system at high throughputs and performance benefits. Our treated as-spun PP fibers had a highly oriented, but not crystalline precursor morphology with f a up to 0.6 generating superior mechanical properties. After drawing at draw ratios of 1.49 at 120 °C, highly oriented crystalline and amorphous phases were achieved for the drawn fibers with f c and f a values of 0.95 and 0.87, respectively. This fine structure for ECOB-treated fibers resulted in tenacity close to 12 g/d, initial modulus higher than 150 g/d, and ultimate elongation at break of 20 %. The polymer melting point of the new fibrillar PP fibers increased by 9 °C.