EFFECTS OF SPINNING CONDITIONS ON MORPHOLOGY AND PROPERTIES OF POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE FIBERS SPUN AT HIGH SPEEDS

Fiber spinning of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) was studied at take-up speeds ranging from 2000 m/min to 7000 m/min under various spinning conditions. Effects of changes in process variables on the molecular orientation, crystallinity, and properties of as-spun PET fibers are reported. Conventional cross-flow quench in high-speed spinning yields fibers with undesirable crimp and asymmetric structure with respect to the fiber axis. Radial-flow quench eliminates these problems. Changes in other spinning conditions, such as extrusion temperature, throughput or take-up denier, and molecular weight, may also affect the development of PET fiber structure in the high-speed threadline.