PROCESSING, STRUCTURE AND MECHANICS OF FIBERS OF HETEROAROMATIC OXAZOLE POLYMERS

Fibres of the rod-like molecule poly-p-phenylene benzobisoxazole (PBO) and the coil-like molecule poly-2,5-benzoxazole (ABPBO) were spun from polymerization dopes and then coagulated at various temperatures. Axial tension was applied in drying the coagulated wet filaments; heat treatment was applied to anneal the fibres. Wide-angle X-ray scattering on the fibres revealed that tension drying improved molecular alignment leading to increased tensile modulus. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) showed that the void content of the fibres was significantly reduced by low coagulation temperature, tension drying and thermal annealing. This reduction of voids also contributed to enhanced tensile properties. Thermal annealing also improved the crystallinity of the ABPBO fibres and seemed to induce a three-dimensional order, which was usually absent for fibres of the rod-like PBO polymer. Both annealed PBO and ABPBO fibres resulted in a unique off-axis radial four-point SAXS pattern. The tensile modulus for fibres of the rod-like polymer was higher than that of the coil-like polymer. However, as determined by the cantilever beam test, the critical compressive strain for fibres of the rod-like polymer was lower than that of the coil-like polymer.