DRAWING OF NYLON 6 FIBERS (BRISTLES)

By means of electron microscopy of surface replicas and both small-angle and wide-angle x-ray scattering, nylon 6 fibers were investigated in the as-spun state, after drawing at 180 C to a draw ratio up to 4. 95, and after subsequent annealing. As spun, the fiber exhibits a small fraction of row-nucleated cylindrites and a great many spherulites side by side. Drawing deforms the spherulites and subsequently produces well-aligned microfibrils. The long period seems to decrease slightly with draw ratio. Annealing at temperatures above the temperature of drawing increases the long period with samples of lower. lambda . The crystal lattice orientation is nearly complete at lambda equals 4. 95.