Property Modifications in Fibers of Blends Based on Poly(ethylene Terephthalate)

Abstract

In an effort to apply compatibility rules to the behavior of polymer fibers, tenacity of fibers spun from blends based on poly(ethylene terephthalate) has been studied. Blends containing 5% and 10% of a wide range of added thermoplastics were formulated using as a guide critical surface-tension data and solubility parameters of the components. For blends spun at 325°C a significant correlation was found between tenacity variations and differences in the compatibility parameters, suggesting that these parameters may serve as guides to the selection of compositions displaying superior fiber properties. At lower spinning temperatures melt-viscosity effects, among others, also strongly influence fiber properties. These factors, along with thermal stability effects, must be considered in attempts to optimize the tenacity of multicomponent fiber-formers.