Requirement for fiber forming polymer

The requirement for the fiber forming polymer are as follows:1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Hydrophilic Chemical resistant Linear Long Capable of being oriented Able to form high melting point polymer system

The polymer system of the different fiber should have all the above requirements. Acetates, acrylics, cotton, flax, nylon, polyester, silk, viscose and wool consist of polymers which meet the above requirements in a large extent. Natural cellulosic fibers such as abaca, coir, hemp, jute, kenaf, ramie and sisal have very restricted apparel use because they are very stiff. On the other hand man-made fibers such as chloro-fibers, polyethylene and polypropylene fibers do not meet satisfactorily the fifth and sixth requirements listed above.

Hydrophilic properties
Fiber polymer should be hydrophilic. This means that the polymer should be polar, enabling them to attract water molecules. A fiber is comfortable to wear if its polymer system consists of hydrophilic polymers and the system itself permits the entry of water molecules. The fibers whose polymers are not hydrophilic mean hydrophobic and yet these fibers are used for apparel. For this purpose the fibers are have to make more absorbent and more or less comfortable, hydrophilic polymer fibers need to blend with the hydrophobic polymer fibers. Hydrophobic polymer fibers are often blended with cotton, viscose or wool (e.g. two-third polyester and one third cotton blend. Such blending improves the absorbency and comfort of the apparel.

A fiber consisting of hydrophilic polymers attracts water molecules which prevent or enable the discharge of any static electricity accumulating. The static electricity is discharged by the water molecules, because of their polarity to the surrounding atmosphere. The generation of the static electricity on a fiber is undesirable because it will cause the fiber to attract the dirt particles more readily and soil more quickly. This causes the fiber to cling together and creates discomfort during wear.

Chemical resistance
Fiber polymer should be chemically resistant for a reasonable period of time against the common degrading agents such as sunlight and weather, common types of soiling, body exudations, laundry liquors and dry cleaning solvents. Chemically resistant polymer should also not be toxic or hazardous to wear against human skin. Fiber polymer should be chemically resistant they should not be inert means totally unreactive.

Linearity
Fiber polymer should be linear means it should not be branched. Only linear polymers allow adequate polymer alignment to bring into effect there should be sufficient inter polymer force of attraction to give a cohesive polymer system. In made fiber manufacture it is important to have the right stereo-polymer for the extrusion of useful filaments. They are of three types and are explained below:The atactic polymer -This is a stereo-irregular polymer. Its side group groups are arranged at random above and below the plain of the polymer backbone.-

Atactic polymers are usually not found in the polymer systems of the fibres. This gives insufficient cohesive polymer system and si indicated by the wax like substance formed. Due to this it does not allows enough alingment or orientation of plymers for the effective inter polymer force of attraction. The syndyotatic polymer- this is a stereo regular polymer and its side groups are arrranged in a regular manner above and below the polymer backbone.

These structure permits close enough alignment or the orientation of polymers to form a effective inter-polymer force of attraction which gives a cohesive to polymer system and are useful to form a fiber. The isotactic polymer- it is also a stereo-regular and all its side groups are arranged on the same side of the back bone.

These polymers orient themselves very closely and permits effective inter polymer force of attraction and give better cohesive polymer system for useful fiber.

Length
Fiber polymers should be long. The length of the polymer should be more than 100 nanometers so that it can be easily oriented. This orientation give rise to sufficiently effective inter polymer force of attraction to form a cohesive polymer and used as fiber. The longer polymer gives more the cohesive and stronger the fiber. For the maximum force of attraction the orientation should be well and aligned closely.

Capable of being oriented

The polymer should be arranged well and orientation should be more or less parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fiber. In natural fiber orientation occurs during growth. While on the man-made fiber operation called DRAWING which stretches the extruded and coagulated filaments and cause the polymers to orient themselves longitudinally more or less parallel order. The orientation can depend upon the amount of amorphous and crystalline region present on the fiber and affect the properties.

Formation of high melting-point polymer systems

A fiber consisting of high melting point polymer system tends to have adequate heat resistance to enable it to withstand the various heat treatments of textile finishing, laundering and ironing. The fibers melting point should be above 225oC. The longer polymer system and better the orientation gives more the cohesive with a stronger melting point. Which means that more heat or kinetic energy is required to break the inter polymer force of attraction and free the polymer from each other. The ability of a fiber to conduct heat depends upon its degree of polarity of its polymers. The inter polymer force of attraction can be broken at one time under controlled temperature due to this they become more or less free to0 each other and assume a new position in the polymer system of the fiber. When they are cooled the inter polymer force of attraction reform and the fiber gets heat set. The lost their plasticity and become stiff and even brittle, after heat set.