Kinetics of fiber heat treatment. II. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers

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Abstract
Microstructural changes occurring during the process of crystallization in as‐spun poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) have been monitored using wide‐ and small‐angle X‐ray scattering, optical birefringence, shrinkage measurements, and specific gravity.Shrinkage and birefringence results show a competition between two processes: chain re‐coiling on the one hand and crystallization on the other hand. A consistent correlation among WAXS, SAXS, shrinkage, and birefringence results is demonstrated. SAXS data show a fibrillar morphology. On the basis of WAXS results, the crystallization is envisioned as a two stage process: first, the formation of defective fibrils, and then the formation of more perfect crystals. WAXS results also demonstrate a remelting phenomenon in samples which have experienced positive shrinking.