Steam and heat setting of nylon 6 fiber. V. Investigation of wide- and small-angle x-ray diffraction

Crystalline content, crystalline orientation, and long period of heat-set nylon 6 fibers were investigated. Fibers subjected to dry heat setting or steam setting, have x-ray diffraction patterns which suggest that an increase of crystallinity occurs on treatment, especially in the case of steam setting. The degree of crystalline orientation does not decrease greatly in either dry heat setting or steam setting. Therefore, the increased dyeability of nylon 6 fiber on heat setting is not attributable to a decrease of orientation of crystallites. The large increase of long period produced by steam setting corresponds to the increase in density noted.