Drawing and ultimate tensile properties of nylon 6/nylon 6 clay composite fibers

This study systematically investigated the drawing and ultimate tenacity properties of the Nylon 6 (NY6)/nylon 6 clay (NYC) composite fiber specimens prepared at varying NYC contents and drawing temperatures. The achievable draw ratio ( D ra ) values of NY6 x (NYC) y as‐spun fiber specimens initially increase in conjunction with NYC content, and then approach a maximum value, as their NYC contents and drawing temperature approach the 0.5 wt% and 120°C, respectively. The percentage crystallinity ( X c ) values of NY6 x (NYC) y as‐spun fiber specimens increased significantly, as their NYC contents increased from 0 to 2 wt%. As revealed by high power wide angle X‐ray diffraction analysis, α form NY6 crystals grew at the expense of γ form NY6 crystals originally present in NY6 x (NYC) y as‐spun fiber specimens as their draw ratios increased. The ultimate modulus, tenacity, and orientation factor values of NY6 x (NYC) y fiber specimens approach a maximum value, as their NYC contents and drawing temperatures approach the 0.5 wt% and 120°C optimum values, respectively. The thermal and melt shear viscosity experiments were performed on NY6 x (NYC) y resins and/or fiber specimens to determine the optimum NYC content and possible deformation mechanisms accounting for the interesting drawing, orientation, and ultimate tenacity properties found above. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2012.