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What Is Polyester Fiber? What Is Understood by Thermoplastic and Thermoset Polyester?

Polyester fiber is produced from polyester polymers derived from a polycondensation reaction between dicarboxylic acids and diols. The most common polyester is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET is commercially manufactured using either a dimethyl terephthalate or terephthalic acid method. Polyester fibers have properties like strength, durability, crease resistance and resistance to chemicals that make them suitable for apparel and home furnishings applications, though they are uncomfortable against skin. Modified polyesters address issues like dyeability, static, and pilling.

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MOJAHID HASAN Fall 19
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131 views

What Is Polyester Fiber? What Is Understood by Thermoplastic and Thermoset Polyester?

Polyester fiber is produced from polyester polymers derived from a polycondensation reaction between dicarboxylic acids and diols. The most common polyester is polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET is commercially manufactured using either a dimethyl terephthalate or terephthalic acid method. Polyester fibers have properties like strength, durability, crease resistance and resistance to chemicals that make them suitable for apparel and home furnishings applications, though they are uncomfortable against skin. Modified polyesters address issues like dyeability, static, and pilling.

Uploaded by

MOJAHID HASAN Fall 19
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Polyester Fiber

1. What is polyester fiber? What is understood by thermoplastic and thermoset


polyester?
The term ‘polyester’ is applied to polymers containing ester groups in their main
polymeric chain. Polyesters are derived from a poly-condensation reaction between
dicarboxylic acids and diols.
Thermoplastic polyesters: which consist of fiber-forming, film-forming and engineering
application polymers such as PET.
Thermoset polyesters: which are basically unsaturated polyester resins (liquid form) that
upon curing form highly cross-linked structures (solid). They are widely used as a matrix
for preparation of fiber-reinforced composite materials to bind the fibrous structure
together.

2. Describe the production process of polyester fiber with polymerization reactions.


Polyester fibers or largely PET fibers dominate the world synthetic fiber industry. In
1935, the DuPont Chemical Company created polyester. These fibers are also known as
Terylene, Dacron. The name polyester refers to the linkage of several monomers (ester)
within the fibers. Esters are formed when alcohol reacts with a carboxylic acid. Most
polyester is made from petroleum from which the acid and alcohols are derived.

PET is commercially manufactured using two methods. One is called dimethyl


terephthalate (DMT) method and the other one is the Terephthalic acid (PTA) method.
1. DMT method: This method involves use of DMT, reacted with mono ethylene glycol
(MEG) in the presence of a catalyst, typically a metal oxide, at 150–200°C to obtain
the monomer diethylene glycol terephthalate (DGT). DGT then undergoes poly-
condensation polymerization in the presence of a catalyst, usually metal acetate, at a
temperature between 265 and 285 °C and pressure of 1mm Hg to produce PET
polymer. DMT is old process called Batch process.
Polyester Fiber
2. PTA method: In this method, terephthalic acid is reacted with ethylene glycol in the
presence of metal oxides as catalysts, and at a temperature of 250–290°C to obtain the
monomer bi hydroxyl ethylene terephthalate (BHET). The DGT undergoes
polycondensation polymerization to produce PET polymer. Today over 70-75% of
polyester is produced by CP (continuous polymerization) process using PTA.

Polyester fiber formation: Fiber-grade polyester polymers are formed in chips and
fed into the fiber melt spinning process. The hopper feeder melts the polymer, which
then feeds into the melt extruder. The extrusion temperature is usually kept at around
280–290°C. The filaments are subjected to a drawing process to improve fibre
properties such as tensile strength and stiffness. Depending on the end use, the
polyester fibers are either retained in the filament form or converted into short staple
fibre form.
3. Discuss the polymer structure of polyester fibers.
The polyester polymer is linear and is usually polyethylene terephthalate (PET). It is a
condensed polymer.

The degree of polymerization ranges from 115 to 140, results in a polymer length of
about 120 nm to 150 nm, and thickness of about 0.6 nm. The polymer system of polyester
consists of 65-85 percent crystalline regions, and about 35-15 percent amorphous regions.
This results in the hydrophobic nature, poor dyeability. Melting at 256 deg C and has a
molecular weight of 8000-10000.
The significant and predominant forces of attraction in the polymer system of polyester
filaments or staple fibers are Van der Waals forces. Weakly polar carbonyl oxygen atoms
cause adjacent methylene hydrogen atoms to develop polarity to form very weak
hydrogen bonds.

4. Discuss the properties of polyester fiber.


Polyester Fiber
-Due to the extreme crystallinity of the polyester polymer system which prevents the
entry of any acid and water molecules.
-The acid resistance of polyesters helps to protect polyester textile materials from acidic
nature of polluted atmospheres.
-The benzene rings of the polyester polymer give stability to the polymer against sun's
ultraviolet radiation.
- The melting point of polyester is 250°C.
- The extreme crystallinity of the polymer system prevents the polyester fiber from
bending which results in crease resistance.
- This high crystallinity ensures the formation of the very effective Van der Waals forces
as well as the weak hydrogen bonds, resulting in the very good tenacity.
- The hydrophobic polyesters readily develop static electricity, which attracts airborne
dust and grease particles, leading to rapid soiling.
- Density 1.38g/cc
-Moisture regain =0.4%
- polyester is recyclable and biodegradable.

5. Why modified polyesters are prepared?


The modified polyesters are prepared to overcome some drawbacks such as
a) Low moisture regain
b) static electricity
c) soiling problems
d) pilling problem
e) extreme difficulty in dyeing
6. Give some examples of modified polyester.
a) Deep dyeable PET : S By using egments of polyethylene oxide (PEO) in PET
backbone
b) Flame retardant PET: By using phosphate esters for copolymerization
c) Antistatic and antisoiling PET : By introduction of polyethylene oxide by block
copolymerization
7. Draw the common cross sections used for PET fiber production.
Polyester fibres common cross-sections are triangular, trilobal, serrated, oval, band and
hollow.

8. What types of modifications are performed for polyester fiber?


Polyester Fiber
Modification of normal polyester has been accomplished by following routes:
a) Change in the chemical composition of the PET molecule by introducing a third
and/or fourth component into the polymer chain during polymerisation.
b) Use of certain additives (particulate fillers, pigments of polymers) in the melt phase
prior to extrusion.
c) Modification during melt spinning such as hollow varied profile and micro-denier
fibres for specific applications.
d) Surface modification of normal polyester fibre for producing specific effects.

9. List the attributes of the polyester fiber that make it most suitable fiber for apparel
applications.
Because polyester fibers:
-Are strong, durable and stretchable
-Resist abrasion and creasing
-Possess exceptional dimensional stability
-Are easy to wash, dry and use
- Are stable with respect to properties in wet and dry conditions
- Resist chemicals and mildew
-Are all-weather resistant and not damaged by sunlight
- Are economical and easy to blend with other fibers
10. List the disadvantages of the polyester fiber for apparel applications.
a) The fibres are uncomfortable to wear next to the skin in hot conditions due to low
moisture
absorption, poor vapour transmission and low thermal conductivity.
b) They have static electricity issues due to hydrophobicity (a dislike of contact with
water).
c) Polyester has an unpleasant feel and poor aesthetic properties due to the smooth,
round fiber surface.
11. What is understood by silk like polyester? List the modifications done on polyester
fiber to get silk like properties.
For centuries silk fabrics are considered to be most elegant and gorgeous textile
materials. The following factors should be considered in the production of silk like
polyester:
* Fibre cross section to obtain the desired luster.
* Fine denier filament to obtain the desired feel.
The most popular cross-section for silk like polyester is trilobal, which gives adequate
lustre resembling that of silk.
Finer the single filaments in the yarn, the softer the hand of the resultant fabric. Silk
fibres are "Very fine" in the range 1.2 to 1.3 dtex, and hence necessarily the synthetic
fibre used to be in the same range or finer to obtain a feel closer to silk.

12. List the most important applications of polyester fibers.


Polyester Fiber
A vast range of apparel types exist:
• Casual wear
• Formal wear
• Occasion wear
• Outdoor activities
• Indoor clothing
• Hosiery and lingerie
• Sports and extreme weather clothing
Home Furnishings: Carpets, curtains, draperies, sheets and pillow cases, wall coverings,
and upholstery Other Uses: hoses, power belting, ropes and nets, thread, tire cord, auto
upholstery, sails, floppy disk liners, and fiberfill for various products including pillows
and furniture .

13. Write the commercial name of polyester fiber and some company’s name.
Trade name: Coolmax, Dacron, Holofiber, Orel, terylene, Delcron, Comforel etc
Company: DuPont, INVISTA, Honeywell International, KoSa etc

14. How polyester fiber can be identified?


-It dissolved completely in chloro phenol.
- It burns slowly and shrinks away.
-Odor during burning is slightly sweetish.

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