Physicochemical Nature and Structural Dependence of the Unique Properties of Polyester Fibres

Abstract

The structure and properties of PET and PET fibres are examined on three structural levels — molecular, supermolecular, and micromolecular. It was shown that the unique properties of the fibres are determined by the aliphatic-aromatic structure of PET and the chemically regular molecular structure. The structural dependence of the fundamental physicomechanical and physicochemical properties of PET and PET fibres was analyzed. It was shown that the high glass transition temperature of PET and PET fibres is determined more by molecular rigidity than by intermolecular interactions and varies little under the effect of moisture. This causes high stability of the structure in mechanical effects and exposure to heat and moisture, high reversibility of deformation, and insignificant creep under mechanical stresses. The structure and fundamental properties of PET and PET fibres are compared with the characteristics of other kinds of large-tonnage fibre-forming polymers and fibres and other aliphatic-aromatic polyesters and fibres. The advantages of using polyester fibres for fabrication of household and industrial articles are substantiated and summarized based on an examination of the properties of these fibres.