Surface layer of polymer fibers

Abstract

Sorption and dynamic mechanical analysis have been used to study the surface structure of high strength polymeric fibers including aramide and high modulus polyethylene fibers. The method used probes surface layers of the order of micrometers. The change in diffusion coefficient as a function of the radial distance of the fiber indicates structural inhomogeneity, in particular skin-core morphology in these fibers. The skin layer possesses lower density and less order than the fiber bulk.