High strength and high tensile modulus fibers or poly(ethylene oxide)
AssigneeAllied Corporation
InventorsRoger Y. Leung, Anthony J. Polak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Strong fibers of poly(ethylene oxide) result from crystallization of the polymer of molecular weight of at least about 500,000 in a shear flow field. Using solutions of a polymer with a molecular weight greater than about 1,000,000, fibers with a tensile strength and tensile modulus of at least 0.1 and 0.5 GPa, respectively, can be readily obtained. Crystallization from a xylene solution within the range from about 35.degree. to about 45.degree. C. is particularly effective.
Claims12
A method of making a poly(ethylene oxide) filament with a tensile strength of at least 0.1 GPa and a tensile modulus of at least 0.5 GPa comprising crystallizing poly(ethylene oxide) from a solution containing less than about 5 weight percent of poly(ethylene oxide) of molecular weight greater than about 10.sup.6 in a shear or extensional flow field of the type produced by a Couette viscometer at a temperature from about 35.degree. to about 45.degree. C.
The method of claim 6 where the solution contains from about 0.1 to about 1.0 weight percent of poly(ethylene oxide).
A filament of poly(ethylene oxide) with a tensile strength of at least 0.1 GPa and a tensile modulus of at least 0.5 GPa produced by crystallizing poly(ethylene oxide) from a solution containing less than about 5% of poly(ethylene oxide) of molecular weight greater than about 10.sup.6 in a shear of extensional flow field of the type produced by a Couette viscometer at a temperature between about 35.degree. and about 45.degree. C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.