Fiber making directly from poly(tetrafluoroethylene) emulsion

Abstract

Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) fiber with a superior mechanical property was prepared directly from its emulsion by the novel manufacturing process. The PTFE emulsion turned into a paste when a high shear flow was applied and the paste was extruded through a nozzle into a strand consisting of fine PTFE particles. The diameter of the strand was reduced stepwise by applying the die-drawing process through a conical die at a low temperature. The strand was further die-drawn down at elevated temperatures into fine PTFE fibers with a highly oriented crystalline structure. The crystalline orientation factor of the PTFE fiber reached very close to unity. Although the fibers obtained have a very high tensile modulus, the tensile strength was not as high as that expected from the crystalline orientation, suggesting that the presence of some defects in the FIFE fiber formed in the instantaneous deformation. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.