MODIFIED INTERFACES IN MULTICOMPONENT POLYPROPYLENE FIBERS

Increased strength, adsorption capacity and improved resistance agains t a flame of split film polypropylene fibers could be achieved by appl ying particulate additives with modified interphases. In the presence of an elastomer interlayer a high drawing ratio could be achieved. A r eactive surfactant additive was more appropriate for increasing the te nsile strength of filled fibers, while oil adsorbent fibers required f illers covered with non-reactive surfactants for improving the adsorpt ion capacity. Model experiments using XPS and DSC methods and SEM anal ysis were applied for studying the cause of these effects. The migrati on of flame retardant additives to the surface of PP fibers could be f ollowed using the XPS method. This advantageous effect can be promoted by silicone interphase. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights res erved.