SURFACE STRUCTURING OF SYNTHETIC-FIBERS BY UV LASER IRRADIATION .2. MECHANISM AND MODELS

An investigation of the mechanism of UV laser-induced surface structur e formation on synthetic polymers is presented. The structuring effect is purely due to thermal behaviour of the outer most layers of the fi bre during the influence of a laser pulse. The release of frozen-in te nsions within fibres is coupled with high temperature gradients, thus leading to cooperative behaviour for the movement of polymer chains. A tomic force measurements and statistical methods for the very first st ructures support the interpretation given. Once a structure element is formed, its development on further irradiation is predetermined. A co mputer modelling of the stress release model is given.