| Research Abstract |
The original purpose of this study was to observe directly the shape of polymer molecules composing fibers by means of the ultra-high resolution scanning transmission electron microscope with an image processing system and to clarify the structure of fibers and the mechanism of fiber formation. However, it became impossible to equip a field emission gun for the electron microscope due to the cut of the budget. Consequently, the resolution of the microscope became a half of that originally planned and necessary for resolving a single atom. Nevertheless, we could complete a significant part of our research subject by using small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) which showed a magnificent progress in the past decade.
The properties of synthetic fibers have close relationships with their structures. Fibers consist of crystalline and amorphous regions. Especially the conformation of polymer molecules in amorphous regions of fibers is one of the most important problems. In this study we investigated the conformation of single polymer molecules in the microdomain space of a block copolymer as the model case of the molecules in such a confined space in fibers, and obtained important information. Improvement of fibers by modifying them with block or graft copolymers is another important subject. With the electron microscope constructed in this study we obtained a lot of basic information on block copolymers which is useful for application of block and graft copolymers to fiber structures. We also investigated the structure of thermotropic liquid-crystalline polyesters which are known as the materials for high-strength, high-modulus fibers and clarified the origin of the domain structure of liquid crystals. From the SANS study of water-sorption of the polyester fibers, we obtained important information on the mechanism of water-sorption of fibers.
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