Preparation and behaviour of combined fibres

THE preparation of bonded fibrous materials in which the fibres are bonded together at the places of contact by their own surface layer involves the use of combined fibres [1, 2]. The nature and polymeric structm-e of the combined fibres are not the same in volume as on the surface. These combined materials are produced by various methods of coating a layer of thermoplastic polymer on an oriented fibre surface. This polymer is capable of softening (on heating, in solvents) under conditions that will not affect the structure and properties of the initial fibre. The synthesis of homopolymers on fibre surface is common practice. Many papers have appeared in connection with methods of synthesizing graft polymers on fibres [3] but insufficient study has been made of the mechanical behaviour and adhesion of fibres modified by grafting.