PROPERTIES OF HEAT TREATED POLYVINYL ALCOHOL FIBRES HAVING VARIOUS DEGREES OF POLYMERIZATION

Fibers spun from polyviny alcohol having various degrees of polymerization were heat stretched and heat treated. Solubility and shrinkage in hot water decreased and crystallinity increased for fibers of smaller degrees of polymerization. Resistance of fibers to hot water is not always proportional to its crystallinity.The effect of heat treatment on fibers from polyvinyl alcohol obtained by the hydrolysis of polyvinyl acetate of 70% conversion of polymerization is more satisfactory than of 100% conversion.