THERMOTROPIC GELATION IN WET SPINNING OF FIBRES FROM POLYMER SOLUTIONS

A mathematical analytical model of thermotropic gelation in heat exchange of a jet of polymer solution in a spinning bath was plotted by considering the phase equilibrium diagram of the polymer-solvent-precipitator system and the heat transfer process. The law of the change in gel layer thickness in time was determined and the duration of total thermotropic gelation was estimated. It was shown that the qualitative behavior of the functions of the gel layer thickness versus time is close to a unit step function, the duration of total gelation for the thermotropic process is approximately 0.1 sec, and the corresponding value of the Fourier number, Fog}2.