In this paper we consider the wide-angle x-ray diffraction patterns of several nylon 66-polyethylene glycol (PEG) blend fibers before and after aqueous extraction. Antistatic additives such as PEG are frequently found in polyamide fibers. The patent literature indicates, however, that fiber blend systems of this type must be extracted in order to function effectively as antistatic fibers.'**The fibers examined in this study were prepared by an industrial laboratory by melt spinning mixtures of PEG and nylon 66 polymer chip. The samples ranged in composition from 0-20% PEG by weight in increments of 5%. The PEG had a molecular weight of ca. 20,000 (Union Carbide Corporation's polyethylene glycol compound 20M). After melt spinning, each blend was drawn to the same draw ratio of approximately 5X. Samples of each blend were extracted in an aqueous solution containing 10 ghiter of Oryus-AB detergent (Proctor and Gamble) for 3 hr at 7OoC and then dried in hot air at 7OoC for 2 hr. All samples containing PEG additive show a significant increase in electrical cond~ctivity.~The wide-angle pattern of the 100% unextracted nylon 66 fiber sample is shown in Figure 1. This structure has been completely analyzed by Bunn and Gardner.' The x-ray pattern of extracted samples of nylon 66 is practically unchanged except the major reflection peaks on the equator are somewhat sharper. The extraction process induces changes approximately equivalent to an annealing treatment of 200OC for 1 min.
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