Single fibers of poly(p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPTA; brand names Kevlar
x
, where x
= 29, 49, 149) have been scanned with an about 100 nm synchrotron radiation X-ray beam normal to the
fiber axis. Models of rotational disorder of the crystalline domains are discussed based on Monte Carlo
simulations of the spatial variation of the 110/200 reflection intensities. For Kevlar149 the principal disorder
appears to be a rotational domain-disorder across the fiber. The data suggest also the presence of a core
and possibly a skin layer, which are both more disordered. Kevlar29,49 appear to have the same type of
layering but with different volume fractions. There is also some evidence for a volume fraction without
rotational correlation, which might be related to a morphology formed at the onset of coagulation.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.