Dear Sir:It has been shown [2, 6] that nylon fibers can absorb a relatively large amount of hydrogen chloride and that this absorption is accompanied by a change in the crystal structure of the fibers [5]. The absorption also results in a cross-sectional swelling and a shortening of the fibers [3], the extent of the shortening being dependent on the tension applied to the fiber [4]. A further study of the viscoelastic properties of nylon fibers with sorbed hydrogen chloride was undertaken but, for lack of time, exploratory experiments only were completed. These consisted in determining the period of free torsional oscillations of nylon filaments during the sorption of hydrogen chloride. The results were judged of sufficient interest to report at this time.
ExperimentalA small steel bar was fixed at the lower end of the nylon filament under test and the filament was suspended inside a vertical glass tuhe which could be evacuated and into which dry hydrogen chloride could be admitted at will. Two small platinum plates held by wires fused into the glass tube were placed diametrically opposite each other inside the tube and in line with the steel bar.The platinum plates were used as the two plates of a condenser connected to a proximity meter. Any movement of the bar was reflected in a change of capacity which was measured on a recording millivoltmeter connected to the output of the proximity meter. To ensure that the bar was always between the plates when the filament contracted as a result of hydrogen chloride sorption, the,upper end of the filament was suspended from a glass rod fixed to a horizontal ball joint which could be rotated to lower the end of the glass rod and thus reposition the metal bar between the capacitor plates.To set the bar and the filament into oscillation, the bar was disturbed from its equilibrium position by means of a magnet placed momentarily below the end of the tube in which was located the filament and the capacitor plates. In order to determine the amount of hydrogen chloride sorbed by the filament, a small mass of similar filaments was suspended at the end of a quartz spiral inside another tube forming part of the same vacuum system. The length of the spiral, previously calibrated with known weights, was measured with a cathetometer which also served to measure the length of the filament under study. The change in diameter of the filament during the sorption of hydrogen chloride was determined on a short length of filament placed on a horizontal slide forming part of the same vacuum system and whose image, largely magnified, was projected onto a screen outside the system where it was measured. All measurements were carried out at room temperature, i.e.,
ResultsThe logarithm of the amplitude, as measured hy the proximity meter when plotted against the number of cycles or the time, gave a straight line as shown by one set of observations reproduced in Figure 1. We can, therefore, use the equation A =Aoc-at to calculate a damping-coefficient or the logarithmic decrement. The slope of th...