Effects of absorbed water on physical properties of polyesters

✍ Scribed by Eiko Ito; Yasuji Kobayashi

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1980
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 496 KB
• Volume: 25
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.1980.070251001

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

In previous articles, we reported the change in physical properties of hydrophobic polymers caused by absorption of a very small amount of water. This article describes the changes in physical properties of three polyesters owing to absorption of water. The tested polymers were poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT), and polyethylene 2,6‐naphthalate (PEN). PBT has more flexible main chains than that of PET, and PEN has more rigid main chains. The dielectric measurements revealed that water absorption results in shortening the relaxation time for PET, while the relaxation time for moist PBT becomes longer. The larger amount of absorbed water yields the higher density of PET and the lower density of PBT. The water absorption of the polyesters also yields increments in dielectric constants and relaxation strength. Distribution of relaxation time of the polyesters is narrowed by absorption of water.