Numerical Study of Melt-Spinning Dynamic Parameters and Microstructure Development with Ongoing Crystallization

Abstract

In response to an investigation on the paths of changes in the crystallization and radial differences during the forming process of nascent fibers, in this study, we conducted numerical simulation and analyzed the changes in crystallization mechanical parameters and tensile properties through a fluid dynamics two-phase model. The model was based on the melt-spinning method focusing on melt spinning, the environment of POLYFLOW, and the method of joint simulation, coupled with Nakamura crystallization kinetics, including the development of process collaborative parameters, stretch-induced crystallization, viscoelasticity, filament cooling, gravity term, inertia, and air resistance. Finally, for nylon 6 BHS and CN9987 resin spinning, the model successfully predicted the distribution changes in temperature, velocity, strain rate tensor, birefringence, and stress tensor along the axial and radial fibers and obtained the variation pattern of fibers’ crystallinity along the entire spinning process under different stretching rates. Furthermore, we also explored the effects of spinning conditions, including inlet flow rate, winding speeds, and the extrusion temperature, on the fibers’ crystallization process and obtained the influence rules of different spinning conditions on fiber crystallization. Knowing the paths of changes in mechanical performance can provide important guidance and optimization strategies for the future industrial preparation of high-performance fibers.