Surface Energies of Nonionic Surfactants Adsorbed onto Nylon Fiber and a Correlation with Their Solubility Parameters

Abstract

The surface energies of spin finishes adsorbed onto synthetic fibers are a major factor in determining the processing capabilities of these fibers. They also play a key role in determining how wettable the fibers are by other materials that may be applied to yarn or fabrics in later stages of processing, such as dyes, sizes, or anti-soiling agents. We have applied several homologous series of nonionic surfactants, which can be used as spin finish emulsifiers, to nylon 66 fibers and determined the polar, dispersion, and total surface energies of these adsorbed materials. We also propose a relationship between the measured surface energies and the calculated Hansen fractional solubility parameters.