The performance promotion of polyphenylene sulfide fibers based on the electron beam irradiation.

To give full play to the good performance of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) fiber, electron beam irradiation was used to promote the property of the PPS fiber. The fibers were irradiated at different doses, and changes in structure and property of PPS fibers were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, moisture regain, heat resistance and thermo-gravimetric analysis. The strength of the specimen increased from 3.75 cN dtex−1 to 3.88 cN dtex−1 at 10 kGy and then decreased. And the elongation of the irradiated fibers decreased after irradiation. The crystalline shape of the fibers did not change and the crystallinity increased from 57.3% to 59.4% and then decreased. Irradiation had the good effect on moisture regain and heat resistance. The moisture regain of PPS fibers increased from 0.28% to 0.74% after 60 kGy irradiation which was 2.6 times of the initial fibers. After heating at 150 °C for 2 h in an oven, the mass loss ratio of the fibers decreased from the original 9.96%–4.97% at 10 kGy dose which was helpful to the application of PPS fiber in high-temperature fields. At the same time, it could be seen from TG data that the maximum loss rate temperature of fibers rose from the initial 526.6 °C–532.7 °C. • Study on the modification of PPS fiber by low energy electron beam irradiation technique. • The strength and crystallinity of the fibers were changed under different doses of irradiation. • After irradiation, the hygroscopicity, heat resistance and thermal stability of the fiber were enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]