Polymer Specific Processes

Polymers suitable for the production of synthetic fibers are all created by linking atoms or atomic groups. This can be done by three reactions differing in their chemo-physical process [l, 6]. This chapter primarily deals with the engineering problems of the necessary equipment and machines in the process sequences. There are far more polymers that are suited for fiber formation; they are not covered here, because they can be produced on very similar equipment but are not relevant from a market or quantity point of view today. The production of the monomers from the raw materials is also briefly addressed. Figure 2.1 shows the formation mechanism of synthetic polymers [411].