Preparation and characterization of solution(gel)-spun ethylene-vinyl alcohol fibers

Ethylene-vinyl alc. copolymer (I) fibers were produced via soln.(gel)-spinning. The development of Young's modulus as a function of both draw ratio and ethylene content was investigated. At comparable draw ratios, the Young's modulus decreases with increasing ethylene content in the copolymer. The advantage of I fibers compared with poly(vinyl alc.) fibers is a lower sensitivity to moisture. A major drawback, however, is the need to employ higher mol. wts., which are difficult to prep., in order to increase the max. draw ratio to compensate for the lower draw efficiency.