Influences of Copolymer Composition upon the Behaviors of Poly（vinyl acetate-co-acrylamide） Sizing Agents

Influences of Copolymer Composition upon the Behaviors of Poly(vinyl acetate-co-acrylamide) Sizing Agents

A series of poly(vinyl acetate-co-acrylamide)copolymers with different mole ratios of vinyl acetateto acrylamide units were synthesized by emulsionpolymerization for investigating the influences of copolymercompostion upon the performance such as apparentviscosity, film behaviors, and adhesion capacity to fibers forwarp sizing operation. The mole ratios of vinyl acetate toacrylamide were varied from 0 to 4. By using animpregnated roving method, the adhesion was evaluated interms of the maximal strength and work to break of aslightly sized roving. The film behaviors included breakingstrength, breaking elongation, solution time and hygroscopiccapacity. It was found that the viscosity, adhesioncapability, glass transition temperature and film behaviorsof the copolymeric sizing agent strongly depended on themole ratio. Excessively increasing the amounts of vinylacetate or acrylamide units incorporated into the copolymericchains damages much of the performance. A favorable moleratio of vinyl acetate or acrylamide was found to be 45 : 55.Based on this mole ratio, the adhesion capability and filmbehaviors of the sizing agent reach their maximal valuessimultaneously. This demonstrates that the sizing agentshould be synthesized under this copolymer composition fromthe viewpoint of adhesion and film behaviors.