DETERMINATION OF THE EQUILIBRIUM WATER-CONTENT OF POLYCAPROLACTAM

The role of the equilibrium water content in the spinning process of polycaprolactam is derived, and an isochoric method is described for the calculation of the water content. An equation is derived for the isobaric method, which can be used to calculate the average degree of polymerization as a function of the partial pressure of water vapour and the chain regulator concentration. The validity of the equation is experimentally checked, and an isobaric method for the determination of the equilibrium water content is described. The differences between isochoric and isobaric reactions are discussed on the basis of the experimental results.