Formation Analysis of the Core Offset of Sheath/Core Bicomponent Fiber Based on Numerical Simulation

• Published in: Fibers and polymers Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 2209 - 2219
• Main Authors: Liao, He, Zhang, Yang, Zhang, Yumei, Du, Mingyuan, Gan, Xuehui, Zhang, Yue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Seoul The Korean Fiber Society 01.06.2023; Springer Nature B.V; 한국섬유공학회
• Subjects: Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Configurations; Declination; Defects; Flow velocity; Optical fibers; Orifices; Polymer Sciences; Regular Article; Sheaths; Unevenness; Viscosity ratio; 섬유공학; Core offset configuration; Numerical simulation; Sheath/core bicomponent fiber; Bicomponent spinning; Interface
• ISSN: 1229-9197; 1875-0052
• DOI: 10.1007/s12221-023-00190-z

Sheath/core bicomponent spinning can be utilized to produce functional fibers with high application value such as plastic optical fibers. The core offset configuration formed during spinning is to the detriment of the performance of the fibers. Owing to the limitation of the experiment that is difficult to disclose the formation mechanism of the core offset, numerical simulation was carried out to study the sheath/core interface distribution during spinning. The results showed that individual variations of the viscosity ratio and composition ratio will not lead to the core offset defect through an ideal channel. In the case of non-ideal channel structure, the flow rate unevenness of the sheath component and the coaxiality of the core tube and the orifice played major roles in the core offset configuration, while the effect of declination of the core tube can be negligible. The degree of core offset caused by the coupling effect of the flow rate unevenness of the sheath component and the coaxiality of the core tube and the orifice was equal to the linear superposition of the single effect. Based on the sheath/core axis deviation under different conditions, it was demonstrated that the core offset defect can be inhibited by reducing the proportion of the sheath component in any case, which has a guiding significance for the production of the sheath/core bicomponent fiber.