Analysis of the polarization state of melt-spun polypropylene fibers

In this work, melt-spun polypropylene fibers were treated in an electric field of corona discharge. The fibers were then characterized using the thermally stimulated current spectroscopy. It has been shown that the electret state of corona treated polypropylene fibers is a result of combination of three different effects: Maxwell–Wagner polarization, dipole polarization and charge trapping. The electret state induced in polypropylene fibers by the corona discharge treatment holds for a long time (several months). Our analysis of the effect of processing temperature and electric field intensity on the characteristics of the electret state in melt-spun polypropylene fibers allows one to specify optimum technological regimes for industrial production of polypropylene-based electret materials.