ABSTRACT
A spin finish formulation consists of many different types of chemical components. Included in these finishes are lubricants, emulsifiers, antistats, wetting agents, and several additional materials added for specific reasons. When this sample of a new chemical is received, the normal procedure is to subject it to several laboratory tests to obtain some basic data about its behavior before compounding the material into a finish. The chapter provides some procedures used to test these components and some information about the chemical structure that causes the component to act as it does. Several other techniques are available for laboratory studies of the thermal stability of finish components and finish oil blends that do not necessitate the purchase of expensive equipment. After the preliminary evaluation of the thermal properties and viscosity of a component, the investigator may decide to apply that component to some fiber, or to formulate a complete finish for application.
