Partially oriented polyester yarn (PET POY) was treated in the unrestrained state using various solvents at different temperatures. Interactions between PET POY & solvents were estimated by the changes of microstructure, morphology and mechanical properties. The correlation between the changes of microstructure & morphology and the changes of mechanical properties was also studied. TCE, Dioxane, O-DCB, DMF, and BA were found to be active solvents, while Iso-AA and water were found to be weak solvents. PET POY was affected mainly by the solvents when treated with active solvents and affected mainly by heat when treated with weak solvents. Changes by the solvent treatment in microstructure and morphology were : an increase in crystallinity, a change in birefringence, a shrinkage in length, and a change in DSC curve. As for the changes in mechanical properties, findings in the PET POY when treated with solvents were : a decrease in stress-at-break, a change in yield stress, an increase in strain-at-break & yield strain, and a decrease in initial modulus. Changes in microstructure and morphology directly affected the mechanical properties.