Morphology and Crystal Structure of Wholly Aromatic All-Para Polyamide-Hydrazide Polymers

The morphology of some amide-hydrazide polymers of the type useful for high-modulus X-500 class fibers has been characterized by transmission electron microscopy of thin films crystallized from dilute solution. Selected area electron diffraction was used to characterize the crystallinity and crystal structure of the thin films and precipitated polymer. The films were cast from concentrated solutions and crystallized by heating the films. The results of these studies revealed several unique features relative to the crystal structure of the all-para polymers. Thin films of the crystallized polymer showed a distinctive crystalline texture—the molecular chains were found to be preferentially oriented parallel to the film plane and randomly oriented about an axis normal to the film plane. Electron diffraction measurements showed equatorial reflection maxima at tilt angles of = 30, ±48, and =59 when the films were tilted on an axis parallel to the film plane. From these results a tentative crystal unit cell and theoretical crystal density were determined: a = 8.5 [Agrave], b = 4.9 Å, c (chain axis) = 29.6 Å, p (density) =1.51 g/cc. The value a/b = 1.735, which is very near 3¹/², implies essentially hexagonal packing of the chains. Crystallization from dilute solution revealed lamellar structures resembling “single crystals” in the electron microscope similar to those observed in other crystalline polymers. However, in contrast to these other polymers, these “crystals” are not likely to contain folded chains because of the very rigid nature of the all-para poiyamide-hydrazide.     

Packing behavior of benzoylterryleneimide in the solid state

The packing behavior of benzoylterryleneimide was determined by X-ray powder and electron diffraction. The latter was applied to a material solidified from a solution after spreading it onto a water surface. By this procedure various nonequilibrium structures were prepared: crystalline lamellae are embedded in a structure of lower order, the texture of which looks similar to a texture seen in rigid liquid-crystalline polymers. The transition between both regimes is gradual. X-ray diffraction was applied to an annealed crystalline powder. The crystalline packing of the dark-blue compound can be described by a monoclinic unit cell with lattice parameters a?=?11.25?Å, b?=?10.93?Å, c?=?27.78?Å, β?=?91.0°, ρ?=?1.38?g/cm³ and Z?=?4?at ambient temperature. In order to enable optimum space-filling, the molecules are arranged parallel two by two with the planes of the aromatic ring systems 3.47?Å apart in centrosymmetrical relation and shifted longitudinally so that the diisopropylphenyl group of one molecule fits into the cavity at the carbonyl oxygen of the adjacent molecule.     

Fabrication of carbon fibers with nanoporous morphologies from electrospun polyacrylonitrile/poly(L‐lactide) blends

Porous carbon nanofibers were prepared through electrospinning a blend solution of polyacrylonitrile and poly(L ‐lactide), followed by carbonization at different temperatures and in different atmospheres. Structural features of these porous carbon nanofibers were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray powder diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Surface area and pore structure were evaluated using the nitrogen adsorption technique. It was found that carbon fibers prepared by this scalable and relatively economical method exhibited a porous surface morphology with high specific surface area and large pore volume. The fiber diameter, surface area, pore volume, bulky crystalline structure, and surface crystalline structure of these carbon nanofibers showed a strong dependence on the polymer precursor composition and carbonization condition. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 493–503, 2009     

Morphology of poly(phthalocyaninatogermoxane) crystals

The morphology of fully and partially polymerized poly(phthalocyaninatogermoxane), [Ge(Pc)O]_n, crystals was studied by both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. It was found that the morphological units are lath-like crystals which aggregate into particles. Generally speaking, the thickness, width, and length of the laths are in the range of 1000–2000 Å, 2000–10,000 Å, and 1–5 μm, respectively. Each lath may possess a mosaic substructure. Selected-area electron diffraction patterns indicate that the rigid, extended [Ge(Pc)O]_n chains are parallel to the large surface of the lath, and in most crystals the chains lie parallel to the lengthwise direction of the lath. However, in several cases, the chain orientation is at an angle of about 60° with respect to the long edge of the lath. The electron diffraction results are in accord with a tetragonal crystal structure (P4/m).     

Molecular morphology of cellulose

Native celluloses of various biological origins, as well as regenerated celluloses were examined by electron microscopy after suitable dispersion. In all cases the specimens were found to be composed of a common filamentary unit which is rectangular in cross section and has the approximate dimensions 35 × 20 Å. It is suggested that these are the basic morphological units of cellulose; they are therefore called protofibrils. For protofibrils of regenerated cellulose it is shown that: (1) the molecular contour length greatly exceeds the protofibril length, (2) the mass of the protofibril corresponds to that of a single molecule, and (3) the protofibril length increases with molecular weight. Additionally, high resolution electron micrographs of native and regenerated protofibrils show an apparent axial texture with a periodicity of about 40 Å. From these observations and the knowledge that the molecular chain axis is aligned parallel to the protofibril axis, a model of the protofibril is deduced. The model consists of a ribbon which is pleated on itself so as to form a planar zigzag structure of rectangular cross section. This supersedes a previously proposed model of circular cross section. The structure is composed of a single folded, chain, arranged so that the short extended segments between the folds are parallel to the protofibril axis. The protofibril is thus regarded as the morphological expression of the cellulose molecule. Microfibrils and protofibrils often exhibit kinks, the angle between the kinked portions being 120°. This phenomenon is satisfactorily explained by the protofibril model and in fact provides good support for it. Finally, various properties of cellulose are considered in relation to the model. By contrast with the earlier crystalline–amorphous concepts of cellulose fine structure, it is suggested that protofibrils are completely crystalline structures, and that the properties of cellulose may be understood by considering processes that occur at the level of the protofibril as a unit.     

Fracture of tendon collagen

A study of rat-tail tendon fibers, about 200 μ in diameter, by scanning electron microscopy of fractured specimens reveals that these crimped fibers are largely made up of cylindrical units, about 10 μ in diameter. These, in turn, are made up of the well-known collagen fibrils, ca. 0.1 μ in diameter, which have been observed previously by transmission electron microscopy and small-angle x-ray diffraction. Both the 10-μ and 0.1-μ cylindrical units were found to be arranged parallel to the macroscopic fiber axis rather than helically about it, as has been often proposed in the past. Significant improvement in resolution of the fracture surfaces was obtained by dehydration of the tendon. Microscopy of undehydrated tendon fibers undergoing solubilization by dilute aqueous acetic acid confirmed the results obtained by fractography.     

Isotactic poly(pentene-1): Form III

A new crystalline form of isotactic poly(pentene-1) was obtained from dilute solution in amyl acetate. We have designated it as form III. The morphology and structure of isothermally crystallized samples were investigated by electron microscopy and electron and x-ray diffraction. This crystalline modification can be indexed on an orthorhombic unit cell (cell dimensions: a = 21.20 ± 0.05 Å, b = 11.48 ± 0.05 Å, c = 14.39 ± 0.05 Å (fiber axis) and probable space group P2₁2₁2₁).     

Analysis of small-angle X-ray scattering from fibers: Structural changes in nylon 6 upon drawing and annealing

The changes in the fibrillar and the lamellar structure in nylon 6 fibers resulting from drawing and annealing were studied by a detailed analysis of their two-dimensional small-angle scattering patterns. The scattering object that gives to rise the diffuse equatorial scattering in the angular range of Q = 0.02 to 0.3 Å⁻¹ is assumed to be a fibril. There are two distinct regimes in the equatorial diffuse scattering. The scattering at Q < 0.1 Å⁻¹ is dominated by scattering due to the longitudinal dimension of the fibril, and that at Q > 0.1 Å⁻¹ to the lateral dimensions/organization of the fibril. The interfibrillar regions, unlike the interlamellar regions that are essentially made of amorphous chain segments, may have microvoids in addition to amorphous chain segments. The intensity distribution within the lamellar reflections was used to obtain the lamellar spacings and the dimension of the lamellar stacks. The length of the fibrils is between 1000 and 3000 Å, the higher values being more prevalent at lower draw ratios. The fibril length is larger than the length of the lamellar stack, and approaches the latter at higher draw ratios. Annealing does not change the lengths of the fibrils, but the length of the lamellar stack increases. The fibrils form crystalline aggregates with a coherence length of ∼200 Å at higher draw ratios. The diameter of the fibrils (50–100 Å) determined from the lamellar reflection using both the Scherrer equation and the Guinier law are consistent with the lateral size of the crystallites derived from wide-angle x-ray diffraction. The longitudinal correlation of the lamellae between the neighboring fibrils improves upon drawing and decreases upon annealing. The degree of fibrillar and lamellar orientation is about the same as the crystalline orientation. Lamellar spacing increases upon drawing (from ∼60 to 95 Å) and annealing (from ∼85 to 100 Å). This is accompanied by an increase in the width of the amorphous domains from 30 to 50 Å in drawn fibers, and from 45 to 55 Å in annealed fibers. The diameter of the fibrils decreases slightly upon drawing and increases considerably upon annealing. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY ON THE ORIENTED CHITOSAN FILM OBTAINED FROM PRE-SHEARED LIQUID CRYSTALLINE SOLUTION IN DICHLOROACETIC ACID

The oriented chitosan films obtained from pre-sheared liquid crystalline chitosan/dichloroacetic acid (DCA)solutions were studied by means of polarized optical microscopy (POM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infra-reddichroism technique and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The shear induced band texture in the film was found tocorrespond to the sinusoidal fibrillar microstructure along the shearing direction on the basis of POM and SEM observations.The sinusoidal fibril was found to be lying within the film plane. The model of chitosan molecular orientation in the pre-sheared film with band texture can be established assuming that the main chain orients in the shearing direction and the sidegroup is perpendicular to the shearing direction. The WAXD azimuthal scanning at 2θ= 20° indicates that the (002) planeorients perpendicular to the shearing direction.     

Structural studies on the polymorphism of nylon 3

The structure and morphology of crystalline nylon 3 [poly(β-alanine)] have been studied by electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Two clearly defined forms are detected. Form I appears as spherulites made up of ribbonlike lamellae upon crystallization at high temperature from a solution in phenol–butanediol-1,4. They have monoclinic unit cell with a = 9.60 Å, c = 8.96 Å, and β = 122.5°. The hydrogen-bonded planes run parallel to the long dimension of the crystals. Form II is observed when the samples are prepared from formic acid solution at room temperature. A second type of spherulite with a microfibrillar structure is formed in this case. The isolated crystalline structures obtained from Form II appear to grow along the intersheet direction rather than along the hydrogen bond direction, which constitutes anomalous behaviour. Our results for this second form are consistent with an orthorhombic lattice with a = 9.56 Å and c = 7.56 Å. No clear information is obtained on the b dimension of the unit cell (chain axis) in either case. We assume a value of 4.78 Å, which corresponds to fully extended chains. The two forms coexist in films prepared from a formic acid–water solution as well as in samples recovered immediately after polymerization.     

Exposition et développement simultanés de plaques cristallines de bromure d'argent. II

Thin monocristalline sheets of silver bromide have been developed at the contact of a platinum wire connected with a battery. It is shown by electron diffraction that the developed silver grains are composed of silver crystals with a diameter of approximately 150 Å. Autoradiography proves that most of the reduced silver ions are located in a thin superficial layer of the crystalline sheet of silver bromide.     

Directional Solidification of CaO-P205 Bioglass-Ceramics

Abstract

Calcium phosphate glass-ceramics were prepared by reheating the glass rods between 675° and 750°C under a temperature gradient of ～100°C/cm. Floating zone method and silicon carbide furnace was made use to crystallizing the glass. The crystalline phases occurred as long fibers aligned parallel to the growth direction of the specimen. The spacings between the fibrous phases were smaller than 1 μm and very uniform.

Microstructure of the crystallized phases was examined by scanning electron microscope. Crystalline phases and crystallography were checked by X-ray diffraction.     

Processing,microstructure and properties of bulk metallic glass composites

A Zr-Nb-Cu-Ni-Al bulk metallic glass was reinforced with up to 80 volume-percent (% V_f) continuous fibers, short fibers or particles. Characterization based on X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, electron microprobe and scanning electron microscopy is presented. The metallic glass matrix remains amorphous after adding reinforcements. Reactions at the matrix/reinforcement interfaces were examined using transmission electron microscopy. A narrow band of crystalline particles typically forms adjacent to the reinforcement. The composites were tested in compression. Compressive strain-to-failure increased by up to factor of 12 compared to the unreinforced bulk metallic glass. The increase in compressive strain-to-failure is due to the particles restricting shear band propagation, promoting the generation of multiple shear bands and additional fracture surface area.     

Single‐Crystalline ZnO Nanowire Bundles: Synthesis,Mechanism and Their Application in Dielectric Composites

Single‐crystalline ZnO nanowire bundles have been synthesized in large‐scale by an improved microemulsion method in the presence of excessive hydrate hydrazine and dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid sodium salt (DBS) in xylene. The product is characterized using X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The result shows that the bundle is composed by many oriented single‐crystalline ZnO nanowires with a length of about 1 μm and a diameter of about 20–30 nm. The influence of DBS, hydrazine and the reaction time on the morphology of final product and the formation mechanism of such nanostructures were discussed; the application in the dielectric composites is also studied.     

Perfectly Controlled Lamella Thickness and Thickness Distribution: A Morphological Study on ADMET Polyolefins

Summary: Lamella thickness distribution (LTD) plays a critical role in determining the mechanical properties of polyethylene. LTD is predominantly governed by the intermolecular chemical composition distribution, but intrachain heterogeneity also results in a broadened LTD. Polyethylene synthesized by acyclic diene metathesis (ADMET) contains pristine microstructures free from inter and intrachain heterogeneity and therefore represent ideal models to investigate these phenomena. The crystalline structures of ADMET polyethylene with ethyl or n-hexyl branches every 21^st backbone carbon (EB21and EO21, respectively) were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), small X-ray scattering and wide angle X-ray diffraction (SAXS and WAXD), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The samples were crystallized for various periods at temperatures near the DSC crystallization peak temperatures: 10 °C for EB21 and 0 °C for EO21. TEM observation exhibited that EB21 displays straight lamellar crystals with axialitic organization and an average thickness of about 55 Å. This corresponds to twice the ethylene sequence length between branches, suggesting that one lamellar stem spans three branches and includes one ethyl branch within the lamella. The lamella thickness distribution was very narrow compared with that of the cross-fraction of ethylene/1-butene copolymer prepared via Ziegler-Natta polymerization. Similarly it was found from the same characterization methods that EO21 also displays a narrow lamella thickness distribution albeit with thinner lamellae, averaging 25–26Å thick. Judging from this lamella thickness, EO21 is considered to have a lamella stem composed of a single ethylene sequence between two braches, suggesting that the n-hexyl branch is entirely excluded from a crystalline phase.     

Electrospun nanofibers of ZnO‐TiO2 hybrid: characterization and potential as an extracellular scaffold for supporting myoblasts

One‐dimensional nanofibers have attracted tremendous attention because of their potential applications. Electrospinning technology enables industrial production of these nanofibers. This study aims to fabricate one‐dimensional ZnO doped TiO₂ by electrospinning and to characterize these hybrid nanofibers. The nanocomposite was prepared using colloidal gel composed of zinc nitrate, titanium isopropoxide and polyvinyl acetate. X‐ray diffraction, energy dispersive x‐ray analysis and transmission electron microscopy analysis confirmed the purity and crystalline nature of this material, whereas the diameter of these nanofibres estimated from scanning electron microscope (SEM), field emission SEM and transmission electron microscopy are between 200 and 300 nm. Cell counting with Kit‐8 assay at regular time intervals and phase‐contrast microscopy data revealed that C2C12 cells proliferated well on ZnO/TiO₂ nanofibers between 1 and 10 µg/ml, and cellular attachments are visible by SEM. The nanostructured ZnO/TiO₂ hybrid nanofibers show higher cell adhesion, proliferation and spreading behavior compared with the titanium substrate and control. Our study suggests that ZnO/TiO₂ nanofibers could potentially be used in tissue engineering applications. The scalability, low cost, reproducibility and high‐throughput capability of this technology is potentially beneficial to examine and optimizing a wide array of cell‐nanofiber systems prior to in vivo experiments. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solid-state polymerization of diacetylene: 1,11,13,23-tetracosatetrayne

The solid-state polymerization of a diacetylene, 1,11,13,23-tetracosatetrayne, was studied using x-ray powder diffraction and electron diffraction. It is shown that the material exhibits polymorphism. Thermochromic transitions, which are generally observed for diacetylenes, are related to the particular crystalline phase using x-ray powder diffraction. The unit cell dimensions and space group of one polymorph were determined by electron diffraction analysis: a = 20.83 Å, b = 4.84 Å, c = 10.08 Å, β = 92.4°, space group: P2₁/n. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(styrene‐maleic anhydride)‐montmorillonite nanocomposite

Poly(styrene‐maleic anhydride)‐montmorillonite nanocomposites were prepared by intercalation of layered montmorillonite with the polymer ions. Synthetic approaches including polymerization and phosphonium salt formation have been used for polymer intercalation and dispersion of the host layers in the polymer matrix. The ratio of the mineral in the composites ranged 30–50%. Wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) disclosed that the d₍₀₀₁₎ spacing between the internal lamellar surface were only expanding to about 13 and 15 Å according to the type of phosphonium salt suggesting packing of polymer molecules between the layers. Examination of these materials by scanning and transmission electron microscopy showed spherical nano size particles of average diameter, 350 nm. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Poly(terephthalic anhydride) single crystals: Morphology and crystal structure

Single crystals of poly(terephthalic anhydride) (PTA) have been grown using the confined thin film melt polymerization technique. Thin lamellae (ca. 50 Å) are found for low polymerization temperatures, with thick crystals forming for polymerization at 200°C. Shearing of the material shortly after the initiation of polymerization at 200°C yielded single crystal domains composed of fibrillar texture material; these samples gave [010] zone ED patterns complementing the [001] zone patterns from the unsheared CTFMP samples. A monoclinic, single chain, two repeat unit, unit cell (Pc11) is proposed based on four different electron diffraction zone patterns: a = 6.01 Å, b = 3.94₅ Å, c = 14.11 Å, α = 106.9°. Simulations, using the Cerius² program, of the corresponding molecular conformation, packing and electron diffraction (ED) patterns were performed; the ED simulations are in good agreement with the observed patterns. An R-factor of 0.23 is obtained based on a comparison of calculated and observed structure factors for the 39 independent ED reflections observed on the different zone patterns. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structural transformation from shish‐kebab crystals to micro‐fibrils through hot stretching process of gel‐spun ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene fibers with high concentration solution

Structural evolution of gel‐spun ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene fibers with high concentration solution via hot stretching process was investigated by in situ small‐angle X‐ray scattering, in situ wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurements, scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. With the increase of stretching strain, the long period continuously increases at relative lower stretching temperature, while it first increases and then decreases rapidly at relative higher stretching temperature. The kebab thickness almost keeps constant during the whole hot‐stretching process and the kebab diameter continually decreases for all stretching temperatures. Moreover, the length of shish decreases slightly and the shish quantity increases although there is almost no change in the diameter of shish crystals during the hot stretching process. The degree of crystal orientation at different temperatures is as high as above 0.9 during the whole stretching process. These results indicate that the shish‐kebab crystals in ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene fibers can transform continuously into the micro‐fibril structure composed mostly of shish crystals through the hot stretching process. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2018 , 56, 225–238