Crystalline structure and morphology of biaxially oriented polyamide‐11 films

The effect of the uniaxial and biaxial stretching and subsequent solution annealing of extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films on the crystalline structure and morphology was investigated with differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). The extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films exhibited elevations in the glass‐transition and cold‐crystallization temperatures with a constant crystallinity and a constant melting point during aging under room conditions (20–26 °C and 20–31% relative humidity). WAXD and SAXS suggested that chain‐folded lamellae of coexisting α‐ and β‐crystals existed in all the stretched polyamide‐11 films. WAXD pole figures indicated that hydrogen bonds in the hydrogen‐bonded sheets of these two crystalline forms apparently formed between antiparallel chain molecules. The unit cell parameters [a = 9.52 Å, b = 5.35 Å, c = 14.90 Å (chain axis), α = 48.5°, β = 90°, and γ = 74.7° for a triclinic α form and a = 9.52 Å, b = 14.90 Å (chain axis), c = 4.00 Å, α = 90°, β = 67.5°, and γ = 90° for a monoclinic β form] for polyamide‐11 crystals were proposed according to the results of this study and the results of previous investigators. The unit cell parameters of the stretched extrusion‐cast polyamide‐11 films varied, depending on the stretching conditions (the stretch temperature and stretch ratio). As the stretch temperature and stretch ratio were increased, the crystal became more similar to the form described previously and was accompanied by an increase in the long spacing of crystalline lamellae. Annealing the stretched films in a boiling 20% formic acid solution made slightly more perfected crystals. The hydrogen‐bonding α(010) + β(002) planes, which are nearly parallel to both amide group planes and zigzag methylene sequence planes of the biaxially stretched films were found to be parallel to the film surface. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 40: 2624–2640, 2002     

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.     

The crystal structure of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate)

The unit cell of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) is triclinic with parameters a = 5.96 Å, b = 4.83 Å, c (fiber axis) = 11.62 Å, α = 115.2. β = 99.9, and γ = 111.3°; space group P1 , calculated crystalline density 1.41 g/cc. The plane of the benzene ring is found to be inclined by about 15° from the fiber axis, contributing to a shortening of the fiber period as compared to the period expected on the basis of analogy with other members of the terephthalate ester series. The remaining shortening of the fiber period occurs in the ? O? °CH₂? °CH₂? segment of the chain. No abnormally short distances among neighboring chain atoms were observed. A typical texture pattern was found in specimens of this polymer that were cold rolled and subsequently annealed. In this texture the c axis of the unit cell is highly oriented in the rolling direction; the a and b axes of the unit cell are oriented preferentially so that the terephthalate residue lies as close as possible to the plane of rolling.     

Electron diffraction and computer modeling of poly(naphthalic anhydride) crystal structure

Single crystals of poly(naphthalic anhydride) (PNA) have been grown using our confined thin film melt polymerization technique. Lamellae, 70–100 Å thick, are found for the crystals polymerized at 180°C with thinner lamellae for a 200°C polymerization temperature. In addition, irregular lath-shaped crystals are found for both polymerization temperatures, apparently formed by a solid-state polymerization process within the original needle-like monomer crystals. The crystal structure of PNA has been studied by electron diffraction (ED) and computer modeling based on seven different zonal ED patterns. It is found that, in most cases, two or three different zonal patterns are superimposed with a common plane, suggesting variable chain tilting even in individual lamellae. Shearing of the material shortly after the initiation of polymerization, permitted obtaining an additional [010] zone ED pattern. A monoclinic unit cell with one chain, two repeat units is proposed based on measurements of 21 independent reflections; the space group is Pc11; a = 6.26 Å, b = 4.33 Å, c = 18.60 Å, and α = 122.5°. The computer-simulated (Cerius²) molecular conformation and chain packing are described with the corresponding simulated electron diffraction patterns being in good agreement with the observed ones. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35 : 1575–1588, 1997     

Structural Phase Transitions of Aliphatic Nylons Viewed from the Simultaneous Measurements of WAXD and SAXS

Structural changes occurring in the high temperature region of doubly-oriented nylon 10/10 sample have been investigated through the temperature-dependent simultaneous measurements of wide-angle and small-angle X-ray scatterings, and the results were compared with the infrared spectral data as well as the molecular dynamics simulation results. In the Brill transition region of 150–180 °C the methylene segments are conformationally disordered with keeping the intermolecular hydrogen bonds. During this phase transition the stacked lamellar structure did not change very much: the lamellae are tilted by ca. 34° from the draw axis and the long period is almost 160 Å. In the temperature region immediately below the melting point the molecular chains were found to be contracted by ca. 10% the original repeating period and the intermolecular hydrogen bonds were almost broken, causing the violent rotational and translational motions of the chains around the chain axis. At the same time the long period increased remarkably from 160 Å to 410 Å and the originally tilted lamellae stood up in parallel to the draw axis.     

Phase transition and paracrystalline order in solution-crystallized solid n-paraffins

Solution-crystallized single crystals of various paraffins were investigated at room temperature by nuclear magnetic resonance and by small-angle and wide-angle x-ray scattering. The samples were crystallized from various solvents and annealed 2, 5, 6, and 12°C below the melting point. The NMR spectra are separated into three components (α, β₁ and γ) of different chain-segment mobility. On combining these results with x-ray measurements and with results on polyethylene, enough information is obtained to propose a model of the paracrystalline superlattice built up by at least 30 paraffin lamellae and to find where the chains of various conformation are located in the structure. The phase transition of C₄₄H₉₀ in the solid state gives further hints for this allocation. For instance, the β₁ component of intermediate mobility increases anomalously from 3% before to 10% after the phase transition. The paracrystalline g value of the macrolattice of the orthorhombic phase is 1.5% and the gap between the lamellae is 2.2 Å. At the beginning of the phase transition, the chains incline stepwise to the lamella surface retaining the orthorhombic macrolattice distance P₀ = 58 A and enlarging the gap to 8.8 Å without changing the g value of 1.5%. The growing monoclinic phase, on the other hand, has a constant g value of 3.5% from the beginning with P_m = 52 Å and has gaps of only 3 Å between adjacent lamellae. This explains the large β₁ (ca. 10%) of these two new phases, because the mobile chain ends consist of approxiamately 1 CH₃ and 1 CH₂ group on the average. The γ component of highest micro-Brownian mobility corresponds to the γ component in polyethylene with a line width of ca. 0.07 gauss. Unlike the case of polyethylene it is produced by only a small amount (0.02–0.13) of free CH₃ groups per chain. Another fraction of the CH₃ groups belongs to the rigid component α of the crystalline phase. They are located where adjacent lamellae touch each other in crystalline-like order. Because of these contacts, stacks of lamellae about 1000 Å thick scatter coherently, and the long period P_o of the orthorhombic phase remains undestroyed by annealing until the monoclinic domains collapse to the smaller period P_m of the monoclinic phase.     

Crystal structure of polysulfonamides

Structures of poly(alkylene-1,3-benzenedisulfonamide)s [? HN(CH₂)_mNH? O₂SC₆H₄SO₂? ]_n (PMm: 2 ≤ m ≤ 6) were studied by x-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. The crystal structure of PB6 is monoclinic, space group C2/m? C_2h³, with a = 7.70 Å, b = 7.76 Å, c (molecular axis) = 14.1 Å, and β = 117°. Two mirror-image molecules repeating with two monomeric units in an identity period 28.2 Å occupy the same lattice site with equal probability. The alkylene chains assume the planar zigzag conformation, which is the structure isomorphous with PB4. An intermolecular hydrogen bond is formed between each NH group and one of the two O = S groups of the corresponding SO₂ unit. The c axis tends to tilt from the fiber axis by an inclination angle of about 3° around the b axis.     

Lamellar diffusion during heat treatment in meltcrystallized low-density polyethylene

The annealing behavior of low-density melt-crystallized polyethylene is discussed in terms of an unprecedented lamellar diffusion mechanism. For this purpose a combined small-angle x-ray diffraction (SAXS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) study has been carried out. The presence of an initial double-lamellar population is directly evidenced by electron microscopy of freeze-cut and stained sections. The intercalation of thinner lamellae within the dominant wide-lamella population gives rise to an x-ray periodicity of 220 Å (structure I). The independent stacking of thinner lamellae within the material contributes to a second periodicity at 110 Å (structure II). During annealing at successively higher temperatures T_A, the low-molecular-weight components from the thin lamellae progressively diffuse out of the double population, reinforcing the stacks of thinner lamellae. At the melting temperature of the thinner crystals a complete segregation of these lamellae takes place, and a new periodicity (structure III) corresponding to stacks of collapsed thick lamellae emerges. The periodicity of structure III increases further with T_A. The thin lamellae of structure II can be extracted by a solvent, removing the corresponding SAXS peak and DSC maxima. The partial removal of thin lamellae from structure I by means of solvent extraction concurrently yields a decrease of the SAXS period. The present results suggest that molecular segregation of a low-molecular-weight fraction, contributing to the population of thinner lamellae, occurs during annealing.     

Crystal structure of polyisobutylene

The crystal structure of polyisobutylene was determined by x-ray analysis. The orthorhombic cell, with a = 6.88 Å, b = 11.91 Å, c (fiber axis) = 18.60 Å (space group: P2₁2₁2₁ ? D), contains two molecular chains each consisting of eight monomeric units in the fiber identity period. The chain conformation is essentially an (8/3) helix, but deviates appreciably from the exact (8/3) helix symmetry. The symmetry of the molecular chain is only a twofold screw axis in exact sense, and a crystallographic asymmetric unit consists of four monomeric units. The torsional angles are where M denotes the methyl group. The averaged skeletal C? CH₂? C and C? CM₂? C bond angles are 128° and 110°, respectively. The large C? CH₂? C bond angles may be due to steric respulsion between the adjacent methyl groups, giving intramolecular distances larger than 3.09 Å.     

Struktur und magnetische Eigenschaften von Bis{3‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazolium(1+)}pentafluoromanganat(III): (3‐atriazH)2[MnF5]

Structure and Magnetic Properties of Bis{3‐amino‐1,2,4‐triazolium(1+)}pentafluoromanganate(III): (3‐atriazH)₂[MnF₅] The crystal structure of (3‐atriazH)₂[MnF₅], space group P1, Z = 4, a = 8.007(1) Å, b = 11.390(1) Å, c = 12.788(1) Å, α = 85.19(1)°, β = 71.81(1)°, γ = 73.87(1)°, R = 0.034, is built by octahedral trans‐chain anions [MnF₅]^2–_∞ separated by the mono‐protonated organic amine cations. The [MnF₆] octahedra are strongly elongated along the chain axis (<Mn–F_ax> 2.135 Å, <Mn–F_eq> 1.842 Å), mainly due to the Jahn‐Teller effect, the chains are kinked with an average bridge angle Mn–F–Mn = 139.3°. Below 66 K the compound shows 1D‐antiferromagnetism with an exchange energy of J/k = –10.8 K. 3D ordering is observed at T_N = 9.0 K. In spite of the large inter‐chain separation of 8.2 Å a remarkable inter‐chain interaction with |J′/J| = 1.3 · 10^–5 is observed, mediated probably by H‐bonds. That as well as the less favourable D/J ratio of 0.25 excludes the existence of a Haldene phase possible for Mn³⁺ (S = 2).     

Structure and morphology of the aliphatic polyester poly(δ‐valerolactone) in solution‐grown,chain‐folded lamellar crystals

Poly(δ‐valerolactone) (PVL) crystals in the form of chain‐folded lamellae were prepared by isothermal crystallization from a 2‐methylbutane‐2‐ol solution. Wide‐angle and small‐angle X‐ray diffraction data, obtained from PVL lamellae sedimented to form oriented mats, were supplemented with morphological and structural data from electron microscopy, both imaging and diffraction. The diffraction signals index on an orthorhombic unit cell with the parameters a = 0.747 ± 0.002 nm, b = 0.502 ± 0.002 nm, and c (chain axis) = 0.742 ± 0.002 nm. Similar unit cell parameters were obtained from crystals grown from 1‐octanol and also from drawn melt‐pressed films. The evidence supports a model containing two antiparallel chain segments in the unit cell. The c value of 0.742 nm is appropriate for an all‐trans or onefold helical backbone conformation for the straight stems. Possible slight perturbations at the ester units from the all‐trans backbone conformation are discussed. Computerized modeling was used to optimize the adjacent‐reentry folded structure. The setting angles, with respect to the a axis, are ±58° for the corner and center chains. The lamellae are 7.26 ± 0.05 nm thick, and the chains run orthogonal to the lamellar surface. The chains fold in the diagonal (110) and (11¯0) planes in an alternating fashion. The X‐ray diffraction data suggest that a proportion of adjacent paired antiparallel entities, or hairpin units, are c‐axis‐sheared, and a relationship to the results obtained from drawn films is discussed. A brief comparison is also made with related polymer structures. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2622–2634, 2001     

cis‐Dioxocyclam

Molecules of 1,4,8,11‐tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane‐5,7‐dione, or cis‐dioxocyclam, C₁₀H₂₀N₄O₂, lie across mirror planes in space group Cmca; the crystal structure reveals interleaved columns of cis‐dioxocyclam mol­ecules along the 2₁ screw axis parallel to the crystallographic b axis. The columns are interconnected in a chain‐like arrangement by an amido hydrogen‐bonding network (N?O = 2.816 Å) and an amino hydrogen‐bonding network (N?N = 3.193 Å). The intracolumn spacing is 9.02 Å.     

Structural differences between two crystal modifications of poly(γ-benzyl L-glutamate)

X-ray diffraction patterns were obtained for as-cast and oriented films of poly(γ-benzyl L -glutamate) and a comparison was made of the molecular packing of the α-helices in forms B and C. Form B snowed Bragg reflections on the layer lines as well as on the equator. The spacings were explained by a monoclinic unit cell comprising two chains, with a = 29.0₆ Å, b = 13 2₀ Å, c = 27.2₇ Å α = γ = 90°. and β = 96°. The chains contained in this unit cell and consequently alternating in the crystal have opposite chain directions. Form C showed continuous scattering on the layer lines and reflections on the equator. This form, therefore, is a nematiclike paracrystal in which the packing of α-helices is periodic in the direction lateral to the chain axis (a = 14.8–115.2 Å, b = 14.3–14.8 Å, c = 27 Å, and γ = 118°–120°), but the relative levels of the chains along the chain axes are displaced. The formation of form C may be attributed to random placement of two chains with mutually opposite chain directions.     

Regular,adjacent reentry folding in single crystals of a liquid crystal polymer crystallized from the nematic state

Folded chain single crystals 35 Å thick have been grown from the liquid crystal state of an aromatic-aliphatic azomethine ether polymer (AZMEP-n) having a 10-carbon flexible segment (n = 10). Electron diffraction has permitted refinement of the triclinic unit cell. The molecular axes lie at an ca. 65° angle to the lamella normal and fold every third chemical repeat distance. For AZMEP-1 and -8 extended chain lamellae are formed; for AZMEP-7 both folded and extended chain lamellae are found. The observations of folded chain lamallae are in agreement with prior suggestions from our laboratory of chain folding in the liquid crystalline state in thin films. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Crystal structure of isotactic poly(4-methyl-1-pentene)

The crystal structure of isotactic poly(4-methyl-1-pentene) was determined by x-ray analysis. The unit cell is tetragonal, P4 b2, with α = 18.70 Å and c (fiber axis) = 13.68 Å; it contains four molecular chains each consisting of seven monomeric units in the fiber period. The molecular conformation is essentially a (7/2) helix, but deviates slightly from the uniform (7/2) helix. The unusual low density is discussed from the structural point of view.     

Crystal structure of an alternating copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene

The unit cell of an alternating copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene was determined by x-ray diffraction. In spite of uncertainties due to irregularities in the chain structure and a low level of crystallinity, a reasonable unit cell and structure was derived which gives a calculated crystalline density of 1.9 g/cm³. The unit cell is believed to be either orthorhombic or monoclinic with the following parameters: a = 9.6 Å, b = 9.25 Å, c = 5.0 Å, (γ = 96°). The molecular conformation is that of the extended zigzag, and the molecular packing appears to be orthorhombic, each molecule having four nearest neighbors with the CH₂ groups of one chain adjacent to the CF₂ groups of the next.     

Structures of poly(p-hydroxybenzoic acid) (PHBA) at ambient temperature

The molecular structure of poly (p-hydroxybenzoic acid) (C₆H₄COO)_x at ambient temperature was determined by x-ray powder diffraction analysis. The diffraction pattern is explained as a mixture of two orthorhombic phases having the same space group Pbc2₁ with four C₆H₄COO chemical repeats in the unit cell and the following cell parameters: a = 7.42 Å, b = 5.70 Å, and c = 12.45 Å for phase I (ρ_calc = 1.51 g cm^?3); and a = 3.83 Å, b = 11.16 Å, and c = 12.56 Å for phase II (ρ_calc = 1.48 g cm^?3). The chain conformation is the same in both phases, involving two benzoyl rings staggered by ca. 120° along the chain. Disorder has been considered in the packing of phase I by giving equal occupancy to the two molecules oriented up or down along the c chain axis. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structure of a poly(2,5‐benzimidazole)/phosphoric acid complex

As‐cast films of poly(2,5‐benzimidazole) exhibit uniplanar orientation in which the planes of the aromatic rings lie parallel to the film surface. Upon doping with phosphoric acid, the original crystalline order is lost, but the doped film can be stretched to produce films with uniaxial orientation. After thermal annealing at 540 °C, nine Bragg reflections are resolved in the fiber diagram, and these are indexed by an orthorhombic unit cell with the dimensions a = 18.1 Å, b = 3.5 Å, and c = 11.4 Å, containing four monomer units of two chains. The absence of odd‐order 00l reflections points to a 2₁ chain conformation, which is probably planar so that the aromatic units can be stacked along the b axis. The water and phosphoric acid contents of the crystalline structure cannot be determined exactly because of the presence of extensive amorphous regions that probably have different solvation. The best agreement between the observed and calculated intensities is for an idealized structure containing two phosphoric acids and two water molecules per unit cell. However, the phosphoric acid is probably present mainly in the form of pyrophosphoric acid and its higher oligomers. In addition, the X‐ray data are consistent with a more disordered structure containing chains with random (up and down) polarity and a lack of c‐axis registry. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 2576–2585, 2004     

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.     

Crystal structure of nylon 12

The crystal structure of nylon 12 prepared by polymerization of dodecalactam has been determined by x-ray diffraction. Nylon 12 fiber exhibits only the γ form as its stable crystal structure. The unit cell of nylon 12 was determined with the aid of the x-ray diffraction pattern of a doubly oriented specimen. The unit cell is monoclinic with a = 9.38 Å, b = 32.2 Å (fiber axis), c = 4.87 Å and β = 121.5° and contains four repeating monomer units. The chain is planar zigzag for the most part but is twisted at the position of amide groups, forming hydrogen bonds between neighboring parallel chains. The chain conformation is similar to that of the γ form of nylon 6 proposed by Arimoto. It was deduced from the calculations that there are two chain conformations statistically coexistent according to the direction of twisting. In each conformation, hydrogen bonds are formed between parallel chains to make pleated sheetlike structures. The sheets are nearly parallel to (200) and in the sheet the directions of the neighboring chains are antiparallel, as is the case with nylon 6.