Optical anisotropy in solution-cast film of cellulose triacetate

The out-of-plane birefringence and its wavelength dispersion are studied employing solution-cast films of cellulose triacetate (CTA). In solution-cast process, CTA molecules are induced to align in the film plane. Although refractive index is the lowest in the oriented direction for the CTA films stretched more than 110 %, refractive index is found to be the lowest in the normal direction for the unstretched cast film. Attenuated total reflection measurements reveal that in-plane alignment of the acetyl group which provides strong polarizability anisotropy is responsible for the phenomenon. Furthermore, the out-of-plane birefringence is found to increase with increasing wavelength, i.e. extraordinary wavelength dispersion, whereas a stretched CTA film shows ordinary wavelength dispersion. The level of the out-of-plane birefringence in cast films depends on the preparation conditions, which is predictable considering the evaporation rate. Moreover, it is demonstrated for the first time that the out-of-plane birefringence and its wavelength dispersion can be modified by addition of a certain plasticizer such as tricresyl phosphate (TCP). During the evaporation, TCP molecules orient in the film plane accompanying the orientation of CTA chains by intermolecular orientation correlation, called nematic interaction. This technique will widen the scope of material design of retardation films because there are numerous liquid compounds having strong polarizability anisotropy.     

Melting Point Elevation of Isotactic Polypropylene

The melting point of a conventional isotactic polypropylene (PP) was enhanced by a rapid annealing procedure of an extruded sheet composed of β trigonal form crystals having thick lamellae, which was prepared by T-die processing with a specific β-nucleating agent, N,N′-dicyclohexyl-2,6-naphthalenedicarboxamide. Although the melting point of PP with α monoclinic form, prepared by a conventional processing method, is known to be located around at 165°C, the sample obtained by the present technique showed a higher melting point, 170°C. The phase transformation from β-to α-form crystals, retaining the lamellar thickness, was responsible for the melting point elevation.     

Plastic deformation behavior of polypropylene sheet with transversal orientation

The deformation behavior of a polypropylene (PP) sheet, in which c‐axis of β‐form PP orients perpendicular to the flow direction in the sheet [transverse direction (TD)], is studied focusing on the mechanical anisotropy. The deformation mechanism of this sample is found to be strongly dependent on the stretching direction. Shear yielding is dominant in TD stretching, indicating that reorganization and phase transformation of crystalline form occur easily with low yield stress. On the contrary, in machine direction (MD) stretching, numerous microvoids appear with the transformation of crystalline form as well as the rotation of c‐axis. Moreover, the crazing process, initiated at the orientation defects, occurs locally with remaining undeformed region in which β‐form PP orients to TD. The deformation behavior is applicable to a microporous film. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 897–906