NMR observations of drawn polymers. V. Sorption into drawn and undrawn polyethylene

NMR measurements on undrawn polyethylene (PE) samples in contact with a solvent such as C₂Cl₄ indicate an increase in the mobility of the mobile chain segments as compared to dry samples. Highly drawn PE shows no such effect. This is because S_a, the sorption per unit mass of noncrystalline material present, decreases from 20.9 wt.-% (dry basis), found for undrawn quenched PE, to 0.63 wt.-% after drawing (S_a determined at 25°C. and 0.80 vapor activity). Drawing also reduces the segment mobility according to the NMR spectrum. It is shown that these effects are caused by considerable structural changes occurring in the noncrystalline regions of PE upon drawing. Annealing of drawn PE samples at successively higher temperatures leads to a gradual relaxation of the noncrystalline regions towards the state characteristic of undrawn PE. With increasing annealing temperature S_a as well as the mobility approach values found with undrawn PE.     

Sorption of organic vapors by polystyrene

Activity coefficients of benzene, toluene, cyclohexane, carbon tetrachloride, chloroform, and dichloromethane in binary solutions with polystyrene at 23.5°C have been determined using a piezo-electric sorption apparatus. The investigated solvent concentration ranges were 15 to 39 wt % for benzene, 14 to 29 wt % for toluene, 15 to 28 wt % for cyclohexane, 26 to 38 wt % for carbon tetrachloride, 24 to 46 wt % for chloroform, and 21 to 41 wt % for dichloromethane. The polystyrene (weight-averaged) molecular weights were 1.1 × 10⁵ and 6.0 × 10⁵ g/gmole. The weight-fraction activity coefficients (Ω₁ = a₁/w₁) of cyclohexane, toluene, and carbon tetrachloride in polystyrene solutions determined in this work agree within experimental error with previously published values determined by measurement of vapor pressure lowering and vapor absorption by thin films. We find disagreement, at low solvent concentrations, between our results for benzene and chloroform and previously published results. We have analyzed our results using Flory's version of corresponding-states polymer solution theory. The theory can account, qualitatively, for the cyclohexane and carbon tetrachloride results. It cannot account for the toluene, benzene, dichloromethane, or chloroform results.     

Sorption of vapors of organic solvents with cyanoethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose

The interaction of cyanoethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose with acetone, methylene chloride, and trifluoroacetic acid in the temperature range 10–50°C was studied by the solvent vapor sorption technique. The temperature and concentration dependences of the Flory-Huggins parameter for polymer-solvent interaction Z₁ and the mechanism of the structural rearrangement in the systems were determined.     

Sorption and diffusion of organic vapors in amorphous Teflon AF2400

Vapor sorption in amorphous Teflon AF2400 of various organic solutes was studied in a wide range of activity at 25 °C by means of the gravimetric technique. The sorption isotherms of hexane, toluene, and chloroform were shown to be concave to the pressure axis and are consistent with the dual mode sorption model (DMS). The parameters of the DMS model k_D and b reveal a linear correlation with squared critical temperature of solutes T. The third model parameter, the Langmuir sorption capacity C′_H decreases when the size of solutes (critical volume) increases. Sorption isotherms of methanol and ethanol were shown to be convex to the pressure axis and are consistent with cluster formation in this strongly hydrophobic polymer. Concentration‐dependent diffusion coefficients D were determined using a linear implicit difference scheme in analysis of sorption kinetics. It was shown that D values increase exponentially with concentration for all the solutes, except alcohols for which exponential reduction of D(C) was observed. The partitioning of the thermodynamic and mobility contributions in D indicated that the reduction of D values of alcohols is consistent with clustering phenomena in AF2400. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 832–844, 2006     

Characterization of drawn and undrawn poly-L-lactide films by differential scanning calorimetry

Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) is an optically active, biocompatible and biodegradable polymer that has been widely investigated as an artificial cell scaffold material. In its most crystalline form, PLLA is highly anisotropic and is one of the most piezoelectric polymers known. Conversely, amorphous PLLA exhibits little, if any, piezoelectric behavior. Compression molded PLLA films can be endowed with varying amounts of crystalline character and piezoelectricity by uniaxially stretching the polymer in a hot air bath. Understanding the precise crystalline architecture of PLLA that results from tensile drawing is important for constructing cell scaffolds that have highly tailored biodegradation and cell guiding properties. In our work here, we investigate the changes in the thermal properties of PLLA at draw ratios between 1.0 and 5.5 using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystallinity of the compression molded undrawn starting material is characterized using X-ray diffraction. Our DSC results show an increase in percent crystallinity with increasing draw up to a draw ratio of 4.0. At greater draw ratios, there is a decrease in the crystalline character exhibited by PLLA.This revised version was published online in November 2005 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Infrared studies of drawn polyethylene. II. Orientation behavior of highly drawn linear and ethyl-branched polyethylene

Infrared dichroism is employed to study the orientation of chain molecules in linear and ethyl-branched polyethylene in the crystalline and noncrystalline regions during drawing and subsequent annealing. A crystalline (1894 cm^?1) and a noncrystalline (1368 cm^?1) band, as well as the bands at 909 cm^?1 and 1375 cm^?1 resulting from vinyl endgroups and methyl endgroups and sidegroups, are studied. For these bands relative orientation functions are derived and compared as a function of draw ratio and annealing temperature. It is shown that the relative orientation functions as derived from the dichroism of the noncrystalline, vinyl and methyl bands follow the same curve while the orientation function for the crystalline bands does not. These results support a two-phase model for partially crystalline polyethylene and additionally favor segregation of the endgroups and sidegroups in the noncrystalline component during crystallization. It is further shown that shrinkage occurs at the temperature at which the noncrystalline chain molecules start to disorient. From the dichroism of the methyl groups in ethyl-branched polyethylene, a value for the mean orientation of the noncrystalline chain molecules is calculated. We obtain for the orientation function of the noncrystalline regions at highest draw ratios (λ = 15–20), f = 0.35–0.57, while the chain molecules in the crystallites are nearly perfectly oriented (f ≈ 1.0). On the assumption that the noncrystalline component consists of folds, tie molecules, and chain ends, the different contributions of these components to the overall orientation are estimated. From these the relative number of CH₂ groups incorporated into folds, tie molecules, and cilia can be derived. Further, on the basis of a simple structural model, the relative number of chains on the crystal surface contributing to the different noncrystalline components and their average length are estimated.     

Mechanical and transport properties of drawn low-density polyethylene

Quenched, quenched and annealed, and slowly cooled branched low-density polyethylene films were drawn at 25, 40, and 60°. The true draw ratio λ^L of the volume element was obtained and used to characterize the dependence on plastic deformation of the density, drawing stress, and work of plastic deformation, and the sorption and diffusion of methylene chloride. The effects observed are similar but less drastic than on linear high-density polyethylene. In particular, the transformation from the original lamellar to the final fibrous structure seems to be fastest for λ^L between 3 and 4. But the changes of vapor transport clearly indicate that the transformation is not yet complete even at the highest draw ratio λ^L = 6, just before the sample breaks. Annealing at 90°C of the drawn samples with free ends restores or even increases the transport properties beyond those of the undrawn sample without causing the fibrous structure to revert to the original lamellar structure.     

Crystallite size in highly drawn polyethylene

The size and distortion of crystallites in samples of linear polyethylene were determined before and after plastic deformation. A slowly cooled sample, a quenched sample, and highly drawn films (draw ratio 16) were investigated by different methods. Wide-angle x-ray patterns were analyzed to study the average size of the crystalline mosaic blocks and their distortion. In addition, the longitudinal crystal thickness (in the chain direction) was evaluated by two other approaches, determination of the long period, and the melting temperature of irradiated samples. The results show clearly that the size of the crystalline mosaic blocks changes substantially with drawing of polyethylene. Not only is the lateral crystal thickness affected, but the longitudinal crystal dimensions also change during the drawing process. By the three independent methods we find that the longitudinal crystal thickness after drawing is independent of the value for the undrawn samples, as was reported earlier by Peterlin. The change in crystallite size after drawing is accompanied by a large decrease in crystal volume to about 10% of the value for the undrawn sample. The degree of distortion in the crystals seems not to be affected by the deformation process. These experimental data can be considered evidence for high chain mobility and for the possibility of rearrangement of chain molecules during the process of plastic deformation.     

Deformation mechanisms in biaxially drawn polyethylene

The crystal orientation of solid-state biaxially drawn solution-crystallized ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) film has been revealed from flat-plate wide-angle x-ray scattering (WAXS) patterns and interpreted in terms of crystal plasticity. A slightly drawn film (λ ≤ 3 × 3) possesses only a (100) planar orientation, whereas in a highly drawn film (λ ≥ 6 × 6), a mixed (100) and {110} planar orientation is present. Crystal deformation is found to proceed both by slip on (100) and {110} planes, resulting in a (100) texture in a similar way to crystal deformation in uniaxially drawn polyethylene and by {110} 〈110 〉 transverse slip and/or {310} twinning which results in a {110} texture. It is postulated that during transverse slip or twinning, the molecules deform without chain extension. As a consequence, neither the molecular draw ratio nor the tensile properties change significantly for macroscopic draw ratios above 10 in contrast to the data obtained for uniaxially drawn polyethylene.     

Accordion-type laser-Raman scattering by drawn linear polyethylene

One can reproduce the observed accordion-type laser-Raman (ALR) scattering of highly drawn linear polyethylene if one assums that any gauche defect in the crystal lattice which interrupts the all-trans conformation sequence of the molecular chain completely decouples the accordion-type longitudinal oscillations of the two sections on both sides of the defect. Each oscillates independently of the rest. The length of the section, smaller than the full length of the straight chain between the crystal surfaces, determines the frequency of the ALR absorption. One such defect per five chain stems of the ideal crystal yields a straight-length distribution which agrees sufficiently well with that derived from the ALR spectrum. Small-angle x-ray scattering very generally registers the resulting decrease of the electron density of the crystalline component without yielding more detailed information about the location and frequency of such gauche defects.     

Mechanical and transport properties of drawn crosslinked low-density polyethylene

The values of drawing dependence of the density ρ, axial elastic modulus E, and maximum draw ratio λ of crosslinked low-density polyethylene (CLPE) rather similar to those obtained with un-crosslinked branched material of similarly low density. Very much the same applies to the equilibrium concentration of sorbed methylene chloride in the amorphous component and the zero-concentration diffusion coefficient D₀. The exponential concentration coefficient γD , however, even at the maximum draw ratio, shows no indication of the rapid increase so characteristic of the completed transformation from the lamellar to the fibrous structure. On the basis of this finding, one can understand the small deviations in the dependence of the mechanical properties between the crosslinked and uncrosslinked branched material. The segments between the crosslinks, much shorter than the free molecules, favor the formation of the interfibrillar tie molecules that limit the drawability of the sample. But since they cannot be extended to the same length as the free molecules, they contribute less to the total fraction of tie molecules per amorphous layer and hence yield a smaller axial elastic modulus.     

Sorption of benzene and N-hexane in polyethylene

Differential sorption data of benzene and n-hexane vapors in polyethylene have been obtained over wider ranges of temperatures and activities than available before. The data are used to develop a better model or help in the choice of the appropriate theory and modeling assumption from the available ones. Whereas the swelling of the walled-in amorphous region, with some modifications, provides the best correlation for the solubilities, in contrast, the integrated giant crosslink model shows remarkable agreement with the experimental values of diffusivities.     

Sorption of propane and propylene in polyethylene

Measurements are reported of the solubility and concentration of propane and propylene in polyethylene, at temperatures from ?30°C to +30°C and pressures from 1.68 to 3.52 atm. Solubility of both gases in polymer depends on penetrant activity. Henry's law is not obeyed at high values of the penetrant activity, i.e., in the vicinity of the condensation point of the gas. The interaction between the solvent and the polymer is independent of pressure and a function of temperature. The propylene-polyethylene interaction seems to reach a maximum at 10°C within the range investigated. A physical mechanism, based on opposite effects of temperature upon polymer and penetrant, is suggested to explain the results.     

Structure of fibers drawn from polyethylene single crystals

Transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction were used to study the molecular structure of fibers drawn from polyethylene single crystals at 77, 293, and 383°K. The results suggest that the formation of the fibers occurs by a two-step process. The first step is the breaking off of single blocks of folded chains from the single crystals so that a “string-of-pearls” structure is obtained. If the temperature is sufficiently high this process is followed by the thermally activated rearrangement of the molecules in the drawn fibers so that a “bamboo” structure results.     

Sorption of water and ethanol vapors by a cation exchange membrane

Sorption of water and ethanol vapors by an MF4-SK cation exchange membrane was studied and adsorption and desorptions isotherms were constructed.     

Fuming nitric acid treatment of polyethylene. IV. Morphology of drawn polyethylene

Drawn PE of different draw ratios (ranging from 1 to 25) and thermal treatment (annealing temperature 80, 100, 110, 120, 127°C.) was treated with fuming nitric acid at 80°C. Weight loss, molecular weight, elastic modulus, and thermograms were measured for annealed and unannealed samples as a function of the treatment time and draw ratio. As a consequence of the preferential oxidation of the noncrystalline portions, there occurs initially a high rate of weight loss and a steep drop in molecular weight, followed by a lower rate of weight loss at nearly constant molecular weight. The elastic modulus stays practically constant up to the moment where the brittleness of the sample prevents further measurement. During the later period the thermograms exhibit one melting peak during the first melting. The remelt of the same sample, however, has two melting peaks with a relative intensity independent of the treatment time. That the two melting peaks are caused by two components of different molecular weights present in the sample is substantiated by fractionation. At very high annealing temperature (127°C.), two peaks appear, not only in the first melting curve of the etched sample, but also in the melting curve of the unetched material. Such an effect is the consequence of partial melting during annealing followed by new crystallization during cooling the sample to room temperature. The findings are related to the morphology of the drawn material under the assumption of preferential scission of chain loops in the amorphous-crystalline sandwich layer model.     

Properties and structures of films drawn from polyethylene single-crystal mats

The properties and structures of polyethylene films drawn from mats of single crystals were investigated in comparison with films drawn from bulk polymer. The most important result obtained is that the structural reorganization stimulated by mechanical stress and annealing occurs with much greater difficulty in the mat-drawn film. The chief mechanical characteristics of the film are a very low extensibility and a very high modulus. Structural characteristics, such as the double-orientation of the crystalline region and the morphology of the crystals, do suffer no substantial changes during annealing at high temperatures. This stability of the structure can be related to the characteristic fine structure of the mat-drawn film in which there are a much larger number of tie chains, connecting neighboring crystals, than in the bulk-drawn specimen. Relaxation of the amorphous region and a notable increase in long spacing take place in the mat-drawn sample as in ordinary bulk-drawn samples. However, the morphological changes of the crystals accompanied by the folding back of chains seem to take place with great difficulty during annealing even in the vicinity of the melting point.