Dimensional stability of regenerated cellulose film in relation to orientations of crystalline and noncrystalline phases

The dimensional stability of regenerated cellulose film on swelling with water is discussed in relation to the biaxial orientation of the two kinds of structural units, cellulose II crystallites and noncrystalline chain segments, and their anisotropic swelling (anisotropic absorption of water). Considerable dimensional stability in the plane of the film but enormous instability of thickness on swelling in water of some commercial cellophanes is qualitatively interpreted in terms of the planar orientation of crystal (101) planes along the film surface and the orientation of the noncrystalline chain segments parallel to the film surface. The dimensional changes on swelling from the completely dry state to 10% moisture regain were further interpreted quantitatively in terms of the degrees of biaxial orientation of the two kinds of structural units and their degrees of anisotropic swelling by modifying the Hermans monophase model for crystalline and noncrystalline biphase structures. The following degrees of anisotropic swelling of the structural units were thus obtained: q_{c, [101]} = 0.40%, q_{c, [101 ]} = ?0.33%, and q_a = 2.42%.     

Crystalline orientation and molecular transport properties in nanoporous syndiotactic polystyrene films

The orientation of the crystalline δ nanoporous phase in syndiotactic polystyrene films, obtained by different procedures, have been characterized. For both solution cast and biaxially stretched films a high degree of uniplanar orientation, corresponding to the tendency of the ac crystallographic planes, to be parallel to the film plane has been observed and rationalized. According to molecular dynamics simulations of diffusion of small molecules into the δ nanoporous phase, this uniplanar orientation would minimize the molecular diffusivity through the nanoporous crystalline phase.     

Crystallization of poly-p-oxybenzoate on mica

Thin film polymerization/crystallization of poly-4-oxybenzoate (P-4-OB) from melt or dilute solutions yields on mica cleavage surface an epitaxial overgrowth with crystal blocks oriented in 1 to 3 substrate directions rotated by 60°. The b and c crystal axes of P-4-OB lie in the mica cleavage plane, with the a axis being perpendicular to it. At higher polymerization temperatures a different type of P-4-OB orientation on mica was also observed: two P-4-temperatures a different type of P-4-OB orientation on mica was also observed: two P-4-OB phase I crystals, again with b- and c-axes lying parallel to mica cleavage plane, were oriented perpendicular to each other. There is a pronounced tendency of the relatively thick P-4-OB overgrowth to form complex crystal structures involving both phase I and II with different types of orientation on mica substrate. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Reorientation of crystalline and noncrystalline regions in regenerated cellulose fibers and films tested in uniaxial tension

The orientation of molecular chains in regenerated cellulose films and fibers was characterized using in situ wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction and birefringence measurements coupled with tensile tests. Generally, an increase in the degree of preferred orientation in the direction of applied strain was observed during testing. For both types of specimen this relationship was clearly linear, irrespective of whether the volume‐averaged preferred orientation or the orientation in the crystalline and noncrystalline regions was considered. Interestingly, the rate of change in orientation induced by external strain was significantly higher for noncrystalline regions when compared with that of crystalline regions. This difference was more pronounced for cellulose fibers when compared with films. Upon the reversal of straining in cellulose films until zero stress, the degree of orientation diminished in a linear fashion. However, a large part of the orientation, both crystalline and noncrystalline, induced by tensile straining remained permanent and increased further when straining was resumed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 297–304, 2008     

Measurement of pole figures and orientation functions for Valonia cellulose

The x-ray pole-figure technique has been applied to the study of orientation in Valonia cellulose. It is found that the maximum of the orientation distribution of the (2 20) poles of crystallites in Valonia cell walls is precisely normal to the cell wall surface, and the pole population is denser in the longitudinal direction than in the transverse direction. The orientation is interpreted as a typical uniplanar-axial orientation after Heffelfinger and Burton's classification: a uniplanar orientation in (22 0), and two types of uniaxial orientation in the (220) and (400) planes based on the unit cell parameters for Valonia cellulose. The degree of biaxial orientation of the (22 0), (220), and (400) plane normals as well as three principal crystallographic axes are shown by Desper's equilateral triangle plots.     

Mechanical anisotropy of regenerated cellulose films in relation to orientations of crystalline and noncrystalline phases

The mechanical anisotropy of regenerated cellulose films is investigated, first, on the basis of the theory of infinitesimal elasticity. Fairly good agreement of calculated with observed results is obtained on the basis of orthogonal anisotropy with respect to the machine direction and the transverse and thickness directions of the films. The shear modulus G₂₃ along the film plane and the Poisson ratio v₃₂ are 1.5 times; 10² kg/mm² and about 0.4, respectively, in the standard dry state. Second, the mechanical anisotropy in three different dry states is analyzed in terms of the degree of biaxial orientation of two kinds of structural units, cellulose II crystallites and noncrystalline chain segments, and their mechanical anisotropy. The calculation for averaging the mechanical anisotropies of these structural units on the basis of the homogeneous strain hypothesis gives results much higher than the experimental data, whereas the calculation on the basis on the homogeneous stress hypothesis gives results rather lower than experiment. As a modification of the two extreme calculations, a different averaging gives considerably better agreement between the calculated and observed results. The mechanical anisotropy in the wet state is further analyzed primarily in terms of the degree of biaxial orientation of noncrystalline chains by a modification of Krigbaum treatment, based on application of the kinetic theory of entropy elasticity for semicrystalline polymers, to anisotropic systems. The calculation gives results, however, much lower than those obtained experimentally, unless the ratio of the end-to-end distance of the noncrystalline chain to its fully stretched length is taken as unusually large. This may be due to underestimation of the contribution of the crystalline phase to terms of the same type as appear in the Krigbaum treatment.     

Physical and mechanical properties of ultra-oriented high-density polyethylene fibers

Ultra-oriented high-density polyethylene fibers (HDPE) have been prepared by solid-state extrusion over 60–140°C range using capillary draw ratios up to 52 and extrusion pressures of 0.12 to 0.49 GPa. The properties of the fibers have been assessed by birefringence, thermal expansivity, differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray analysis, and mechanical testing. A maximum birefringence of 0.0637 ± 0.0015 was obtained, greater than the calculated value of 0.059 for the intrinsic birefringence of the orthorhombic crystal phase. The maximum modulus obtained was 70 GPa. The melting point, density, crystallinity, and negative thermal expansion coefficient parallel to the fiber axis all increase rapidly with draw ratio and at draw ratios of 20–30 attain limiting values comparable with those of a polyethylene single crystal. The properties of the fibers have been analyzed using the simple rule of mixtures, assuming a two-phase model of crystalline and noncrystalline microstructure. The orientation of the noncrystalline phase with draw ratio was determined by birefringence and x-ray measurements. Solid-state extrusion of HDPE near the ambient melting point produced a c-axis orientation of 0.996 and a noncrystalline orientation function of 0.36. Extrusion 50°C below the ambient melting point produced a decrease in crystallinity, c-axis orientation, melting point, and birefringence, but the noncrystalline orientation increased at low draw ratios and was responsible for the increased thermal shrinkage of the fibers.     

Characterization of PVA and Chitosan/PVA Blends Prepared from Aqueous Solutions of Various Na2SO4 Concentrations

Uniplaner orientation of a particular crystal plane along the surface of a film was investigated for poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) film prepared by a coagulation bath with concentrated aqueous solution containing 100 ∼ 300g of Na₂SO₄ against 1 ℓ of water. The orientation distribution functions of the three crystallographic principal axes of the dried films were obtained by the X-ray diffraction technique. The same treatment was carried out for the films prepared by stretching biaxially of the fresh gel and then by drying the resultant fresh gel. The very high preferential orientation of the crystal chain axes and amorphous chain segments could be realized by the biaxially elongation. Accordingly, the techniques were applied to the biaxially stretching of chitosan and PVA blend films with high Young's modulus. The planer orientation of the chain axes of chitosan and PVA crystallites could be confirmed. The morphology of the film surface was estimated by measurements of contact angle and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. The results suggested that the admixture of chitosan decreases wet ability of the specimen and this tendency was slightly enhanced by the biaxially elongation.     

Alignment control of liquid crystals on surface relief gratings

Liquid crystal alignment layers of a high T _g polymer containing an azobenzene moiety are prepared by photofabrication of a surface relief grating (SRG). The interference pattern of a circular and linearly polarized Ar⁺ laser beam generated the surface relief grating and the morphology was detected by atomic force microscope. The optical anisotropy of the films was investigated by polarizing optical microscopy. The orientation of the optical axis of the film mainly depends on the direction of the initial polarization plane. Nematic liquid crystals were aligned parallel to the direction of the grating, but the pretilt angles of the liquid crystals were nearly zero. Irradiation with homogeneous linearly polarized light could also align liquid crystals, but this alignment capability was weaker than that of the SRG film.     

Molecular simulation study with complex models of the carbohydrate binding module of Cel6A and the cellulose Iα crystal

A computer docking study was carried out on the (110) crystal surface of the cellulose Iα crystal model for the carbohydrate binding module (CBM) of cellobiohydrolase Cel6A, which is produced by the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei. Three-dimensional structures of the CBM were constructed by the homology modeling method using the Cel7A CBM, which is another cellobiohydrolase from T. reesei, as a template, and refined by molecular dynamics calculations in the solution state. Among the three models tested, those with three disulfide bonds were selected for a docking analysis. The binding free energy maps represented changes in non-covalent interactions and solvation free energies with respect to the CBM position. These indicated two minimum positions within the unit cell for both the parallel and antiparallel orientation modes of the CBM with respect to the cellulose fiber axis. Molecular dynamics calculations under an explicit solvent system were performed for the four complex models derived from the minimum positions of the binding free energy maps. The complex models with CBM in the parallel orientation had the lowest binding energies.     

Preferential Uniplanar Orientation of Cellulose Microfibrils Reinvestigated by the FTIR Technique

A simple detection method to observe the uniplanar orientation behavior of native cellulose microfibrils to the cell wall surface by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the transmission mode is reported. Four bands at 1372, 1355, 1337, and 1317 cm⁻¹ (the latter two have been mentioned previously by Liang and Marchessault (1960, J. Polym. Sci. 43: 85–100)) were found to be sensitive to such orientation: the two middle bands at 1355 and 1337 cm⁻¹ increase remarkably when the 0.60–61 nm lattice planes lie parallel to the cell wall surfaces. The reverse was true when the 0.53–54 nm lattice planes oriented preferentially. Polarization of the two bands at 1372 and 1355 cm⁻¹ was parallel, while that of the other two bands at lower wavenumbers, i.e., at 1337 and 1317 cm⁻¹, was perpendicular to the molecular axis of cellulose. These bands were assigned to OH-related motion, probably to in-plane OH bending, as reported by Maréchal and Chanzy (2000, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 523: 183–196).     

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.     

Improvement of mechanical and oxygen barrier properties of cellulose films by controlling drying conditions of regenerated cellulose hydrogels

Mechanical, thermal and oxygen barrier properties of regenerated cellulose films prepared from aqueous cellulose/alkali/urea solutions can be markedly improved by controlling the drying conditions of the films. By pre-pressing followed by vacuum drying under compression, the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, coefficient of thermal expansion and oxygen permeability of the dried films reached 263 MPa, 7.3 GPa, 10.3 ppm K⁻¹ and 0.0007 ml μm m⁻² day⁻¹ kPa⁻¹, respectively. Thus, films produced in this way show the highest performance of regenerated cellulose films with no orientation of cellulose chains reported to date. These improved properties are accompanied by a clear increase in cellulose II crystallinity from 50 to 62% during pre-pressing/press-vacuum drying process. At the same time, the film density increased from 1.45 to 1.57 g cm⁻³, and the moisture content under equilibrium conditions decreased from 14.1 to 9.8%. Hence, the aqueous alkali/urea solvent system has potential applications in producing new and environmentally friendly cellulose films with high performances through control of the drying conditions.     

Rheo-optical studies on the deformation mechanism of semicrystalline polymers. XIV. Alpha and beta mechanical dispersions of spherulitic high-density polyethylene and the dynamic orientation distribution function of crystallites

The dynamic tensile deformation mechanism of spherulitic high-density polyethylene was investigated by dynamic x-ray diffraction at various temperatures and frequencies in order to assign the α and β mechanical dispersions explicity. The uniaxial orientation distribution function q(ζ_j,0) of the jth crystal plane and its dynamic response Δq′_j(ζ_j,0) in phase with dynamic strain were observed for the (110), (200), (210) and (020) crystal planes. Then the orientation distribution function w(ζ,0,η) of crystallites (crystal grains) and its dynamic response Δw′(ζ,0,η), also in phase with the dynamic strain, were determined by a mathematical transformation procedure proposed by Roe and Krigbaum on the basis of the Legendre addition theorem. The temperature and frequency dependences of w′(ζ,0,η) were analyzed in terms of the model parameters for dynamic spherulite deformation combining affine orientation of crystal lamellae with several types of preferential reorientation of the crystal grains within the orienting lamellae. The following assignments are made: (i) The α mechanical dispersion must be assigned to the dynamic orientation dispersion of crystal grains within the crystal lamellae, involving two types of preferential rotations of the grains about their own crystal b and a axes. The rotation about the b axis is associated with lamellar detwisting, mostly in the equatorial zone of uniaxially deformed spherulites; the rotation about the a axis is associated with intralamellar shearing, mostly in the polar zone of the spherulites. Thus both rotations are intralamellar grain-boundary phenomena. (ii) The β mechanical dispersion must be assigned to the dynamic orientation dispersion of the crystal lamellae behaving as rigid bodies. It is not accompanied by reorientation of the crystal grains, but is associated with orientation dispersion of noncrystalline material between the lamellae. Thus it is an interlamellar grain-boundary phenomena.     

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     

Drawing of single-crystal mats of linear polyethylene

Drawing of single-crystal mats of linear polyethylene has been investigated. Drawing is possible at temperatures higher than about 90°C. The drawing is accompanied by distinct necking, with a large decrease in the thickness of the mat and a very high maximum draw ratio, sometimes over 30. The maximum draw ratio is approximately proportional to the thickness of the lamellae. This behavior strongly suggests the unfolding of chains during drawing. A change of orientation of crystal axes occurs before necking without change of lamellar orientation. The a axis orients in the drawing direction; the b axis orients perpendicular to the direction of drawing; and the chain axis tilts away from the thickness direction of the mat. The structure of films drawn from mats is characterized by a distinct double orientation of crystals. This biaxial orientation in the drawn films has a high degree of correlation with the orientation of crystal axes observed before necking, and suggests that necking takes place in such a way that the chain tilts gradually about the b axis and ultimately unfolds. The postulate of formation of transitory two-dimensional crystals in necking seems useful in explaining the double orientation in the drawn film. The orientation behavior of crystal axes observed before necking is not always similar to that observed in the deformation of a single crystal. The difference is thought to be due to the effect of forces induced by drawing that act in the direction normal to the lamellae within a mat.     

Epitaxial growth of isotactic polypropylene on oriented polyethylene from solution

Oriented polyethylene (PE) films with surfaces bounded by the (100) plane were prepared. On the film surfaces, isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was crystallized epitaxially from solution as quadrits with their sides parallel and perpendicular to the polyethylene chain axis. In the through wide-angle x-ray diffraction pattern (taken with incident x-rays normal to the polyethylene film surface), the 111 iPP reflections was observed on the meridian (Parallel to the polyethylene chain axis). In the edge patterns (taken with x-rays incident on the edge of the polyethylene film), 040 and 060 reflections were observed on the equator. From the diffraction patterns, the following lattice coincidence was observed between polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene: (010)iPP//(100) PE, [101]iPP//[001] PE. The Small-angle x-ray scattering patterns showed that edge-on isotactic polypropylene lamellae 9 nm thick were arranged with their long axes inclined at an angle of 40° from the polyethylene axis. Molecular chains were oriented within the lamellae normal to the surfaces.     

Molecular and lamellar orientation in polyethylene thin films

Summary A combined wide (WA) and small angle X-ray diffraction (SAXS) study of melt compressed low density PE samples into the form of very thin films is reported. The WAXD patterns show an uniaxialb axis orientation normal to the film surface which can be interpreted in terms of a row structure in the plane of the film. The analysis of SAXS data indicates, in addition, a preferential orientation of bundles of stacked lamellae parallel to the film surface separated by longitudinal microvoids.With 3 figures     

Orientation effects in biaxially stretched linear polyethylene

The literature on polymer morphology contains many studies of structural and orientation changes occurring upon uniaxial stretching of films and fibers, but it has only an occasional reference to such studies on biaxially stretched film. This paper presents data on a structural change due to simultaneous biaxial stretching up to 6 × 6 stretch ratio of quenched linear polyethylene slightly below the melting temperature. At low stretch ratios the b axis of the orthorhombic unit cell orients predominantly in the biaxial plane of stretching or film plane. At higher than 4 × 4 stretch ratio, a second crystal orientation appears which is a (110) orientation in the film plane. Differential scanning calorimetry scans show two melting peaks occurring concurrently with diffraction effects of two crystal orientations. The evidence for two populations of crystals differing in orientation are discussed in the light of current concepts of folded-chain lamellae and their fragmentation with elongation.     

Highly oriented structure formed in a lamella-forming diblock copolymer with high molar mass

Highly oriented films were prepared simply by annealing a lamella-forming block copolymer, poly(ethylene oxide-b-styrene) (PEO-b-PS), with high molar mass under a pressure of 0.2 MPa. The oriented structures were characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The SAXS measurements showed that the lamellar layers of the block copolymer are highly oriented parallel in the film plane. The WAXD images showed that the c-axis of PEO crystals was oriented normal to the film plane. The Hermans-Stein orientation functions for the lamellar layer and the crystal axis are 0.954 and −0.466, respectively, and are close to the values of perfect orientation. It was considered that the highly oriented structure was formed by the combined effects of shear flow and self-organization of the block copolymer during annealing under stress. The high degree of orientation both for the lamellar layer and crystal planes also suggested that the crystallization in the confined domains results in a high degree of orientation of PEO crystals with respect to the lamellar interface of the block copolymer.