A study of the mechanical anisotropy of high-draw,low-draw,and voided PVDF

The mechanical anisotropy of oriented PVDF sheet is examined using a variety of experimental techniques. The mechanical behavior is similar to that observed previously for low-density polyethylene and nylon and consistent with a parallel lamellar crystalline structure. The s₃₁ compliance is reduced in magnitude by drawing to higher draw ratio, but the reduction in the piezoelectric coefficient d₃₁ is less marked, suggesting that the piezoelectric response cannot be related solely to dimensional changes under stress. Drawing to high draw ratio increases the s₃₃ compliance, and this is further increased by introducing voids. The corresponding d₃₃ piezoelectric coefficient is not changed significantly by drawing to high draw ratio, or by the introduction of voids, again indicating that the piezoelectric behavior relates to factors other than dimensional changes.     

Mechanical properties of oriented low‐density polyethylene with an oriented lamellar‐stack morphology

A quantitative study was undertaken of the anisotropy of low‐strain mechanical behavior for specially oriented polyethylene with controlled crystalline and lamellar orientation. The samples were prepared by the die drawing of injection‐molded rods of polyethylene and annealing. This produced a parallel lamellar structure for which a simple, three‐dimensional composite laminate model could be used to calculate the expected anisotropy. Experimental data, including X‐ray strain measurements of the lateral crystalline elastic constants, showed good quantitative agreement with the model prediction. The X‐ray strain measurements confirmed that the amorphous regions exert large constraints on the crystalline phase in the lateral directions, where an order of magnitude difference was found between the measured apparent lateral crystalline compliances in the lamellar‐stack sample and the expected values for a perfect crystal. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 38: 755–764, 2000     

Biaxial stretching of pet films: A molecular description

Biaxially oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) films were prepared under well defined stretching conditions in order to mimic the three stages of the industrial inverse drawing process. Molecular orientation has been characterized through X-ray diffraction and infrared dichroism. The main orientation mechanisms in the constant-speed drawing of an amorphous film as well as in the constant-force transverse drawing of monodrawn samples are described. It is shown that relaxation phenomena dominate the orientation of an amorphous sample. Reorientation along the second drawing direction involves rotation of crystalline blocks along the draw direction and further crystalline growth. The high-temperature heating stage leads to an almost four-fold increase in the size of the crystallites. The orientation of the amorphous phase is controlled by the mechanisms occurring during crystallization (relaxation followed by extension).     

Orientation behavior of high-modulus polyoxymethylene produced by microwave heating drawing

The orientation behavior of high-modulus polyoxymethylene tapes produced by tensile drawing with microwave heating has been investigated over the draw ratio range 10–29. Young's modulus E increases monotonically with draw ratio λ and reaches 55 GPa. The volume fraction of taut tie molecules (TTMs) in the amorphous phase has been estimated by using a Takayanagi model for oriented tapes. The increase in E at draw ratios of less than 10 is mainly due to the increase in crystalline orientation (crystalline orientation function, 0.00 → 0.99). The increase in E at draw ratios of more than 10 is due to the increase both in crystallinity (volume-fraction crystallinity, 0.84 → 0.95) and in TTM (TTM fraction, 0.14 → 0.40). The maximum Young's modulus obtainable by this method of drawing is estimated to be ca. 72 GPa from the relation between 1/E and 1/λ².     

Thermal conductivity of oriented crystalline polymers

Thermal conductivities of six oriented semicrystalline polymers which range from 0.37 to 0.63 in crystallinity and 1 to 5 in draw ratio λ (up to about 15 for two polymers) have been measured between 100 and 340 K. It was found that for increasing λ the conductivity K_∥ (along the draw direction n?) increases rapidly while K_⊥ (normal to n?) decreases slightly; K_∥ also increases with temperature, but K_⊥ shows no simple pattern in temperature dependence. These general features can be reproduced reasonably well at low draw ratio (λ < 5) by the modified Maxwell model, and the discrepancy in details may be attributed to the fact that the model does not take into account the possible anisotropy of the amorphous phase of the oriented polymers. At high draw ratio the intercrystalline bridge effect becomes important, and one must resort to the Takayanagi model, but the lack of corroborating x-ray data has rendered a detailed comparison impossible.     

Mechanical anisotropy in biaxially oriented polyvinyl chloride

The mechanical anisotropy of polyvinyl chloride oriented in two perpendicular directions with different draw ratios has been studied. The results are compared with the anisotropy of uniaxial samples oriented at a common draw ratio. The propagation velocities of ultrasonic pulses have been measured by an immersion technique. Longitudinal wave velocities have been measured in three principal planes over a wide range of propagation directions. The limitations of measuring velocities in the planes containing the draw axes were mitigated by use of a special slicing technique. Measurements were performed at 2 MH_z and 25°C. Velocities of the transverse waves were measured for incident wave angles greater than the critical angle. From these measurements, five elastic moduli were calculated for the uniaxially oriented samples, and nine elastic moduli were obtained for the biaxially oriented samples. In biaxially oriented samples, the moduli along the draw axes are directly proportional to the draw ratio in the same direction.     

Brillouin scattering studies of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films subject to uniaxial stretching

Brillouin scattering spectra of poly(vinylidene fluoride) films subject to stretching have been studied as a function of draw (stretch) ratios. The longitudinal sound velocity is found to be isotropic for the unoriented film, but as the film is stretched, the velocity along the direction of stretch becomes higher than that perpendicular to it. The increase in the sound velocity is due to the induced orientation of the chains in the amorphous and the crystalline regions. The Hermans orientation parameter has been determined as a function of stretch from the velocity data. The result indicates the occurrence of recrystallization and reorganization as a result of transformation to form I crystallites from the amorphous phase as the film is stretched.     

Thermophysical behaviour of solid polymers in simple elongation: A structural and molecular interpretation

Thermodynamic aspects of reversible simple extension of solid polymers have been considered in terms of the conventional equation of state and equations have been obtained for the thermodynamic functions. It is shown that simple deformation of solids is accompanied by inversion of internal energy which is controlled by coefficient of thermal expansion. Work, heat and internal energy as functions of strain have been determined by deformation calorimetry for the typical glass-like and crystalline polymers and it has been found that in uniaxially oriented crystalline polymers at aboveT _g the internal energy undergoes inversion due to the negative coefficient of thermal expansion. It has been demonstrated that the thermoelastic behaviour of two-phase crystalline polymers is controlled by the volume (irrotational) elasticity of amorphous regions rather than by shape elasticity typical of rubber elasticity. From this position, a thermophysical analysis of the deformation of the basic models of oriented crystalline polymers and combined investigation of the thermal phenomena and structural changes in oriented PE and PP have been carried out. It has been shown that the Peterlin-Prevorsek model which implies existence of both intra- and interfibrillar amorphous regions quite adequately account for the thermophysical and structural effect observed in tension of the oriented specimens in the original and annealed state. Thermoelastic properties of super-oriented crystalline polymers have also been discussed in brief.Dedicated to Professor Dr. F. H. Müller     

超拉伸聚乙烯的弹性模量和导热性能

为了揭示聚合物分子链伸展、取向的本征特性，发展了两个新的测量方法和实验装置，用于研究拉伸比高达２００的超拉伸聚乙烯凝胶的弹性性能、传热性能和聚合物结构的关系．应用激光脉冲热致超声法给出材料拉伸方向和横向杨氏模量，应用激光脉冲光热辐射法给出拉伸方向，横向和厚度方向的导热系数．随拉伸比λ的增加，轴向杨氏模量急剧的增加，而横向的仅有少许减小．导热系数具有相似的特性．本文发现当λ＝２００时，这种拉伸取向聚乙烯的轴向模量可达钢的８０％，而导热系数甚至可达２倍，直至成为热的良导体，这是由于在高拉伸比时形成了相当数量的伸展分子链构成的针状晶体———晶桥．本文提出晶桥作为短纤维分散相的取向聚合物的结构模型，对于超拉伸聚乙烯的上述特性可以进行统一描述和定量化分析，和实验结果很好符合．     

Recovery as a measure of oriented crystalline structure in poly(ether ester)s based on poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) used as shape memory polymers

Poly(ether ester)s consisting of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) segments, EOET copolymers, could be used as shape memory polymers (SMP). Crystalline structural characters of the copolymers during the memory process were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis, differential scanning calorimeter, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, polarizing microscopy, and recovery measurements. PEO crystals in stretched EOET copolymer preferentially oriented along fiber axis or stretch direction. During stretching, the structure of the copolymer undertake a transformation from spherulite to fiber, resulting in a crystalline morphology similar to shish-kebab, and recovery properties of stretched EOET samples were dependent on as-described crystalline structural characters that can be influenced by draw ratio. Driving forces for contraction come from the oriented chains, and only oriented or extended chains can be contributive to the recovery of deformation; these extended chains involve both crystalline and amorphous segments. The recovery process in shape memory behavior was noticed to be deorientation of oriented chains due to thermodynamic entropy effect, and was divided into three stages. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 101–112, 1999     

Plastic deformation of poly(tetramethylene oxide). II. Molecular orientation as measured by x-ray diffraction and NMR measurements

The orientation of the crystalline and amorphous phases in uniaxially drawn samples of polytetramethylene oxide has been studied by x-ray and NMR methods. Pole figure measurements give the orientation of the crystalline phase. Its dependence on the draw ratio does not obey the pseudoaffine model. The crystalline fraction is derived from NMR measurements at temperatures between T_g and T_m, where the free induction decay (FID) of the unoriented sample can be analyzed in terms of a rigid (crystalline), a constrained, and an amorphous phase. Low temperature (T < T_g) measurements of the NMR second-moment anisotropy in protonated and deuterated samples give a mean orientation of the chains higher than that corresponding to the crystalline phase. The lack of anisotropy in the tail of the FID at temperatures between T_g and T_m indicates no appreciable anisotropy in the truly amorphous interlamellar phase. From this and from the ratio of the P₄/P₂ orientations, factors which obey the “most probable distribution,” it is concluded that the amorphous orientation is due to the layer of constrained chains at the surface of the lamellae.     

Analysis of trichroic infrared absorption in solids. II. One-way drawn poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The techniques of polarized infrared spectroscopy and sample tilting are applied to one-way drawn poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films to calculate the trichroic absorption as a function of frequency. Of specific interest in this study is the distribution of vibrational modes in the plane transverse to the draw direction. The rotational isomeric content of the films is found by the method of least squares and compared with a density-method prediction of crystallinity. A two-phase model to describe PET morphology in the oriented state is examined and found to be inadequate. The segmental orientation as a function of strain is followed with five conformationally sensitive infrared modes. High segmental orientation is found in the trans conformers of both amorphous and crystalline phases. Little net segmental orientation in the gauche conformers of the amorphous phase occurs.     

Small-angle neutron scattering from a hexagonal phase under shear

Summary The shear orientation of a micellar hexagonal liquid crystalline phase was investigated by small-angle neutron scattering. The hexagonal phase in the quiescent state showed a symmetrical scattering pattern typical of a polydomain structure. Enhanced scattering along the flow direction was observed during shear and the anisotropy of scattering intensity became stronger with increasing shear rate. The anisotropic scattering pattern corresponds to an orientation perpendicular to the flow direction and can be interpreted as a log-rolling state. The oriented sample did not relax after cessation of shear. The results from small-angle neutron scattering confirm data obtained previously from rheo-small angle light scattering measurements and are discussed in comparison to shear alignment of lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer solutions.     

Orientation of uniaxially stretched poly(ethylene naphthalene 2,6‐dicarboxylate) films by polarized infrared spectroscopy

Poly(ethylene naphthalene‐2,6‐dicarboxylate) has been uniaxially stretched at different draw ratios and at two different temperatures below and above its glass transition (T_g ～ 120 °C) respectively, at 100 and 160 °C. Crystallinity has been evaluated from calorimetric analyses and compared to the values deduced by FTIR spectroscopic data. As expected, the obtained results are quite similar and show that films stretched at lower temperature (100 °C) are more crystalline than those stretched at 160 °C. Optical anisotropy associated with orientation has been evaluated by birefringence and show that films stretched at 100 °C are more birefringent than those stretched at 160 °C as a result of a higher chain relaxation above T_g. Polarized FTIR was also performed to evaluate the individual orientation of amorphous and crystalline phases by calculating dichroic ratios R and orientation functions 〈P₂(cos θ)〉 and also show that amorphous and crystalline phases are more oriented in the case of films stretched below T_g. Nevertheless, the orientation of the amorphous phase is always weaker than that of the crystalline phase. Films stretched at 100 °C show a rapid increase in orientation (and crystallinity) with draw ratio and 〈P₂(cos θ)〉 reaches a limit value when draw ratio becomes higher than 3.5. Films drawn at 160 °C are less oriented and their orientation is increasing progressively with draw ratio without showing a plateau. A careful measurement of the IR absorbance was necessary to evaluate the structural angles of the transition moments to the molecular chain axis. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 1950–1958, 2007     

Structural changes and chain radius of gyration in cold-drawn polyethylene after annealing: small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering and small-angle neutron scattering studies

Samples made from linear polyethylene were drawn at room temperature and subsequently annealed at high temperatures below the melting point. The structural changes of the crystalline lamellae and lamellar superstructures as well as the single chain radius of gyration were studied by means of combined small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). After drawing, the polymeric chain segments in the crystalline phase are preferentially oriented along the drawing direction with a high degree of orientation whereas the lamellae in the samples are found to be slightly sheared exhibiting oblique surfaces as evidenced by X-ray scattering. SANS indicates that the chains are highly elongated along the drawing direction. Annealing the deformed samples at temperatures where the mechanical alpha-process of polyethylene is active leads to a thickening of both crystalline lamellae and amorphous layers. The chains in the crystalline phase retain their high degree of orientation after annealing while the lamellae are sheared to a larger extent. In addition, there is also lateral growth of the crystalline lamellae during high-temperature annealing. Despite the structural changes of the crystalline and amorphous regions, there is no evidence for global chain relaxation. The global anisotropic shape of the chains is preserved even after prolonged annealing at high temperatures. The results indicate that the mobility of polyethylene chains-as seen, e.g., by 13C NMR-is a local phenomenon. The results also yield new insight into mechanical properties of drawn PE, especially regarding stress relaxation and creep mechanisms.     

Annealing of polypropylene films crystallized from a highly extended melt

Thin films of isotactic polypropylene were drawn from the melt at a very high rate of extension. Transmission electron micrographs of this material reveal fibrous crystals lying along the draw direction. The chain axis and fiber axis are identical. Dark field micrographs show a dark/light modulation along the fiber axis. Annealing at temperatures below 110°C produces no qualitative change in the electron microscope observations. Annealing between 110 and 150°C produces gradual dominance of lamellar crystals, oriented normal to the draw direction. Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) data exhibit a strong streaking normal to the fiber axis, in broad agreement with the observed fibrosity. A Bragg peak along the draw directions shows that the modulation observed microscopically is a density modulation. The absence of second-order maxima and the dependence of the SAXS peak on treatment temperature strongly suggest that the axial modulation is a spinodal decomposition of the material into crystalline and amorphous regions.     

Thermal conductivity and thermal expansivity of thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers

The thermal conductivity and thermal expansivity of a thermotropic liquid crystalline copolyesteramide with draw ratio λ from 1.3 to 15 have been measured parallel and perpendicular to the draw direction from 120 to 430 K. The sharp rise in the axial thermal conductivity K_par; and the drastic drop in the axial expansivity α_∥ at low λ, and the saturation of these two quantities at λ > 4 arise from the corresponding increase in the degree of chain orientation revealed by wide-angle x-ray diffraction. In the transverse direction, the thermal conductivity and expansivity exhibit the opposite trends but the changes are relatively small. The draw ratio dependences of the thermal conductivity and expansivity agree reasonably with the predictions of the aggregate model. At high orientation, K_par; of the copolyesteramide is slightly higher than that of polypropylene but one order of magnitude lower than that of polyethylene. In common with other highly oriented polymers such as the lyotropic liquid crystalline polymer, Kevlar 49, and flexible chain polymer, polyethylene, α_par; of the copolyesteramide is negative, with a room temperature value differing from those of Kevlar 49 and polyethylene by less than 50%. Both the axial and transverse expansivity show transitions at about 390 and 270 K, which are associated with large-scale segmental motions of the chains and local motions of the naphthalene units, respectively. ©1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Studies of structures of poly-ε-caprolactam/montmorillonite nanocomposite: Part 1. Tests of compression moulded specimens

A poly-ε-caprolactam (PA6) taken as a reference and its nanocomposite (PNC) containing 1.6 wt.% of montmorillonite were examined. The specimens as discs were prepared by compression moulding at 235 °C and 70 MPa. Using the novel version of TMA, in the PA6 and PNC specimens, within the temperature range from −100 to 250 °C, a semi-crystalline structure with anisotropy of distribution of the more ordered (crystalline?) portion was found in the surface layer up to 0.5 mm thick. The amorphous regions have differed in a state of order (different transition temperatures) and related compactness. The free volume fraction in amorphous regions determined in machine direction (normal to the surface) is increased when in transverse direction is reduced; simultaneously molecular weights of polymer chains between junctions were increased by incorporation of the nanofiller.     

Effect of molecular orientation on the swelling of nylon 6

The effect of molecular orientation on the linear swelling of nylon 6 caused by absorption of water was studied using two kinds of oriented films, melt drawn and cold drawn. The molecular orientation causes anisotropy in swelling at all humidities such that the swelling is larger in the orientation direction than in the directions perpendicular to it. The large contribution of crystalline orientation to this phenomenon was expected for the melt drawn film which has practically no amorphous orientation. An analysis with a two-phase morphological model reveals that the distance between the crystallites is a prominent factor controlling the degree of linear swelling, and that the anisotropy of swelling arises from the change in the distribution of crystallites due to orientation. By comparing the result for the melt drawn film with that for the cold drawn film, which has considerable amorphous orientation, it was proven that molecular orientation in the amorphous phase where swelling actually occurs does not depend so much on the degree of swelling as on the distribution of crystallites.