Effects of Pressure and Pulsed Mechanical Action on the IR and ESR Spectra of Ultrafine Polytetrafluoroethylene

The sensitivity of thermogasdynamically dispersed polytetrafluoroethylene to mechanical action was studied by IR and ESR spectroscopy. It is shown that exposure of sample to a pressure of 10 000 kg/cm² and mechanical impact does not lead to transition from a helical to a planar zigzag conformation but increases the amorphous properties and the number of defects of the sample structure. It is assumed that the defects are due to the appearance of terminal =CF₃ groups and =CF₃ groups in the side chain or deformation of chain regions with conjugated bonds.