| Abstract: | Nonintegral indices are found for the extra meridional reflections in the x-ray diffraction of drawn polyoxymethylene. The index of one of the extra reflections is estimated at 00l: l = 2.830 ± 0.003. A new model for the molecular conformation which accounts for the nonintegral indices is proposed. The new model is a helix with defects at constant intervals along the helix axis. The defect is an unwinding of the helix by 20° around the helix axis. This defect is believed to be characteristic of crystals of helical polymers. The interval between the defects is estimated as 18 monomers. The crystal structure with these defects is consistent with precise measurements of the layer line positions. |
