Three-dimensional crystalline order in an atactic comblike polymer

The production of oriented “crystalline” fibers of an atactic polymer, poly{1-6-(4-biphenylyloxy)hexyloxycarbonyl]ethylene} is reported. The x-ray diffraction is consistent with a two-chain unit cell with a = b = 23.5 Å, c = 6.48 Å, and γ = 120. Although the cell is essentially hexagonal, the absence of screw symmetry along the polymer chain reduces the crystal symmetry to P A packing model consistent with these data is proposed.