| Abstract: | A piston-cylinder-type high-pressure dilatometer has been built and the effect of pressure on melting behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has been studied. The melting temperature increases but the rate of change of the melting temperature decreases with increasing pressure. Poly(ethylene terephthalate) crystallized from the melt at elevated pressure and temperature was studied by thermal analysis, and wide-angle and small-angle x-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Chain-extended PET crystals were observed for the first time and some of their properties are described. A similarity to extended-chain polyethylene is suggested. |
