Structural Rearrangements in the Liquid-Induced Crystallization of Cold-Drawn Poly(Ethylene Terephthalate)

Abstract

Structural rearrangements induced by various liquid treatments of cold-drawn poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films were studied. It was determined that significant levels of longitudinal shrinkage were induced in the cold-drawn films by methylene chloride, dioxane, and nitromethane liquids at temperatures ranging from 5 to 75°C. The kinetics of shrinkage were found to be relatabte to the sorption kinetics of the liquids into the films, and the shrinkage levels relatable to the degree of interaction between the polymer and liquid. Morphology studies indicated that as a result of the liquid treatments, the poorly defined, oriented, spherulitic-like superstructure in cold-drawn PET films became rather well perfected, with further highly-oriented crystallinity and lamellar formation occurring in conjunction with the amorphous relaxation or shrinkage.

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