Mixed Crystal Infrared Spectroscopy of Uniaxially Drawn Polyethylene Films

Abstract

Blends of fully deuterated polyethylene with unlabeled polymer have been studied using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Melt quenched samples were drawn at 1 mm min⁻¹, clamped, and cooled with liquid nitrogen. The CD₂ bending vibration is sensitive to the local molecular arrangement. Changes in band components were related to (1) crystallization of amorphous polymer; (2) the untwisting of spherulite ribbons perpendicular to the draw direction; and (3) coarse slip. Measurement of remaining doublet splittings enabled estimates of surviving crystallite block sizes to be made. In addition, CH₂ wagging and rocking bands showed evidence of increasingly defective crystals and of a Martensitic transformation to the monoclinic crystal form.

Keywords

Drawing Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy FT-IR spectroscopy Polyethylene

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