Melting Behavior of Epitaxially Crystallized Polycarprolactone on a Highly Oriented Polyethylene Thin Film Investigated by in Situ Synchrotron SAXS and Polarized Infrared Spectroscopy

Abstract:Melting behavior of epitaxially crystallized polycarprolactone (PCL) on a highly oriented polyethylene (PE) substrate was investigated by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). It is found that two dominant crystal thicknesses are clearly identified in the final melting stage around the melting point. In contrast to the normal melting process of polymers, the original PCL crystal and the melt-reorganized one with various lamellar thicknesses are molten and diminished simultaneously. During the melting process, orientations of the residual crystal and ordered all-trans PCL chain are found to be kept. However, the average chain orientation relaxation in the amorphous region is synchronously decreased with the evolution of melting process. A sliding diffusion mechanism was used to explain the melt behavior of PCL on the highly oriented PE substrate.

Volume:43

Issue:12

Translation or Not:no