The x-ray diffraction study of polycaprolactam films exposed to an electrical discharge☆

Abstract Partly crystalline polycaprolactam (PCL) films were exposed to electrical discharges in stability tests. The heat of melting ΔH , cal/g, and the inter-lattice distance d , A, of the crystalline phase were used as the stability parameters. X-ray diffraction showed the electrical discharges to affect the inter-lattice distances which correspond to angles of diviation 2 φ =20·5 and 24·5°. The DTA curve showed a new exothermal peak at 175°C and this resulted in the heat of melting by 15–18 cal/g.