Mechanical properties and fine structure of drawn polymers

Complex moduli of oriented specimens of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyoxymethylene, polyethylene oxide), and polytetrahydrofuran were measured in sheet form as a function of direction. The dynamic tensile modulus (E′) along the stretched direction (0° direction) was found to be lower than that perpendicular to the stretched direction (90° direction) above the temperature of primary dispersion (αa) for all polymers cited above. Below the temperature of an dispersion the E′ value of 0° direction is higher than that of 90° direction as expected from the anisotropy of modulus of the crystal. This fact leads us to the model that the crystalline region (C) and this amorphous region (A) are arranged mainly in series along the stretched direction and at the same time the C region should be more or less continuous along the 90° direction. The actual drawn sample is composed of many microfibrils as proved l y the x-ray small-angle scattering. Those conditions imposed on the model should be satisfied even when many microfibrils are bound together into a fiber. This picture agrees with the structural model of hot-drawn PE presented by Hosemann after its slight modification. Effects of cold drawing on the anisotropy of modulus were also surveyed.