Abstract
AbstractThe effect of plastic deformation on the chain dimensions of polymers in the semicrystalline state was investigated using linear hydrogenated polybutadiene (HPB), a model ethylene/butene‐1 copolymer having about 40% crystallinity at room temperature. Dilute blends of deuterium‐labeled chains with various molecular weights (20,000 ≤ M ≤ 214,000) in the same unlabeled matrix (M = 95,000) were uniaxially stretched at 25°C to extension ratios of α = 2.4 and 4.4. Radius of gyration normal to the stretch direction R⊥ was measured for the labeled chains by small‐angle neutron scattering. The molecular extension ratio inferred from these data αm = R/R was significantly smaller than α for short chains (M < 50,000) but increased to the affine range αm = α for M > 100,000. This variation in αm/α closely parallels the molecular weight dependence of mechanical strength and ductility in HPB over the same range.
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