Fundamental aspects of stress, deformation, and phase transitions in crystallizable polymers: Experiments with poly(ethylene terephthalate) in uniaxial stress fields

Abstract

AbstractInteractions between rheology and fluid→solid transformations through crystallization are demonstrated through an experimental study of crystallization of polyethylene terephthalate in uniaxial stress fields. Effect of the strength of the stress field on the kinetics of crystallization is shown to diminish greatly beyond the initiation of crystallization. Consequences of crystallization in anisotropic stress fields in the generation of mechanical properties are also described. This experimental study points clearly to the deficiencies in current theoretical formulations of kinetics of crystallization.