Reversible strain-induced order in the amorphous phase of a low-density ethylene/butene copolymer

Abstract

This article deals with the characterization of the structural changes induced by uniaxial extension in the amorphous phase of an ethylene/butene copolymer. Volume change measurements indicate a reversible densification relevant to a strain-induced organization in the amorphous phase. The dynamic mechanical behavior shows an improvement of the β relaxation that reveals an important immobilization of the amorphous chains. The vibrational behavior investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy suggests that the strained amorphous chains are structurally analogous to the mesomorphic interfacial component. A discussion is made about the mechanism of the transformation of the amorphous phase into a mesomorphic structure compared to the more common strain-induced crystallization phenomenon. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 2151–2159, 1997