SANS from hot-stretched polystyrene revisited

Abstract

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) has been used to investigate macromolecular orientation of uniaxially hot-stretched partially deuterated polystyrene. Principle radii of gyration and degree of eccentricity were measured over a range of hot-stretch temperatures, strain rates, and external draw ratios (EDR). Results show affine deformation for EDR <4 and an increase in the degree of local molecular orientation with increasing rate of strain and decreasing stretching temperature. It also is found that although the macromolecules follow the external stretching affinely on average, they do not deform uniformly.