Abstract

Aggregation structure of polyethylene (PE) chains in the crystalline state as well as in the molten state was investigated by an organized combination of the small-angle neutron scattering, infrared spectra and thermal analysis. The used samples were the blends between the deuterated and hydrogeneous PE (and n-alkane), which were cocrystallized almost perfectly into the common lamella even when they were cooled slowly from the melt. The quantitative analysis of the small-angle neutron scattering data showed that the D and H species were homogeneously mixed in the melt and the radius of gyration of a chain was kept unchanged even when the chains were enrolled together into the crystalline lamellae. On the basis of the quantitative analysis of infrared spectra, the chain stems included in the crystalline lamella were found to be gathered together in a statistically random fashion. This structural idea could be also used reasonably to interpret the dependence of the melting point on the D/H content. From all these data it was concluded that the chain folding in the PE lamella occurs in a statistically random reentry mode even for the PE samples crystallized slowly from the melt under the normal condition.

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