Synchrotron studies of polymers at DND-CAT

Two examples are presented that illustrate the capabilities of DND-CAT instrumentation for the study of the effects of processing on polymers. Firstly, a thermoplastic elastomer, Hytrel®, was stretched while 2-D data were collected simultaneously. The Hytrel® data show that the yield point of the stress-strain curve is associated with the sudden appearance of a four-point pattern. At higher deformations, strain-induced crystallization and the destruction of the hard segment domains lead to a substantial decrease of the contrast as monitored by the SAXS invariant. Prior to breakage, the extent and intensity of an equatorial streak develops as the material fibrillates. Secondly, SAXS and WAXS data were collected from quenched and annealed Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) samples mounted on a DSC cell, to characterize the pre-melting shoulder in this material. Results show that substantial melting and re-crystallization occurs within the range of this shoulder in the quenched sample.