Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.37, No.9, 1475-1479, 1997
Structure-Property Correlations in Stretched LLDPE Films Using Oblique-Incidence Small-Angle X-Ray-Scattering
This paper demonstrates the use of oblique incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to characterize microstructure in linear low-density polyethylene films subjected to biaxial deformation in a TM Long stretcher. Differences in tear strength and impact properties were found when two different deformation temperatures were used. SAXS was used to characterize the nanometer scale microstructure of these films. Since the microstructure was expected to be anisotropic, SAXS data were collected in normal incidence, T (transverse) oblique incidence and M (reference direction) oblique incidence. The sections through the three-dimensional SAXS pattern collected in these three orientations are combined to provide clues to the nature of the complete 3-D SAXS pattern, which can be interpreted to characterize the changes wrought by deformation.