Tridirectional X-Ray Patterns of Oriented Film at Wide and Small Angles

Abstract

Drawn, oriented film of polyethylene terephthalate was studied by means of an x‐ray diffraction technique in which the x‐ray beam was directed in three mutually perpendicular directions: (1) through the film, (2) and (3) in the plane of the film, parallel and normal to the direction of draw. Patterns were obtained in each of these directions for the diffractions occurring at both small and large angles. This combination of patterns provides a picture of the film'spolymer texture with these parameters: size, orientation, and arrangement of crystallites; extent of amorphous material; shape of microvoids. In this film the crystallites have planar orientation and are 45 A wide in the plane. A long period of 125 A exists in the direction of draw and is comprised of 75‐A crystallite length and 50‐A amorphous material. There is evidence that the film is composed of lamellae about 60 A thick; these lamellae are stacked in a staggered arrangement such that the crystallites in one lamella are adjacent to the amorphous regions in the lamella below. The small angle diffraction evidence cannot be reconciled with the ``coiled ribbon'' arrangement recently proposed in the literature to explain off‐meridional diffraction spots.