Mechanism of secondary crystallization of polymethylene

Abstract

The single crystal model previously proposed for the primary crystallization of polymethylene (Gordon and Hillier 1964) is extended to the secondary or post-Avrami process. An equation by Eyring, which generalizes Maxwell's treatment for the relaxation of matter, is shown to fit this process, which can be kinetically isolated, more exactly than an empirical log (t) relationship. Electron microscopy supports the existence of lamellae in polyethylene.