Epitaxial crystallization of homopolymers on single crystals of alkali halides

Abstract

Epitaxial deposition of homopolymers from solution [polyethylene, isotactic polystyrene, poly‐3,3‐bischloromethyloxacyclobutane (Penton) and polypropylene] was found on the (001) faces of cleaved alkali halide single crystals. Electron and optical microscopy studies have shown that the polymer usually grew from small, rodlike crystallites which were oriented in (110) directions of the halide crystal. Large oriented, four‐leaved, “rose” structures also were observed for polyethylene. Electron diffraction studies indicate that the polymer chain axes for polyethylene, isotactic polystyrene, and Penton generally lie parallel to the (001) faces of the halide crystal and are also oriented in the 〈110〉 directions of the crystal face. Investigations on the effect of various halide substrates upon the epitaxial crystallization habit of polyethylene inferes that lattice matching does not play the major role in orientation. Two possible explanations are offered for this epitaxial behavior.