Morphology of Poly (vinyl stearate)

• Published in: KOBUNSHI RONBUNSHU Vol. 45; no. 11; pp. 839 - 844
• Main Authors: TAKAHASHI, Toshisada, KOBAYASHI, Toshikazu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: The Society of Polymer Science, Japan 1988
• Subjects: Comb-Like Polymer; Hexagonal Packing; Morphology Spherical Shell; Poly (vinyl stearate)
• ISSN: 0386-2186; 1881-5685
• DOI: 10.1295/koron.45.839

The morphology of poly (vinyl stearate) (PVS) samples crystallized under various conditions has been studied using transmission electron microscopy. The following results were obtained. (1) Thin films were prepared from a 0.3wt% polymer solution in chloroform cast on the surface of water or carbon film at room temperature. Indeterminate structures composed of fine particles with about 9 nm diameter were formed on the surface of water, whereas fibrillar structures were formed on the hydrophobic carbon film. Electron diffraction studies showed that the side chains of PVS are oriented perpendicular to the hydrophilic substrate (water), but parallel to the hydrophobic substrate (carbon). (2) PVS was dissolved (or dispersed) at 60°C in organic solvents (such as octanol, nitrobenzene, cyclohexanol, and benzyl alcohol) which have a hydrophobic group together with a polar group; the PVS crystals which formed upon cooling of the solution were examined. PVS formed crystals shaped like a spherical shell, a disk with ridges, or a petal; these can be regarded as originating from a spherical shell with the side chains arranged perpendicular to its surface in the hexagonal packing.