System for in situ observation of three-dimensional structural changes in polymer films during uniaxial deformation

• Published in: Journal of applied crystallography Vol. 48; no. 4; pp. 1016 - 1022
• Main Authors: Miyazaki, Tsukasa, Shimokita, Keisuke, Ogawa, Hiroki, Yamamoto, Katsuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 5 Abbey Square, Chester, Cheshire CH1 2HU, England International Union of Crystallography 01.08.2015; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Crystallography; Deformation; Polymers; small-angle X-ray scattering; stress-strain relationships; three-dimensional structural evaluation; wide-angle X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 1600-5767; 0021-8898; 1600-5767
• DOI: 10.1107/S1600576715008031

A simple three‐dimensional structural evaluation system for a film during uniaxial deformation has been developed. The system is realized with an automatic film stretching machine, which allows the horizontally symmetric stretching of a film, and a synchrotron radiation X‐ray scattering apparatus. Using this system, two‐dimensional patterns of small‐angle X‐ray scattering and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction can be obtained simultaneously during film stretching in the so‐called edge and end views, together with stress–strain data. As cylindrical symmetry of the structure can be expected for a uniaxially stretched film, the two‐dimensional patterns in the through view are identical to those in the edge view, indicating that three‐dimensional structural characterization can be performed with a combination of edge and end views during film stretching. For amorphous poly(ethylene terephthalate) and crystalline poly(vinyl alcohol) films, the preliminary results of three‐dimensional structural characterization during film stretching are shown.