Orientation Analysis of Cast and Blown Polyethylene Films

Abstract

Orientation and chain architecture play a dominant role in determining the mechanical properties of semi-crystalline polymers. Morphological features of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) films obtained from carefully controlled processing conditions are studied using a combination of WAXS, SAXS, TEM, AFM and birefringence. Analysis of crystalline orientation is studied in detail and differences found between polyethylenes produced with distinct catalyst types are pointed out. Orientation of the non-crystalline phase is then extracted by subtraction of the in-plane and out-of-plane birefringence from WAXS data. This integrative approach provides us with a deep insight of structure-property relationships in LLDPE films and is a prerequisite for development of a consistent model for the solid-state.