Determination of Lamellar Structure of Partially Crystalline Polymers by Direct Analysis of their Small-Angle X-Ray-Scattering Curves

Abstract

A method is proposed which can be used for an analysis of small-angle X-ray scattering curves exhibited by solid polymers with lamellar structure. The scattering curve is considered to be determined by the positions and the structure of the 'amorphous' boundary layers around the lamellar interfaces. The analysis is performed directly, i.e. without the use of model calculations. Application of the method results in giving values for the mean L and the range of fluctuation, dL, of the lamellar thickness, the electron-density defect κ per square unit of the lamellar interface, and the second moment σ² of the electron-density profile of the boundary layer.