Atomic force microscopy of polymer crystals: 7. Chain packing, disorder and imaging of methyl groups in oriented isotactic polypropylene

Daniel Snétivy, G. Julius Vancso* (Corresponding Author)

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

54 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the morphology and nanostructure of mechanically oriented, isotactic polypropylene (i-PP). AFM images of cleaved samples on the micrometre scale unveiled microfibrils with a diameter of 100-150 nm. Chain orientation and imperfections of chain packing were visualized in the (1 1 0) crystal facet at the surface of the microfibrils. Paracrystalline disorder and twisting of macromolecules were observed. Resolution of individual methyl groups with unprecedented quality allowed us to identify the handedness of the helices in the crystalline i-PP matrix. The packing of the methyl groups, visualized by AFM, was compared with the computer-visualized structure. The agreement between the expected and the experimentally determined parameters of the crystal structure was perfect within experimental accuracy.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)461-467
Number of pages7
JournalPolymer
Volume35
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 1994

Keywords

  • atomic force microscopy
  • isotactic polypropylene
  • molecular orientation

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