Relation between melting behavior and physical structure in polymers

The phenomenon of double melting, as manifested by two characteristic endotherms in the melting region on a differential thermal analysis (DTA) scan, has been studied in nylon 66 and polystyrene as a function of sample treatment by annealing or drawing. A variety of techniques were used in these studies including DTA, x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and mechanical testing. It is shown that the two endotherms are not caused by a bimodal crystal size distribution, by recrystallization, by orientation changes, or by phase changes. It is proposed that one endotherm is caused by the melting of foldedchain crystals, while the other is due to the melting of less perfect bundle crystals. This view is well supported by the results, especially by the DTA measurements made at different heating rates. Published data on the thermal behavior of annealed and drawn poly(ethylene terephthalate) and on polyethylene crystallized at various pressures may also be explained on this basis if it is allowed that in polyethylene the chains may be more extended.