An X-ray Diffraction Study of Glassy, Rodlike Polymers

Wide angle x-ray analysis of oriented and unoriented samples (including powders, films and fibers) of a wholly-aromatic, para-linked polyamide (I), a polyesteramide (II), and three polyesters (III-V) were performed in order to investigate the morphology of these three classes of rodlike polymers. The results indicate that four of the polymers are essentially amorphous in the unoriented state and clearly show the development of two dimensional order upon orientation. However, Polyester V is semi-crystalline. This polymer is the only one of the five which exhibits a first order DSC transition, and it is the only one containing triether substitutents which implies that these short side chains may be forming small crystalline domains.