Epitaxial growth of low molecular weight polypropylene from vapor phase

Polypropylene was evaporated on the (001) cleavage faces of alkali halide single crystals, NaCl, KCl, KBr, and KI, under a vacuum of 10−5 torr. Films evaporated on the substrate were found to be composed of low molecular weight polypropylene with a narrow molecular weight distribution. The polypropylene film evaporated on the substrate maintained at 100°C, was composed of rod‐like crystals of α form, the (010) plane of which was parallel to the (001) plane of alkali halide and their long axes were oriented in the (110) direction of the substrate. When the substrate was kept above 150°C, the film included three crystalline forms, α, γ, and δ forms. Fiber‐like crystals of the α form lay parallel to the (110) direction of NaCl. In the initial stage of growth, lamellar crystals were observed in the film. The lamellar (001) plane lay flat in the film and branching occurred on the (010) lateral faces. Both the γ‐form and the (predominately) new δ‐form crystals were observed in the same area of the film prepared at temperatures above 150°C.