Computer‐supported infrared spectrometry of polyethylene, ethene copolymers, and amorphous poly(alkyl ethylene)s

The advent of computer‐supported IR spectrometers, especially Fourier‐transform IR interferometers, made possible considerable progress in the fine‐structure elucidation of the seemingly well‐known polyethylene and ethene copolymers. This paper gives a review on the results obtained in several laboratories in the following fields: identification of side‐groups and olefinic structures, characterization of ethene homo‐ and copolymers made with different catalysts, by spectral enhancement, difference and derivative spectroscopy, and measurements of the dichroism of oriented samples. In one chapter, recent results with amorphous poly(alkyl ethylene)s obtained with a modified Phillips catalyst are reported.