MORPHOLOGY OF SYNDIOTACTIC POLYSTYRENE AS EXAMINED BY SMALL-ANGLE X-RAY-SCATTERING

Small Angle X-Ray scattering (SAXS) studies have been carried out on i njection molded syndiotactic polystyrene (SPS) at room temperature and at elevated temperatures up to 290 degrees C. Features indicating lam ellar crystallinity were weak or entirely absent at room temperature, becoming increasingly Intense above the glass transition temperature ( T-g) for this material. A background scattering whose intensity was ro ughly proportional to q(-2), where q is the scattering momentum transf er, was present throughout the temperature range. We suggest that thes e results indicate that SPS materials formed in this way are three-pha se systems, with an amorphous phase, a crystalline phase, and a grain boundary phase.