Crystallinity, crystal structure and lamellar thickness in melt-crysta
llized samples of poly(propylene-stat-ethylene) fractions with 2.7-11.
0 mol% ethylene comonomer and of approximately constant tacticity were
assessed by wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering, differential scan
ning calorimetry and infra-red spectroscopy. Most of the samples were
crystallized under isothermal conditions at 373 K. In comparison with
an isotactic homopolymer of polypropylene, the copolymers showed lower
crystallinity, melting enthalpy and average length of 3/1 helices, a
slightly larger unit cell, a longer long period and an invariant lamel
lar thickness. The X-ray crystallinity of the copolymers remained appr
oximately constant with increasing ethylene content, whereas the gamma
-crystallinity increased and the heat of fusion decreased moderately.
It is suggested that the ethylene units are partially included in the
crystals, and that this causes the invariance in crystallinity and cry
stal thickness. The observed gradual decrease in average 3/1 helix len
gth with increasing ethylene content as assessed by infra-red spectros
copy is in accordance with this suggestion. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevie
r Science Ltd.