Morphology of Heat Set Segmented Elastomers

Abstract
The technique of small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) was used to investigate the morphology of three heat set (200–400% strain at 110–125°C) segmented elastomer samples—two polyester-polyurethanes and one polyether-polyester. The degree of hard-segment ordering in the samples varied from amorphous to slightly crystalline to highly crystalline. The results showed that the hard-segment domains in the semicrystalline materials developed axial ratios of about 2:1 for the axes parallel and perpendicular to the direction of stretch, while the sample with amorphous hard-segment domains showed no similar distortion in hard-segment domain shape and no anisotropy in the thickness of the interface between hard- and soft-segment domains.