Role of Transient Metastable Hexagonal Phase in the Formation of Extended Chain Single Crystals of Vinylidene Fluoride and Trifluoroethylene Copolymers

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Abstract
Crystallization of vinylidene fluoride and trifluoro-ethylene copolymer, P(VDF/TrFE), with higher VDF molar content (x) than the triple point x (x tri=0.82) was studied. When the copolymer is crystallized at atmospheric pressure below the melting temperature from the melt, thick extended-chain crystals (ECCs) are formed. It is suggested that the ECCs were formed in the metastable hexagonal phase which appears transiently and then transforms into the stable orthorhombic phase, as has been shown on polyethylene (PE) previously by Rastogi et al.. [Macromolecules 24 (1991) 6384] This suggests the important role of the metastable hexagonal phase in the formation of ECCs, which is discussed by the the chain sliding diffusion theory presented by one of us (M. H.).

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