Strain‐induced crystallization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The fabrication of poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, into fibers, films, and containers usually involves molecular orientation caused by molecular strain, which may lead to stress‐ or strain‐induced crystallization (SIC). The SIC of PET was studied by the methods of birefringence, density, thermal analysis, light scattering, and wide‐angle X‐ray. The development of crystallinity is discussed in relation to the rate of crystallization, the residual degree of orientation, and stress relaxation. The experimental procedure involves stretching samples at temperatures above the glass transition temperature, Tg , to a given extension ratio and at a specific strain rate of an Instron machine. At the end of stretching, the sample is annealed in the stretched state and at the stretching temperature for various periods of time, after which the sample is quickly quenched to room temperature for subsequent measurements. During stretching, the stress strain and the stress relaxation curves are recorded. The results indicate that the SIC of annealed, stretched PET can proceed in three different paths depending on the residual degree of orientation. At a low degree of residual orientation, as indicated by the birefringence value, annealing of stretched PET leads only to molecular relaxation, resulting in a decrease of birefringence. At intermediate orientation levels, annealing causes an initial decrease in birefringence followed by a gradual increase and finally a leveling off of birefringence after a fairly long period of time. At higher orientation levels, annealing causes a rapid increase in birefringence before leveling off. The interpretation of the above results is made using the measurements of light scattering, differential scanning calorimetry, and wide‐angle X‐ray. The rate of the SIC of PET is also discussed in terms of specific data analysis.