Oriented film

A number of friction studies have been carried out on organic polymers in recent years. Coefficients of friction are for the most part in the normal range, with values about as expected from Eq. XII-5. The detailed results show some serious complications, however. First, n is very dependent on load, as illustrated in Fig. XlI-5, for a copolymer of hexafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene [31], and evidently the area of contact is determined more by elastic than by plastic deformation. The difference between static and kinetic coefficients of friction was attributed to transfer of an oriented film of polymer to the steel rider during sliding and to low adhesion between this film and the polymer surface. Tetrafluoroethylene (Telfon) has a low coefficient of friction, around 0.1, and in a detailed study, this lower coefficient and other differences were attributed to the rather smooth molecular profile of the Teflon molecule [32]. 

Penner T L, Schiidkraut J S, Ringsdorf H and Schuster A 1991 Oriented films from polymeric amphiphiles with mesogenic groups—Langmuir-Blodgett liquid-crystals/Macromo/ecu/es 24 1041-9... 

The double-bubble process may be used to produce biaxiaHy oriented film, primarily polypropylene. In this process the first bubble formation is similar to the conventional blown film, except that the bubble is not coUapsed. Rather it is reheated to the orientation temperature and blown and drawn further in a second stage. It is then coUapsed, sUt, and wound. This process is generally limited to a final film thickness of less than 24 p.m. 

Biaxial Orientation. Many polymer films require orientation to achieve commercially acceptable performance (10). Orientation may be uniaxial (generally in the machine direction [MD]) or biaxial where the web is stretched or oriented in the two perpendicular planar axes. The biaxial orientation may be balanced or unbalanced depending on use, but most preferably is balanced. Further, this balance of properties may relate particularly to tensile properties, tear properties, optical birefringence, thermal shrinkage, or a combination of properties. A balanced film should be anisotropic, although this is difficult to achieve across the web of a flat oriented film. 

BiaxiaHy oriented films have excellent tensile strength properties and good tear and impact properties. They are especially well regarded for their brilliance and clarity. Essentially all poly(ethylene terephthalate) film is biaxiaHy oriented, and more than 80% of polypropylene film is biaxiaHy oriented. Polystyrene film is oriented, and a lesser amount of polyethylene, polyamide, poly(vinyl chloride), and other polymers are so processed. Some of the specialty films, like polyimides (qv), are also oriented. 

Fig. 9. Resistivity versus temperature showing onset of superconductivity for a single crystal (-) and for two highly oriented films (—), where...

Fibrillated tape, again particularly successful with polypropylene, in which oriented film is stretched so much that fibrillation occurs. 

There are other differences between cast, monoaxially oriented, and balanced biaxially oriented film. Typical figures illustrating these effects are given in Table 11.5. 

In order to reduce the tendency of the film to shrink oriented film may be annealed at about 100°C whilst under tension immediately after drawing. The film is often coated with another polymer sueh as a vinylidene ehloride-based copolymer. This both improves the barrier properties and improves the heat scalability. 

An oven in the form of a tunnel mounted over or containing a continuous conveyor belt is used to shrink oriented films in the shrink packaging process. Also use a hot air blower on the film to provide the heat required in specific areas. 

Thus, the process of PAN transformation under the effect of IR radiation proceeds with considerable self-acceleration. The irradiation of uniaxially oriented PAN films gives a polymer with a distinct anisotropy of optical properties, dichroism in the visible spectral region in particular. Figure 8 presents dichroism curves [D =/(X)] at various angles (ip) between the polarization plane and the orientation axis. The same figure shows the dependence D =f(uniaxially oriented film. 

Two approaches to the attainment of the oriented states of polymer solutions and melts can be distinguished. The first one consists in the orientational crystallization of flexible-chain polymers based on the fixation by subsequent crystallization of the chains obtained as a result of melt extension. This procedure ensures the formation of a highly oriented supramolecular structure in the crystallized material. The second approach is based on the use of solutions of rigid-chain polymers in which the transition to the liquid crystalline state occurs, due to a high anisometry of the macromolecules. This state is characterized by high one-dimensional chain orientation and, as a result, by the anisotropy of the main physical properties of the material. Only slight extensions are required to obtain highly oriented films and fibers from such solutions. 

In this review the definition of orientation and orientation functions or orientation averages will be considered in detail. This will be followed by a comprehensive account of the information which can be obtained by three spectroscopic techniques, infra-red and Raman spectroscopy and broad line nuclear magnetic resonance. The use of polarized fluorescence will not be discussed here, but is the subject of a contemporary review article by the author and J. H. Nobbs 1. The present review will be completed by consideration of the information which has been obtained on the development of molecular orientation in polyethylene terephthalate and poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) where there are also clearly defined changes in the conformation of the molecule. In this paper, particular attention will be given to the characterization of biaxially oriented films. Previous reviews of this subject have been given by the author and his colleagues, but have been concerned with discussion of results for uniaxially oriented systems only2,3). 

For this case, which is the fairly common situation of a biaxially oriented film, it is therefore necessary to obtain a total of thirteen second and fourth order coefficients. Later, results for polyester films will be discussed, where seven of these thirteen coefficients have been determined experimentally. 

The determination of biaxially oriented film is comparatively straightforward, as the radiation propagates in the direction normal to the plane of the film and the polarization direction is parallel or perpendicular to the draw direction. theoretical analysis are given in detail in a separate publication 6). 

Fig. 11. B20/a2 plotted against P2(0)overa together with the theoretical boundaries (A) for wholly gauche oriented material (B) for wholly trans oriented material. Draw ratios (a) 2 1 (b) 2.5 1 (c) 5 1 for one way drawn biaxially oriented film (d) 3.25 1 for uniaxal drawn rod. Reproduced from Polymer by permission of the publishers, Butterworth Co (Publishers) Ltd. (C)...

The large intrinsic birefringence of the sarcoplasmic reticulum [143] and the polarized attenuated total reflectance FTIR spectroscopy data obtained on oriented films of sarcoplasmic reticulum [144] indicate that a sizeable portion of the secondary structural elements are arranged perpendicularly to the plane of the membrane in a manner reminiscent to the structure of bacteriorhodopsin [145-148]. 

Sometimes the hazy optical properties of polypropylene are a detriment to its use in thin films. To address this problem, as well as to improve physical properties and reduce material costs, we can orient the molecular chains by stretching the polymer film after it has left the extrusion die. There are two methods of orienting films, film blowing, shown in Fig. 11.6, and tentering, shown in Fig, 19.6. 

Polypropylene film is found in a variety of applications. Films are thin plastic sheets with thicknesses less than 250 pm. Applications for these films include candy mappers, plastic label material, electrical capacitors (which requires very pure polymer), and fiber glass insulation backing. There are two general categories of polypropylene films unoriented and oriented. Films are manufactured through either a cast or a blown film extrusion process. Oriented films exhibit improved strength relative to unoriented films. This means that they can be... 

Oriented polypropylene is used for clear films used as food wrap. What advantageous properties do the oriented films have over standard films How can a polymer that is, typically semicrystalline be transparent ... 

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