Polymer structure analysis

Auriemma, F., deRosa, C. and Corradini, P. SolidMesophases in Semicrystalline Polymers Structural Analysis by Diffraction Techniques. Vol. 181, pp. 1-74. 

Application of the Rietveld Whole-Fitting Method to Linear Polymer Structure Analysis... 

Kakudo and Kasai have summarized the central problem well ( ) "There are generally less than 100 independently observable diffractions for all layer lines in the x-ray diagram of a fibrous polymer. This clearly imposes limitations on the precision which can be achieved in polymer structure analysis, especially in comparison with the 2000 or more diffractions observable for ordinary single crystals. However, the molecular chains of the high polymer usually possess some symmetry of their own, and it is often possible to devise a structural model of the molecular chain to interpret the fiber period in terms of the chemical composition by comparison with similar or homologous substances of known structure. Structural information from methods other than x-ray diffraction (e.g., infrared and NMR spectroscopy) are also sometimes helpful in devising a structural model of the molecular chain. The majority of the structural analyses which have so far been performed are based on models derived in this way. This is, of course, a trial and error method". Similar perspectives have been presented by Arnott ( ), Atkins ( ), and Tadokoro... 

Solid Mesophases in Semicrystalline Polymers Structural Analysis 3... 

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