Semi-quantitative CDF Analysis. An Example

The Material of the Example. Poly(ether ester) (PEE) materials are thermoplastic elastomers. Fibers made from this class of multiblock copolymers are commercially available as Sympatex . Axle sleeves for automotive applications or gaskets are traded as Arnitel or Hytrel . Polyether blocks form the soft phase (matrix). The polyester forms the hard domains which provide physical cross-linking of the chains. This nanostructure is the reason for the rubbery nature of the material. 

Synopsis of Experiment and Results. The material is irradiated during straining and relaxation. The example shows that a nanostructure which is hard to interpret from a series of scattering patterns may clearly reveal its complex domain structure after transformation to the CDF. Different structural entities are identified which respond each in a different way on mechanical load. The shape of the basic particles is identified (cylinders). The arrangement of the cylinders is determined. Thus the semi-quantitative analysis of the CDF provides the information necessary for the selection and definition of a suitable complex model which is required for a 

3D a quantitative analysis still appears to be hopelessly laborious because of the complexity of the problem. On the other hand, a ID quantitative analysis of only the longitudinal structure can be mastered (cf. Sect. 8.7). 

How should such rigid domain coupling work In principle domains can only be rigidly coupled by a bridge of hard-phase material which has a different density. We know that the polyester hard-phase is semicrystalline. So the observation is indicative for a structure in which the hard domains are subdivided into crystalline and amorphous zones. 

Thus a quantitative model of the structure would probably require to consider a third phase three-phase system). 

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