Orientation of PVDF α and γ crystals in nanolayered films

Wide-angle X-ray scattering in conjunction with pole figure technique was used to study the texture of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) α and γ phase crystals in nanolayered polysulfone/poly(vinylidene fluoride) films (PSF/PVDF) produced by layer-multiplying coextrusion. In all as-extruded PSF/PVDF films, the PVDF nanolayers crystallized into the α phase crystals. A large fraction of those crystals was oriented with macromolecular chains perpendicular to the PSF/PVDF interface as evidenced from the (021) pole figures. Further refinement of the texture occurs during isothermal recrystallization at 170 °C in conjunction with transformation of α to γ crystals. The γ crystals orientation was probed with the (004) pole figures showing the c-axis of PVDF γ crystals perpendicular to the PSF/PVDF interface. The thinner the PVDF layers the stronger the orientation of γ crystals. It was proven that the X-ray reflections from the (021) planes of α crystals and from the (004) planes of γ crystals are not overlapped with other reflections and can be effectively used for the texture determination of PVDF nanolayers in multilayered PSF/PVDF films.