Surface Films on Poly(oxymethylene) Single Crystals

The deformation of single crystals of poly(oxymethylene) grown from 0.01 percent bromobenzene solution has been studied by deposition on a deformable substrate. Slight decoration of the crystal surfaces with gold prior to mechanical deformation of the composite reveals breaks in the gold which are displaced with respect to cracks in the underlying polymer crystals. These observations are interpreted to imply the existence of a very thin discrete film on the surface of the polymer crystals which can slip during deformation. Such a film might arise from polymer molecules adsorbed on the crystal surface.