The structure and phase transitions in poly[bis‐(2,2,3,3‐tetrafluoropropoxy)phosphazene] have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x‐ray diffraction. Two crystalline phases and one mesomorphic phase are found, denoted I, II, and III, respectively. These phases convert reversibly one into the other on heating and cooling. The Phase I–Phase II transition occurs in a temperature range from 5 to 30°C whereas the Phase II mesophase (Phase III) transition proceeds above 80°C. Heats of transitions are measured to be about 29.0 J/g and 3.6 J/g, respectively. Crystalline Phase I is characterized by a monoclinic unit cell with the parameters: α = 24.4 Å, b = 9.96 Å, c = 4.96 Å, γ = 123°. The axes of both chains, traversing the unit cell, are directed along the “c” axis, the main chains having cis‐trans conformation. Phase I is the common crystalline structure for the main chain and side chains. The structure of Phase II is controlled mainly by packing of the side chains. Transition of Phase II into mesomorphic Phase III is accompanied with distortion of packing of the side chains. Only regular packing of the main chains of macromolecules in the plane perpendicular to their axes exists in Phase III. Mesomorphic phase III is stable up to the degradation temperature of the polymer. A significant effect of stress on the Phase II–III transition in oriented samples was found.

Polydialkoxyphosphazenes with different substituents varying from methoxy up to octoxy which contain only minor amounts (below 0,l mol-%) of various defective units in their macromolecules were synthesized. It was shown that such polyphosphazenes with propoxy, butoxy and pentoxy side groups can exist in the mesomorphic state and that a defect content as low as about 2 mol-% prevents mesophase formation. In spite of high flexibility of the main chain, the polydialkoxyphosphazenes were found to gain the ability to crystallize only if the number of C atoms in the alkoxy substituents is higher than six.

No abstract

It has been established that crystalline PEEK can become completely amorphous upon rolling at room temperature. This effect was verified by data of differential scanning calorimetry. X‐ray diffraction and density measurements. In contrast to quenched amorphous PEEK samples, cold crystallization in rolled amorphous samples is shifted to lower temperatures and starts just with the onset of the glass transition. This shift, along with the decrease in the heat of cold crystallization from 21 J/g (for quenched amorphous sample) to 11 J/g, suggest some retention of paracrystalline structure in rolled amorphous samples.

No abstract