Polymer processing: Using synchrotron radiation to follow structure development in commercial and novel polymer materials

Exploring the macro- and micro-structure development associated with crystallization in polymer materials such as polyethylene and polypropylene can be achieved using Small-and Wide-Angle X-ray Scattering techniques (SAXS/WAXS). Here, SAXS probes the long range ordering or macro-structure and WAXS gives information on the atomic level of ordering (micro-structure). Following structure development and hence the crystallization process in polymers, is particularly important as it leads to the stabilisation of the final product. The crystallinity in a polymer material influences its aesthetic and mechanical properties and so to develop useful materials it is essential to have a deep understanding of the kinetics involved with this process, which can be explored with a variety of scattering techniques.