Influence of small disorientations of polymer fibrils on intensity distribution in a small-angle x-ray reflection

Abstract

Theoretical analysis was carried out by the influence of small disorientations of polymer fibrils (with long periods) on the intensity distribution in small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) using slit–slit collimation. In an interval of 0–0.3 rad mean square angles of disorientation, the position of the intensity maximum in the meridional direction coincides within 3% with the position of the intensity maximum for an ideally oriented system of fibrils. The disorientation of fibrils notably influences the intensity and half-width of the SAXS reflection in the meridional direction. A technique for definition of the “true” half-width of a reflection from an ideally oriented system of fibrils is offered.

Keywords:

• Polymer
• Orientation
• Disorientation
• Small-angle x-ray scattering
• Supermolecular structure
• Fibril
• Long period
• Collimation

Acknowledgments

Authors are grateful to Prof. P. H. Geil for reading the manuscript and providing helpful remarks.