Development of Internal Fine Structure in Stretched Rubber Vulcanizates

Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) pattern and tensile stress during relaxation of stretched rubber vulcanizates (synthetic polyisoprene) were measured simultaneously at room temperature and at 0 degrees C. The samples were quickly stretched to the prefixed strain and then allowed to relax for 1 h. In every SAXS pattern, the intensity distribution was elongated along the equator, indicating the formation of structures elongated in the stretching direction. The so-called two-spots pattern corresponding to the long period of stacked lamellar crystals did not appear even when the critical strain to induce crystallization was exceeded. On the other hand, even below the critical strain, additional development of equatorial streaks was detected in the differential SAXS patterns. This result suggests the growth of the density fluctuation elongated in the stretching direction, which is not directly related to strain-induced crystallization. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 49: 1157-1162, 2011