CHLORINATED HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE .2. SOLID-STATE STRUCTURE

Chlorination of high density polyethylene results in polymers which consist of unmodified methylene units and chlorinated methylene co-units. The effect of the concentration and distribution of chlorinated units on the solid state structure has been examined by thermal, wide angle X-ray diffraction and dynamic mechanical analysis. As the substitution becomes more random, the crystallinity, crystallite size, and crystalline perfection decrease for a given chlorine content. The chlorinated units are shown to be capable of co-crystallizing, and the concentration of chlorine in the crystalline phase increases as the distribution is made more random.