Shear Cell for In Situ WAXS, SAXS, and SANS Experiments on Polymer Melts Under Flow Fields

Abstract

Abstract A small‐volume shear cell designed to perform in situ scattering experiments is presented. This device allows the in situ structural study of deformations in polymeric melts and their subsequent crystallization. It is designed specifically for scattering experiments where the rheometer must be held in a vertical position. Two examples are presented that probe the capabilities of this novel, small‐volume shear cell. First of all, real‐time wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (WAXS) is used to follow, in situ, the crystallization after shearing a polyethylene melt. Secondly, the shear‐induced development of aligned structures in a polypropylene/dibenzylidene sorbitol system is followed in real time by small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS). Keywords: DeformationsPolymeric meltsCrystallization Acknowledgments The essential construction of the small volume shear cell was performed by Mr. C. J. Balague and Mr. J. Woodcock at the J.J. Thomson Physical Laboratory of the University of Reading. A. N. expresses thanks for support of this research by a Marie Curie Fellowship of the European Community program "Human Potential" under contract number HPMF‐CT‐2000‐00657.