Coupling of optical and mechanical properties in crystalline polymers

Abstract

Abstract The modules and birefringence of oriented polymers are known to couple through the structural and intrinsic properties of the polymer. Recent developments in both optical and mechanical theories have allowed this coupling to be expanded so that it includes predictions of modulus and refractive indices of uniaxially‐oriented polymer films at various angles to the draw direction. The validity of these theories has been tested in this study by predicting the angular dependence of the optical and mechanical properties of seven uniaxiallyoriented films of isotactic polypropylene. The present study also provides intrinsic material properties associated with the crystalline and noncrystalline components of the polymer, and consequently allows the identification of the structural parameters that control the properties of ultra‐high oriented isotactic polypropylene.