Texture development in polyethylene. I. Uniaxial extension and uniaxial compression

Abstract

Texture development of high-density polyethylene has been studied by x-ray diffraction at various strains for uniaxial extension, as achieved by uniaxial tension and extrusion, and for uniaxial compression. Pole distributions were measured for the (100), (200), (020), and (011) reflections. Textures were described by ideal single-crystal orientations with inverse pole figures. In uniaxial extension, samples were deformed up to true strains of 1.83 (reductions of up to 84%). After a strain of 0.55, the c axis oriented at 35° from the extension axis and with increasing strain approached the extension axis. This was attributed to initial (110) or (310) twinning in combination with (100) slip, followed subsequently by [001] slip. In compression, samples were deformed up to true strains of 1.83 (reductions up to 84%). The texture consisted of strong components of the compression axis near (100) and weaker components near (110). At higher strains the intensity of the near-(100) components decreased, whereas the near-(110) components became more intense. The near-(100) components are explained by slip on (100) planes. The growth of the near-(110) components at the expense of the near-(100) components can be explained by relaxation twinning of the near-(100) components.