THE RING-BANDED SPHERULITE STRUCTURE OF POLY(EPSILON-CAPROLACTONE) IN ITS MISCIBLE MIXTURES WITH POLY(STYRENE-CO-ACRYLONITRILE)

The structure of the PCL spherulite in poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (PCL/SAN) blends was investigated by optical microscopy and small angle light scattering. The spherulite structure with a Maltese cross has been observed in pure PCL. Similar PCL/SAN blends exhibited not only spherulites with a Maltese cross, but also distinct extinction rings. The H(v) light scattering pattern especially caused diffraction rings in PCL/SAN blends but not in pure PCL. The spherical symmetry of spherulite PCL becomes more incomplete and the twist of the lamella becomes more irregular with increasing SAN content. It is found that the spherulite structure of PCL/SAN blends is dependent on the crystallization temperature and the concentration of SAN in PCL/SAN blends.