Oriented crystallization of normal long chain compounds on polyolefins

The Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto-fu 611, Japan Thin polyethylene films with (110) outer surfaces have been prepared. When normal long-chain aliphatic compounds were crystallized onto the surfaces by evaporation at reduced pressure or from melts, the crystals grew in lattice coincidence with the substrate surface. Epitaxial crystallization with different molecular orientations at different crystallization temperatures resulted; the chain molecules lay down on the surface at low temperatures, but were oriented perpendicularly or at an angle to the surface at high temperatures.