OBSERVATIONS ON THE MICROSTRUCTURE OF THERMOTROPIC AROMATIC POLYESTERS

This paper describes some of the representative morphologies seen by direct electron microscopic observation of many polymer compositions and the specific biphasic texture of X7G melt-spun fibers. Microdiffraction of the phases is constrasted with the earlier reports of the data accumulated from selected area electron diffraction methods, and from X-ray diffraction studies. Optical brightfield and polarized light views of fibers are provided. Thermotropic liquid crystalline polymers are visualized in the electron microscope. The copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and p-hydroxybenzoic acid is studied.