MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES AND MECHANISMS OF CRYSTALLIZATION

Crystallization of polygonal polyethylene (PE) crystals (lozenge, diamond-shaped or with rectangular 200 sectors) is well accounted for by the Seto and Frank theory (SF theory). Crystallization of polyethylene with rounded crystal habit can be explained, according to Sadler, by the study of a two-dimensional lattice model with addition and removal of small square units (Sa approach). In such an approach, the outline of the crystal is rough. It is not reasonable to explain the growth of polygonal crystals by the Sa approach and nor can the SF theory justify the shape of curved crystals. We have used, therefore, the equation of Point and Villers, which generalizes and mediates between these two approaches. This equation reproduces accurately the observed morphology and simultaneously furnishes the values of three important physical parameters (the kinetic length, the mean rate of spreading of a nucleus and the reflection coefficient of a step at the end of a substrate). It gives an insight into the structure of the crystals.