Structure of pressure‐crystallized polypropylene

Abstract The structure of polypropylene crystallized at pressures up to 5000 atm. has been studied. Upon slow cooling from the melt at 320 atm., the γ modification, previously found only in low molecular weight and stereoblock fractions, begins to appear in small amounts in addition to the normal α monoclinic form. As the pressure is increased further, a larger proportion of the sample crystallizes in the γ form until, at 5000 atm., only the γ modification is present. X‐ray and DTA studies show that the γ form of polypropylene transforms to the normal α modification at a temperature only slightly below the γ melting point. Evidence is presented which favors the occurrence of a solid‐state transition as a model of transformation to the α form. Results from isothermal crystallizations at low supercoolings and annealing experiments under high pressure show that the melting point of the γ modification of polypropylene is very sensitive to crystallite perfection.