THE SPHERULITE-LIKE STRUCTURE OF MAIN CHAIN THERMOTROPIC AROMATIC COPOLYESTERS

A new spherulite-like structure of main chain thermotropic aromatic copolyesters formed insolution cast specimens was observed and was studied by means of polarizing microscopy, X-ray diffraction,SEM and IR spectrometry. Results indicate that the spherulite-like structure of main chain thermotropicaromatic copolyesters formed from the casting solution （phenol/Cl;CH;CH;Cl;） is not a real crystal but only ahigh oriented arrangement of the macromolecular chains as a spherulite. This resulted from the interactionbetween the needle-like crystal of phenol and the rigid mesomorphic groups of molecular chain. The parallelpacking of extended copolyester molecules along the needle-like crystal of phenol leads to the formation ofthe spherulite-like structure.