Synchrotron radiation microbeam X-ray analysis of microstructures and the polymorphic transformation of spherulite crystals of trilaurin

Using synchrotron radiation X-ray microbeam diffraction, we investigated rnicrostructures and molecular arrangements during solid-state beta' -> beta polymorphic transformation in two-dimensional spherulites of trilaurin grown within thin spaces between polyethylene terephthalate (PET) films. The two-dimensional spherulites of beta' were composed of nanometer-sized crystals in which the lamellar planes were oriented parallel to the radial direction of the spherulites. It was verified that, following solid-state transformation from beta' to beta the orientations of the long-chain axes of the beta form remained unchanged with respect to those of the beta' form. This suggests that the molecular arrangements of trilaurin during the beta' -> beta polymorphic transformation occurred through template effects of the lamellar structures of the mother phase of beta'.