engleski

Some misunderstandings in basic terms of polymer materials structure

Nowadays terminology of polymer structure is a result of historical development and interleaving of different influencing factors: synthesis/polymerization and polymer materials, profiles of researchers and progress of discoveries, investigation methods, and terminology interplay in relationships of polymer structure/properties. Because some basic polymer structure terms arise from different origins, they either interfere or become multivalued. Accordingly, the uses of terms concerning polymer materials structure in different meaning may lead to the misunderstandings. Typical examples of multi-valued terms are: core-shell structure/morphology, fibril, microstructure, etc. Due to simple relation between two structural/morphological elements (core and shell) general term core-shell structure/morphology may be applied in different systems (metals, (inter)metallic and organic compounds, supramolecular systems, polymers and copolymers, blends and composites) properly. On the other hand, structural entities showing the same outer shape (for example fibrillar shape of hierarchical elements in fiber, radial lamellae in spherulites, different fibril-like entities in polymer blends, etc.) but with different inner structure are usually named with the same term (fibril), which may cause some confusion. Further terms structure – morphology as well as macrostructure – supermolecular structure - supramolecular structure – superstructure – microstructure – morphology – phase morphology - phase structure – texture seem to interfere partially or entirely to each other. It is interesting that the term microstructure is multivalued term and interferes with other terms at the same time. Genesis, nowadays situation and explanations of these misunderstandings will be presented in this lecture.

fibril; microstructure; morphology; polymer terminology; supermolecular structure

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