The effect of dimethyl-5-sodiosulfoisophthalate, SIP, on poly(ethylene terephthalate), PET, crystallization has been studied using in situ high-temperature x-ray diffraction, HTXRD. At low levels of SIP modification, PET-like crystallinity was observed. At high SIP levels, clustering of polyester ionomers was observed and crystallization was significantly suppressed. The HTXRD data along with differential scanning calorimetry, DSC, and small angle x-ray scattering, SAXS, indicate that the change from bulk crystallization to bulk ionomer formation occurred when 8-12 mol% of the diester linkages contained SIP.
Morphological and Mechanical Properties of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Gel and Melt Films in Terms of the Crystal Lattice Modulus, Molecular Orientation, and Small Angle X-Ray Scattering Intensity Distribution