The X-Ray Diagram of a Buna-S Vulcanizate
Abstract Sebrell and Dinsmore (India Rubber World 103, 37 (1944); Rubber Chem. Tech. 16, 857 (1943)) found that the x-ray diffraction pattern of Buna-S consists of a broad halo similar to that obtained with liquids. This type of pattern was obtained whether the Buna-S was unstretched or stretched. Unstretched natural rubber gives a similar pattern, but stretched natural rubber gives a characteristic fiber pattern. This fiber pattern demonstrates the existence of three-dimensional crystallites. Buna-S would not be expected to yield a fiber diagram while stretched because the molecules of this synthetic rubber are probably not constructed in a regular fashion. The styrene residues are presumably distributed at random along the length of the molecule, and there may be side-chains which branch off the main chain. However, when considerably stretched, a Buna-S vulcanizate would be expected to exhibit some indication in its x-ray diagram that alignment of the molecules has occurred.