Probing structure and orientation in polymers using synchrotron small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering techniques

Synchrotron small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) techniques are frequently used to study hierarchical structure and preferred orientation in polymers and biopolymers. In this article, two examples based on materials showing preferred orientation at different length scales are given. In the first example, cellulose fibers/nanofibers were investigated from the perspectives of crystal polymorphism, preferred orientation and nanoscale morphology. In the second example, a time-resolved SAXS/WAXS study was carried out to investigate the melting and recrystallization processes of a pre-stretched random co-polymer, poly(propylene-ran-1-butylene) (PB).