Abstract
The thermal shrinkage of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films drawn uniaxially to different draw ratios over a wide range of temperatures was measured and analysed primarily by differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.) studies and density measurements, and by recording the load-extension characteristics of the samples associated with the drawing process. The overall orientation of drawn samples was assessed from birefringence measurements. The d.s.c. analysis was found to be an accurate predictor of shrinkage behaviour, particularly with respect to the changes in the exothermic crystallization peak. Furthermore, the analysis has shown that shrinkage is completely suppressed when a degree of crystallinity equal to 43% is reached, which can only be achieved through annealing treatments. A reduction in shrinkage is always manifested by a down-shift and a concomitant flattening of the exothermic crystallization peak.