The morphology of the spherulitic surface in polyethylene.

Studies of lamellar shapes and profiles in linear polyethylene have often been implemented by microscopic examination of appropriately etched random slices through spherulitic specimens. However, since a spherulite crystallized from a bulk specimen is a three-dimensional assembly of radially oriented lamellae with a twisting orientation (except for very high Tc's), appropriate conclusions form a random slice may be difficult to draw. A technique has been developed that allows one to prepare spherulitic surfaces such that their distance relative to the geometric center can be well characterized.