A method for detection and visualization of charge trapping sites in amorphous parts in crystalline polymers

A simple method was proposed to detect charge traps in amorphous regions of crystalline polymers. The proposed method is a combination of two experiments: observation of thermally stimulated current spectra and visualization of charged areas for sample polymers with and without organic solvent vapor induced charge decay. By this method charge traps in spherulitic PP were directly related to its higher order structure. The shallow traps in the spherulitic PP preferentially exist in the amorphous regions of interfacial and peripheral parts of PP spherulites, while the deep traps in the crystalline regions at the central parts of the spherulites. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.