Study on spherulite anisotropy in semicrystalline polymers: quantifying mechanical properties and deformation mechanisms

Spherulite is the main microstructure feature of semicrystalline polymers, exhibiting a non-axisymmetric geometry with a sheaf structure in the center. In the initial stage of growth, spherulite is manifested initiation from the sheaf structure with a certain orientation. The size and orientation of sheaf structure are affected by various processing parameters. Previous research considered spherulite as completely radially symmetric structures, ignoring the effects of anisotropic sheaf on mechanical properties. In this paper, an anisotropic micromechanical model for evaluating the mechanical properties of semicrystalline polymers was proposed. The microstructure of single spherulite was modeled with different sheaf sizes, orientations, and crystallinities. The viscoplastic constitutive model together with the Arruda–Boyce model was used to describe the micromechanical behaviors of the crystalline lamellae and amorphous lamellae, respectively. The evolution of inhomogeneous plastic deformation, interlayer deformation and slip activities in spherulite was observed under tension. The results shown in this work enhance the understanding of the microstructure–property relationship of semicrystalline polymers, which, in turn, guides the development of advanced manufacturing techniques for tailoring mechanical properties.