Studies on the syndiotactic poly(vinyl alcohol) polarizing film - Preparation of low molecular weight syndiotactic poly(vinyl alcohol)/iodine complex film and its characterization -

A polymer/iodine complex film was prepared using syndiotactic poly(vinyl alcohol) (s-PVA) with number-average degree of polymerization of 900 and syndiotactic diad content of 63.1%. In comparison with atactic-PVA/iodine films, degree of polarization of the s-PVA/iodine film was improved up to over 99% although a lower transmittance was obtained. By soaking in iodine/potassium iodide aqueous solution of a lower iodine concentration and subsequent drawing by 4 times, s-PVA/iodine film of a higher transmittance and degree of polarization was produced. The degree of iodine desorption of the s-PVA/iodine film in water were very low. The crystallinity and the d-spacing and crystal size of (100) plane increased at the early stage of soaking time, however, remained constant or decreased slightly with increasing soaking time. In consequence, s-PVA/iodine complex formation took place mainly inside crystal region at the initial stage of soaking time, whereas it occurred outside crystal region or physical adsorption of iodine dominated after sufficient soaking.