A review of modeling approaches for oriented semi-crystalline polymers

Modeling changes in the physical properties of oriented semi-crystalline polymer films is beneficial for understanding the fundamentals associated with structure property relationships and could be used for developing new polymer films with significantly enhanced physical properties. Relating the molecular changes observed in oriented polymer films to inherent polymer characteristics provides valuable insight for the development of new polymers which exhibit enhanced physical properties upon orientation. Modeling efforts will be reviewed that have attempted to use fiber composite theory to explain the transitions seen during the orientation process.