Study of twinning in heavily-drawn high-density polyethylene

Preferred orientation produced by heavily drawing high-density polyethylene sheet has been studied by means of computer drawn pole figures, using a Schulz texture goniometer. A resolving power of the order of one degree was obtained, and this revealed that the heavy drawing caused a (100) [001] texture, and twinning on (310). Annealing at temperatures near the melting point produced relaxation of the residual twinning stresses and restoration of the (100) [001] texture.