Orientational order in surface layers of pullulan films

Resumo

A study was made of spontaneous surface birefringence observed in pullulan films when a tilted polarized beam is passed through a plain polymer film. Birefringence was explored as a function of the angle of beam incidence and the film thickness. The orientational order parameter was estimated for pullulan chains located in the near-surface layers of films. The results were compared with data from earlier studies of other polysaccharides.