The tensile strength and the morphology of polytetrafluoroethylene skived tapes and poly (vinyliden fluoride) sheets molded at 665Pa were investigated by tensile testing with an autograph and by transmission electron microscopy.
The tensile strength of the tapes and sheets molded at 665Pa was greater by about 10% than that molded at atmospheric pressure. The bands observed at the surface of the polytetrafluoroethylene skived tape molded under reduced pressure were about 1.4 times wider than those at the surface of the tape molded at atmospheric pressure. Spherulites were observed at the surface of poly (vinylidene fluoride) sheet molded at atmospheric pressure, but were not recognized at the surface of the sheet molded at 665Pa. It seems that at atmospheric pressure a microvoid containing air and/or gases worked as a nucleus of the spherulite.