The morphology and structure of three types of normal and abnormal spherulites of polyethylene terephthalate cast from solution in dimethylphthalate were studied by polarizing microscopy

transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction techniques. In the normal negative spherulites the [210]* direction is parallel to the radius direction. In the normal positive spherulites the radius direction is parallel to the [326]*. In the abnormal PET spherulites the Maltese cross extinction pattern in the polarizing microscope under crossed polars is oriented at 45°to the polars and there are concentric extinction rings around the center of the spherulite.Electron diffraction pattern indicates that[212]* is parallel to the radius of the spherulite and this explains the observed extinction pattern in the abnormal spherulite.