In order to elucidate microscopic deformation behavior at different locations in isotropic semicrystalline polymers, the structural evolution of a preoriented high-density polyethylene sample during tensile deformation at different temperatures and along different directions with respect to the preorientation was investigated by means of combined in situ synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) techniques. For samples stretched along preorientation, two situations were found: (1) at 30 degrees C, the sample broke after a moderate deformation, which is accomplished by the slippage of the microfibrils; (2) at 80 and 100 degrees C, fragmentation of original lamellae followed by recrystallization process was observed resulting in new lamellar crystals of different thickness depending on stretching temperature. For samples stretched perpendicular or 45 degrees with respect to the preorientation, the samples always end up with a new oriented lamellar structure with the normal along the stretching direction via a stress-induced fragmentation and recrystallization route. The thickness of the final achieved lamellae depends only on stretching temperature in this case. Compared to samples stretched along the preorientation direction, samples stretched perpendicular and 45 degrees with respect to the preorientation direction showed at least several times of maxima achievable stress before macroscopic failure possibly due to the favorable occurrence and development of microdefects in those lamellar stacks with their normal parallel to the stretching direction. This result might have significant consequence in designing optimal procedure to produce high performance polyethylene products from solid state. (c) 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014, 52, 716-726