Partial melting and recrystallization of isotactic polypropylene

<正>A relatively high predetermined crystallization temperature(135℃) was chosen to grow well developed iPP spherulites,then the partial melting was carried out at a temperature of 165℃,where the preformed spherulites were seen to only decrease their size but not completely melted.The crystallization behavior of partially melted isotactic polypropylene (iPP) has been carefully examined by different scanning calorimetry(DSC) and polarized light microscopy(PLM).The experimental results show that at a special annealing temperature(165℃) the melting behavior of iPP includes two parts with different mechanism,one part is the melting of iPP spherulite outside,another is the partial lamellae perfection during longer annealing time in the unmelted spherulite.The conformational orders of the iPP melt decrease with the increase of the annealing temperature.     

MULTIPLE MELTING AND CRYSTALLIZATION BEHAVIOR OF NYLON 1212

The wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) patterns of isothermally crystallized Nylon 1212 show that γ-form crystals form below 90℃ and the α-form crystals can exist above 140℃. In the temperature range of 90-140℃, the α-form and γ-form crystals coexist. Variable-temperature WAXD exhibits that the nylon 1212 γ-form does not show crystal transition on heating, while α-form isothermally crystallized at 160℃ exhibits Brill transition at a little higher than 180℃ on heating. The multiple melting behaviors of Nylon 1212 isothermally crystallized from melt come from a complex mechanism of different crystal structures, dual lamellar population and melting-recrystallization. In polarized optical microscope (POM) observations, Nylon 1212 isothermally crystallized at 175℃ shows the ringed banded spherulites. However, at temperatures below 160℃ the ringed banded image disappears, and cross-extinct spherulites are formed.     

Enhanced Crystallization Rate of Biodegradable Poly(ε-caprolactone) by Cyanuric Acid as an Efficient Nucleating Agent

The influence of cyanuric acid(CA) as an efficient nucleating agent on the crystallization behavior and morphology of biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone)(PCL) was extensively studied in this work with several techniques for the first time. The nonisothermal melt crystallization behavior and overall isothermal melt crystallization rate of PCL were significantly enhanced by only a small amount of CA. The addition of CA apparently improved the nonisothermal melt crystallization peak temperature, overall isothermal melt crystallization rate, and nucleation density of PCL spherulites, but did not modify the crystallization mechanism and crystal structure of PCL, indicating that CA was an efficient nucleating agent for the crystallization of PCL. The possible nucleation mechanism of CA on the crystallization of PCL was also discussed on the basis of their crystal structures.     

CRYSTALLIZATION CHARACTERISTICS OF β-PHASE CRYSTALS IN COPOLYMERS OF POLYPROPYLENE WITH LOW ETHYLENE CONTENT

Polypropylene copolymers (CPP) containing β-nucleating agent were investigated by differential scanningcalorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and polarizing light microscopy (PLM). The results show thathigh content of β-phase crystals can also be formed for CPPs. Like PP homopolymers, the CPPs also have a most favorabletemperature near 132℃ for β-phase crystal growth. The crystallization rate of CPPs containing β-nucleating agent (β-CPP) ismuch greater than that of PP homopolymer containing β-nucleating agent (β-PP homopolymer). The observation ofspherulite morphology of β-CPP and β-PP homopolymer shows that the spherulites of β-CPP are more imperfect than thoseof β-PP homopolymer.     

A STUDY ON THE MORPHOLOGY AND PROPERTIES OF IPP/IIR BLENDS

The effect of isobutylene-isoprene rubber (IIR) on the crystallizing behavior of isotactic polypropylene (IPP) as well as the morphology of the blends in relation with its properties have been studied by DSC, WAXD, polarized light microscope, SEM and mechanical properties test. The experimental results show that IIR has slight influence on melting point, crystallinity, crystallization rate of IPP. It seems certain that IIR has not entered into IPP phase in melt state. IIR has retarding action on the growth of IPP crystal and is an effective nucleating agent of IPP spherulites. The impact strength of the blend increases rapidly with IIR content more than 30 parts; the tensile strength of the blend, however, decreases as IIR content increases. The temperature and time of alter heat-treatment also have great influence on the impact strength of the blend. The impact strength of IPP/IIR (100/20) heat-treated at about 130℃for 2h is 5 times as high as that of the untreated blend.     

EFFECT OF N,N,N~'''',N~''''-TETRAALKYL TEREPHTHALAMIDE ON NON-ISOTHERMAL CRYSTALLIZATION KINETICS OF POLYPROPYLENE

The effect of N,N,N',N'-tetraalkyl terephthalamide (TATA) on the non-isothermal crystallization and melting characteristics of polypropylene (PP) was studied. The addition of TATA can lead to the formation of β-crystal PP. With the increase in TATA concentration the degree of crystallinity for β-crystal PP increased significantly, and that for α-crystal PP decreased, which indicated that TATA effectively induced the formation of β-crystal PP. WAXD also revealed the existence of β-crystal PP after the introduction of TATA into PP. PP containing TATA crystallized at a temperature range of 5-10℃ higher than that of pure PP, and the half-crystallization time (t1/2) and Avrami exponent (n) of PP at the same cooling rate were decreased by the addition of TATA, indicating that TATA influenced the crystallization rate and crystallization growth mode of PP. The rate constant of crystallization of PP containing TATA (Zc) was larger than that of pure PP, which further indicated that the crystallization of PP was accelerated by the addition of TATA.     

Crystallization Kinetics and Melting Behavior of PA1010/Ether-based TPU Blends

Polyamide 1010(PA1010)/thermoplastic poly(ether urethane) elastomer(ether-based TPU) blends were prepared via melt extrusion. The crystallization kinetics and melting behavior of PA1010/ether-based TPU blends were systematically investigated using differential scanning calorimetry. The crystallization kinetics results show that the addition of ether-based TPU hinders the crystallization of PA1010, and the hindrance effect increases with the increase of the concentration of ether-based TPU. Both pure PA1010 and PA1010/ether-based TPU blends exhibit double melting peaks in the process of nonisothermal crystallization. The double melting peaks change differently with the variation of cooling rate and blend composition. The cooling rate only influences the lower melting peak; however, the blend composition influences not only the lower melting peak but also the higher melting peak. The reason for the phenomenon must be the interaction between the two compositions.     

CRYSTALLIZATION BEHAVIOR OF A THERMOTROPIC LIQUID CRYSTAL COPOLYESTER

A thermotropic liquid crystal copolyester resin based on p-hydroxybenzoic acid, 2, 6-naphthoic acid, hydroxyquinone and PET was synthesized by melt condensation and studied. The results based on DSC and X-ray diffraction indicated that there were a rapid and a slow crystallization processes for the copolyester at certain conditions. A critical temperature was suggested, below which the slow crystallization could hardly happen. Above the critical temperature the extent of the slow crystallization process depended not only on annealing temperature but also on the annealing time. A fine crystal structure with high melting point and narrow diffraction peak was formed under favorable conditions.     

Crystallization of Poly(ethylene adipate) within γ-Phase Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Matrix

The effects of PEA on the γ-phase PVDF crystal structure and the crystallization of PEA within the pre-existing γ-phase PVDF spherulites have been investigated by optical microscopy(OM), infrared spectroscopy(IR) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The results demonstrate that the γ-phase PVDF spherulites consist of the lamellae exhibiting a highly curved scroll-like morphology and develop preferentially in PEA-rich blend. With increasing PEA concentration, the scroll diameter increases and the scrolls are better separated from each other. PEA crystallizes first in the interspherulitic region and transcrystalline layer develops. Subsequently, the transcrystalline layer of PEA continues to grow within the γ-phase PVDF spherulites, e.g., in the region between the scrolls, until impinging on other PEA transcrystalline layers or spherulites. The crystallization kinetics results indicate that the growth rate of PEA crystals in the intraspherulitic region of γ-phase PVDF shows a positive correlation with content of PEA, but a negative one with the crystallization temperature of γ-phase PVDF.     

THE EFFECT OF CLAY DISPERSION ON THE CRYSTALLIZATION AND MORPHOLOGY OF POLYPROPYLENE／CLAY COMPOSITES

PP/clay composites with different dispersions, namely, exfoliated dispersion, intercalated dispersion and agglomerates and particle-like dispersion, were prepared by direct melt intercalation or compounding. The effect of clay dispersion on the crystallization and morphology of PP was investigated via PLM, SAXS and DSC. Experimental results show that exfoliated clay layers are much more efficient than intercalated clay and agglomerates of clay in serving as nucleation agent due to the nano-scale dispersion of clay, resulting in a dramatic decrease in crystal size (lamellar thickness and spherulites) and an increase of crystallization temperature and crystallization rate. On the other hand, a decrease of melting temperature and crystallinity was also observed in PP/clay composites with exfoliated dispersion, due to the strong interaction between PP and clay. Compared with exfoliated clay layers, the intercalated clay layers have a less important effect on the crystallization and crystal morphology. No effect is seen for samples with agglomerates and particle-like dispersion, in regard to melting temperature, crystallization temperature, crystal thickness and crystallinity.     

Crystallization kinetics and morphology of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/poly(ethylene adipate) blends

The miscibility, isothermal crystallization kinetics and morphology of the poly(vinylidene fluoride)(PVDF)/poly(ethylene adipate)(PEA) blends have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry(DSC), optical microscopy(OM) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). A depression of the equilibrium melting point of PVDF was observed. From the melting point data of PVDF, a negative but quite small value of the interaction parameter ?PVDF-PEA is derived using the Flory-Huggins equation, implying that PVDF shows miscibility with PEA to some extent. Nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization kinetics suggest that the crystallization rate of PVDF decreases with increasing the amount of PEA, and a contrary trend was found when PEA crystallizes with the increase of the amount of PVDF. It was further disclosed that the blend ratio and crystallization temperature affect the texture of PVDF spherulites greatly, which determines the subsequent crystallization of PEA. At high temperatures, e.g. 150 ℃, the band spacing of PVDF spherulites increases with the addition of PEA content and the spherulitic structure becomes more open. In this case, spherulitic crystallization of PEA is not observed for all blend compositions. At low temperatures, e.g. 130 ℃, for the PEA-rich blends, the interpenetrated structures are eventually formed by the penetration of the spherulites of PEA growing within the pre-existing PVDF spherulites.     

MULTIPLE MELTING BEHAVIOR OF β-CRYSTALLINE PHASE POLYPROPYLENE

Differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction experiments on β-nucleated polypropylene were made on the samples crystallized at different temperatures and processed by injection molding. The crystal perfection was shown to vary with crystallization temperature. The observed multiple peaks could be related to a ill-phase with defective inclination of the chains, a recrystallized or original β_2-phase of more perfect inclination, and the α-phase. Injection molded samples could be analyzed from the established DSC interpretation.     

TRANSITION IN THE MELT OF FEP COPOLYMER

The nature of the transition in molten FEP copolymer was examined in relation to the enthalpy change, mechanical damping and melt viscosity. For a pre-heat-treated FEP copolymer sample a small endothermic peak appeared at 309—312 ℃in DSC trace with enthalpy change 0.03—0.05 cal/g. A peak was also detected in damping versus temperature curve at the same temperature range. The theological property of FEP copolymer melt was similar to that of liquid crystal, but no birefrigence was viewed in the melt. Therefore the transition was explained as the melting of small crystallites which persist in typical copolymer beyond its melting temperature. These crystallites can act as nuclei for crystallization upon cooling.     

Nonisothermal crystallization and morphology of poly(butylene succinate)/layered double hydroxide nanocomposites

Biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanocomposites were prepared via melt blending in a twin-screw extruder. The morphology and dispersion of LDH nanoparticles within PBS matrix were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which showed that LDH nanoparticles were found to be well distributed at the nanometer level. The nonisothermal crystallization behavior of nanocomposites was extensively studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique at various cooling rates. The crystallization rate of PBS was accelerated by the addition of LDH due to its heterogeneous nucleation effect; however, the crystallization mechanism and crystal structure of PBS remained almost unchanged. In kinetics analysis of nonisothermal crystallization, the Ozawa approach failed to describe the crystallization behavior of PBS/LDH nanocomposites, whereas both the modified Avrami model and the Mo method well represented the crystallization behavior of nanocomposites. The effective activation energy was estimated as a function of the relative degree of crystallinity using the isoconversional analysis. The subsequent melting behavior of PBS and PBS/LDH nanocomposites was observed to be dependent on the cooling rate. The POM showed that the small and less perfect crystals were formed in nanocomposites.     

EFFECT OF N,N,N’,N’-TETRAALKYL TEREPHTHALAMIDE ON NON-ISOTHERMAL CRYSTALLIZATION KINETICS OF POLYPROPYLENE

The effect of N,N,N＇,N＇-tetraalkyl terephthalamide （TATA） on the non-isothermal crystallization and melting characteristics ofpolypropylene （PP） was studied. The addition of TATA can lead to the formation ofβ-crystal PP. With the increase in TATA concentration the degree of crystallinity for β-crystal PP increased significantly, and that for a-crystal PP decreased, which indicated that TATA effectively induced the formation of β-crystal PP. WAXD also revealed the existence of β-crystal PP after the introduction of TATA into PP. PP containing TATA crystallized at a temperature range of 5-10℃ higher than that of pure PP, and the half-crystallization time （t1/2） and Avrami exponent （n） of PP at the same cooling rate were decreased by the addition of TATA, indicating that TATA influenced the crystallization rate and crystallization growth mode of PP. The rate constant of crystallization of PP containing TATA （Zc） was larger than that of pure PP, which further indicated that the crystallization of PP was accelerated by the addition of TATA.     

Isothermal Crystallization Kinetics and Crystalline Morphologies of Poly(butylene adipate-<Emphasis Type="Italic">co</Emphasis>-butylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) Copolymers

In this study,the isothermal crystallization kinetics and crystalline morphology of poly(butylene adipate-co-butylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) (PBAC),which refers to a copolyester containing a non-planar ring structure,were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and polarized optical microscopy,and compared with those of neat poly(butylene 1,4-cyclohexanedicarboxylate) (PBC).The results indicate that the introduction ofbutylene adipate (BA) unit into PBAC did not change the intrinsical crystallization mechanism.But,the crystallization rate and ability,and equilibrium melting temperature of PBAC copolymers were reduced.All PBC and PBAC copolymers could only form high density of nucleation from melt at given supercooling,while no Maltese cross or ring-banded spherulites could be observed.PBAC copolymers with a high amount of BA unit became amorphous after quenching with liquid nitrogen from melt,while PBC and PBAC copolymers with a low amount of BA unit could still form a large amount of nuclei under the same treatment.     

ANALYSIS OF BRANCHING DISTRIBUTION IN POLYETHYLENES BY DIFFERENTIAL SCANNING CALORIMETRY

Short chain branching has been characterized using thermal fractionation, a stepwise isothermal crystallizationtechnique, followed by a melting analysis scan using differential scanning calorimetry. Short chain branching distributionwas also characterized by a continuous slow cooling crystallization, followed by a melting analysis scan. Four differentpolyethylenes were studied: Ziegler-Natta gas phase, Ziegler-Natta solution, metallocene, constrained-geometry single sitecatalyzed polyethylenes. The branching distribution was calculated from a calibration of branch content with meltingtemperature. The lamellar thickness was calculated based on the thermodynamic melting temperature of each polyethyleneand the surface free energy of the crystal face. The branching distribution and lamellar thickness distribution were used tocalculate weight average branch content, mean lamellar thickness, and a branch dispersity index. The results for the branchcontent were in good agreement with the known comonomer content of the polyethylenes. A limitation was that high branchcontent polyethylenes did not reach their potential crystallization at ambient temperatures. Cooling to sub-ambient wasnecessary to equilibrate the crystallization, but melting temperature versus branch content was not applicable after cooling tobelow ambient because the calibration data were not performed in this way.     

Enhanced <Emphasis Type="Italic">αγ</Emphasis>′ Transition of Poly(vinylidene fluoride) by Step Crystallization and Subsequent Annealing

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) exhibits pronounced polymorphs.Its γ phase is attractive due to the electroactive properties.The γ-PVDF is however difficult to obtain under normal crystallization condition.In a previous work,we reported a simple melt-recrystallization approach for producing y-phase rich PVDF thin films through selective melting and subsequent recrystallization.We reported here another approach for promoting the αγ'phase transition to prepare γ-phase rich PVDF thin films.To this end,a stepwise crystallization and subsequent annealing process was used.The idea is based on a quick generation of a large amount of α-PVDF crystals with some of their γ-PVDF counterparts at suitable crystallization temperature and then annealing at a temperature above the crystallization temperature for enhancing the molecular chain mobility to overcome the energy barrier of phase transition.It was found that crystallizing the PVDF melt first at 152 ℃ for4 h,then quenching to room temperature and finally annealing the sample at 160 ℃ for 100 h was the most efficient to produce γ-PVDF rich films.This is related to the melting and recrystallization of the α-PVDF crystals produced during quenching in the annealing process at 160 ℃,which favors the formation of γ-PVDF crystals for triggering the αγ'phase transition.     

Structures and growth mechanisms of poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) crystallized from solution and thin melt film

The spherulitic structures and morphologies of poly-(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) crystallized from a so- lution and a thin melt film were investigated in this study. The formation mechanisms of banded spherulites under different crystallization conditions are proposed. It was found that the formation of banded spherulites was caused by the rhythmic crystal growth of the spherulites and lamellar twisting growth for the polymer crystallization from a thin melt film and a solution, respectively.     

CRYSTALLIZATION AND MULTI-MELTING BEHAVIOR OF POLY (ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) MODIFIED BY SODIUM SALT OF 5-SULPHO-ISOPHTHALIC ACID

The crystallization kinetics of the copolyester, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) modified by sodium salt of 5-sulpho-isophthalic acid(SIPM), was investigated by means of differential scanning calorimeter. The experimental results and polari-microscopy observation all showed that the introduction of SIPM did not affect the nucleation of crystallization. Within the temperature range between their glass transition temperature T_θand melting point T_m, the crystallization rate of the copolyester sample decreased with increasing content of SIPM. The relative crystallization rate constant Z of SIPM/DMT (dimethyl terephthalate) 4mol % sample was about 1% pure PET's Z value. For isothermal crystallized copolyester samples, DSC heating curves displayed multi-melting behavior. This was interpreted by molecular weight fractionation during crystallization and premelting-recrystallization mechanism. This interpretation showed why the second melting point T_(m2) will change according to Hoffman-Weeks(H-W) equation and the first melting point T_(m1) will increase with increasing SIPM. The principal cause of these phenomena is the high temperature crystallization rate decreases rapidly with increasing SIPM.