Melt-crystallization behavior and isothermal crystallization kinetics of crystalline/crystalline blends of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(trimethylene terephthalate)

The melt-crystallization and isothermal melt-crystallization kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(trimethylene terephthalate) blends (PET/PTT) were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and polarized optical microscopy. Although PET and PTT in the binary blends are miscible at amorphous state, they will crystallize individually when cooled from the melt. In the DSC measurements, PET component with higher supercooling degree will crystallize first, and then the crystallite of PET will be the nucleating agent for PTT, which induce the crystallization of PTT at higher temperature. On the other hand, in both blends of PET80/PTT20 and PET60/PTT40, the PET component will crystallize at higher temperature with faster crystallization rate due to the dilute effect of PTT. So the commingled minor addition of one component to another helps to improve the crystallization of the blends. For blends of PET20/PTT80 and PET40/PTT60, isothermal crystallization kinetics evaluated in terms of the Avrami equation suggest different crystallization mechanisms occurred. The more PET content in blends, the fast crystallization rate is. The Avrami exponent, n = 3, suggests a three-dimensional growth of the crystals in both blends, which is further demonstrated by the spherulites formed in all blends. The crystalline blends show multiple-melting peaks during heating process.     

Morphology of cold-crystallized polyamide 6

The structure of cold-crystallized polyamide 6 (PA 6) has been analyzed by wide-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy, and polarizing optical microscopy. It has been found that ordering of initially fully amorphous and glassy PA 6 on slow heating to temperatures higher than the glass transition temperature results in formation of spatially non-organized short lamellae/nodules with a size depending on the maximum annealing temperature. In contrast, melt crystallization at low supercooling is connected with formation of spherulites and laterally extended lamellae. The observed experimental results demonstrate that crystals of qualitatively different morphology and higher-order organization can be generated by variation of the pathway of crystallization. It is assumed that the different structures obtained in melt- and cold-crystallized samples are related to heterogeneous and homogeneous nucleation, respectively.     

聚乳酸的非等温结晶行为

用差示扫描量热法(DSC)研究聚乳酸(PLA)从熔体及玻璃态为初始条件下的非等温结晶行为,采用Ozawa方程、Mo法、Khanna法和Kissinger法对结晶动力学参数进行计算处理。 实验结果表明,这几种方法均适合处理PLA的非等温结晶过程,而Khanna法提出的结晶速率系数(CRC)能够方便地评价PLA相对结晶速率的大小。 PLA从玻璃态升温结晶比从熔体降温结晶容易得多,升温过程有利于晶核生成,而降温有利于晶体生长。 升温结晶时,升温速率2.0 ℃/min时,结晶焓(ΔH_c)达到最大为27.1 J/g。 从熔体等速降温过程中,随着冷却速率的降低ΔH_c单调增加,冷却速率为0.25 ℃/min时ΔH_c增加到28.3 J/g。 在较低温度下从玻璃态结晶,主要表现为异相成核的二维生长方式。 在较高的温度下从玻璃态升温结晶及从熔体冷却结晶时,以均相成核的三维生长方式结晶为主。 与升温过程相比,冷却不利于晶核的生成,所以导致冷却过程总体ΔH_c偏低,扩散活化能偏大。     

Visualization of structural rearrangements during annealing of solvent-crazed poly(ethylene terephthalate)

A direct microscopic procedure is used for studying structural rearrangements during the annealing of PET samples after solvent crazing. Even at room temperature, solvent-crazed PET samples experience shrinkage which is provided by processes taking place in crazes. This shrinkage is observed at temperatures up to the glass transition temperature of PET and proceeds via drawing together of crack walls. Once the glass transition temperature is attained during annealing, the spontaneous self-elongation of the polymer sample occurs. The mechanism of this phenomenon is proposed. The low-temperature shrinkage of the polymer sample is related to the entropy contraction of highly dispersed material in crazes that has a lower glass transition temperature than that of the bulk polymer. This shrinkage cannot be complete, owing to crystallization of the oriented polymer in the volume of the crazes. As a result of crystallization, the oriented and crystallized polymer in the crazes coexists with the regions of the unoriented initial PET. As the annealing temperature approaches the glass transition temperature of the bulk PET, its strain-induced crystallization takes place. As a result, the regions of the unoriented polymer between crazes are elongated along the direction of tensile drawing and the sample experiences contraction in the normal direction.     

Morphology development and crystallization behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(trimethylene terephthalate) blends

The spherulite morphology and crystallization behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) blends were investigated with optical microscopy (OM), small-angle light scattering (SALS), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The thermal analysis showed that PET and PTT were miscible in the melt over the entire composition range. The rejected distance of non-crystallizable species, which was represented in terms of the parameter δ, played an important role in determining the morphological patterns of the blends at a specific crystallization temperature regime. The parameter δ could be controlled by variation of the composition, the crystallization temperature, and the level of transesterification. In the case of two-step crystallization, the crystallization of PTT commenced in the interspherulitic region between the grown PET crystals and proceeded until the interspherulitic space was filled with PTT crystals. The spherulitic surface of the PET crystals acted as nucleation sites where PTT preferentially crystallized, leading to the formation of non-spherulitic crystalline texture. The SALS results suggested that the growth pattern of the PET crystals was significantly changed by the presence of the PTT molecules. The lamellar morphology parameters were evaluated by a one-dimensional correlation function analysis. The blends that crystallized above the melting point of PTT showed a larger amorphous layer thickness than the pure PET, indicating that the non-crystallizable PTT component might be incorporated into the interlamellar region of the PET crystals. With an increased level of transesterification, the exclusion of non-crystallizable species from the lamellar stacks was favorable due to the lower crystal growth rates. As a result, the amorphous layer thickness of the PET crystals decreased as the annealing time in the melt state was increased.     

Two crystal populations with different melting/reorganization kinetics of isothermally crystallized polyamide 6

Differential scanning calorimetry and fast scanning chip calorimetry heating experiments were carried out in a wide range of rates of temperature change from 0.2 to 60,000 K s^?1 for isothermally crystallized polyamide 6. Multiple melting peaks were observed. With increasing heating rate, the highest‐temperature endotherm shifts toward lower temperatures and finally disappears due to suppression of the reorganization. The critical heating rate to suppress reorganization was 15–50 times higher than the critical cooling rate to cause complete vitrification. On heating at rates higher than the critical heating rate to suppress reorganization, there were observed two melting processes of different kinetics. Four possible assignments were considered regarding the two crystal populations. These are (i) crystals grown during primary and secondary crystallization, (ii) crystals grown in the bulk and nucleated at the surface/substrate, (iii) crystals, which are subjected to different local stress originating from heterogeneities in interlamellar regions, and (iv) the crystal/mesophase polymorphism. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2016 , 54, 2126–2138     

The triple melting behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate): Molecular weight effects

The melting behavior of isothermally crystallized PET has been studied using linear heating in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). Variables such as crystallization temperature, crystallization time, heating rate, and average molecular weight are the main focus of the study. On the basis of several experimental techniques, a correlation of the melting behavior of PET with the amount of secondary crystallization was found to exist. It was observed that the triple melting of PET is a function of programmable DSC variables such as crystallization temperature, crystallization time, and heating rate. However, in testing the hypothesis that there was a correlation between melting endotherms and secondary crystallization inside spherulites, it was found necessary to use a DSC-independent variable in order to enhance the observed effects. Therefore, on the basis of a crystallization model that involves secondary branching along the edges of parent lamellar structures, it was speculated that an increase in the average molecular weight could affect the triple melting of PET due to an increase of rejected portions of the macromolecules. It was found that the second melting endotherm increased, apparently, at the expense of the third one as the average molecular weight was increased. The second melting endotherm was also found to correlate proportionally with the amount of secondary crystallization inside spherulites. The results support a model of crystallization which basically consists of parent crystals and at least one population of secondary, probably metastable, crystals. This latter structural component must involve excluded portions of the macromolecules that did not crystallize during the isothermal crystallization period of the parent crystals. An increase of molecular weight gives rise to a higher entanglement density which in turn increases the fraction of initially rejected chain sections and therefore the amount of secondary crystallization. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 35: 1757–1774, 1997     

不同结晶度的乙二醇及其水溶液玻璃化转变与焓松弛

为了考察晶体成分对无定形成分玻璃化转变和结构松弛行为的影响,利用差示扫描量热法(DSC),结合低温显微技术,研究了乙二醇(EG)及其50％水溶液在不同结晶度时的玻璃化转变和焓松弛行为.采用等温结晶方法控制骤冷的部分结晶玻璃体中的晶体份额.DSC结果表明,对于部分结晶的EG,只有单一的玻璃化转变过程,而对于50％EG,当结晶度不同时,不同程度地表现出两次玻璃化转变（无定形相Ⅰ和无定形相Ⅱ）.相Ⅰ的玻璃化转变温度和完全无定形态的含水EG的玻璃化转变温度相一致;相Ⅱ的玻璃化转变温度要比此温度约高6 ℃.低温显微观察结果印证了DSC实验结果.DSC等温退火的实验和KWW(Kohlrausch-Williams-Watts)衰变函数分析结果表明,EG无定形和50％EG中的两种无定形有不同的焓松弛行为.     

Plasticization and Crystallization of Poly(ethylene Terephthalate) Induced by Water

Commercial poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) was treated at R. H.>80% and room temperature for a set time. The glass transition temperature (Tg) decreases with the time of exposure to high humidity. The decrease in Tg is a result of plasticization. Our data indicate that the Tg of dry PET of 76-78°C may decrease to as low a temperature as 65-67°C when it is wet. Induced crystallization of PET in the presence of water reduces the cold crystallization temperature (Tc). The structure of water-induced crystals is imperfect and can be improved in perfection by annealing. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Shape change of calcite single crystals to accommodate interfacial curvature: Crystallization in presence of Mg2+ ions and agarose gel-networks

Synthetic calcite single crystals,due to their strong crystal habit,tend to grow into characteristic rhombohedra.In the nature,biogenic calcite crystals form composites together with biomacromolecular materials,spurring investigations of how the growing calcite single crystals change their habit to satisfy the curvature of the organic phase.In this work,we examine calcite crystallization on a flat surface of glass slide and a curved surface of polystyrene(PS)sphere.The crystals exhibit tiny contact area onto the glass substrate that is averagely only 15% of their projected area on the substrate.In sharp contrast,the contact area greatly increase to above 75% of the projected area,once magnesium ions or agarose gel networks are introduced into the crystallization media.Furthermore,the calcite crystals form rough and step-like interfaces with a curved surface.However,the interfaces become smooth and curved as the crystals grow in presence of magnesium ions or agarose gel networks.The discrepancy between the interfacial structures implies kinetic effects of the additives on the crystallization around the surfaces. This work may provide implications for understanding the formation mechanisms of single-crystal composite materials.     

Study of the crystallization of leucite in feldspar glass matrix

Feldspathic glass–ceramics reinforced with leucite are usually used in dental prosthesis. This study focused on leucite crystallization kinetics due to its importance to the end product of a dental crown processing. Leucite grains were nucleated and grown from feldspathic glass frit powders with particle size smaller than 45 μm. The nucleation and crystallization kinetics of leucite crystals in the glass matrix was investigated under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions through differential thermal analysis. The samples were also characterized by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The temperature of maximum nucleation rate was determined from the DTA curves of samples heat treated at different temperatures. The activation energy (E) of leucite crystallization was determined by the Kissinger method and the Avrami parameter (n) indicated that surface crystallization is the dominant mechanism in the glass.     

Thermal stability and crystallization kinetics of Se–Te–Sn alloys using differential scanning calorimetry

The present article deals with the differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) study of Se?CTe glasses containing Sn. DSC runs are taken at four different heating rates (10, 15, 20 and 25?K?min^?1). The crystallization data are examined in terms of modified Kissinger, Matusita equations, Mahadevan method and Augis and Bennett approximation for the non-isothermal crystallization. The activation energy for crystallization (E _c) is evaluated from the data obtained at different heating rates. Activation energy of glass transition is calculated by Kissinger??s relation and Moynihan theory. The glass forming tendency is also calculated for each composition. The glass transition temperature and peak crystallization temperature increases with the increase in Sn % as well as with the heating rate.     

Recent developments in thermal analysis of polymers: Calorimetry in the limit of slow and fast heating rates

This review focuses on new insights into the crystal melting transition and the amorphous glass transition of polymers that have been gained through recent advances in thermoanalytical methods. The specific heat capacity can now be studied under two extreme limits, that is, under quasi‐isothermal conditions (limit of zero heating rate) and, at the other end of the scale, under rapid heating conditions (heating rates on the order of thousands of degrees per second), made possible through nanocalorimetry. The reversible melting, and multiple reversible melting, of semicrystalline polymers is explored using quasi‐isothermal temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry, TMDSC. The excess reversing heat capacity, above the baseline, measured under nearly isothermal conditions is attributed to locally reversible surface melting and crystallization processes that do not require molecular nucleation. Observations of double reversible melting endotherms in isotactic polystyrene suggest existence of two distinct populations of crystals, each showing locally reversible surface melting. The second subject of the review, nanocalorimetry, is utilized to study samples of small mass under conditions of very fast heating and cooling. The glass transition properties of thin amorphous polymer films are observed under adiabatic conditions. The glass transition temperature appears to be independent of film thickness, and is observed even in ultra‐thin films. Recrystallization and reorganization during rapid heating are studied by nanocalorimetry of semicrystalline polymers. The uppermost endotherm seen under normal DSC scanning of poly(ethylene terephthalate) is caused by reorganization, and vanishes under the rapid heating conditions (3000K/s) provided by nanocalorimetry. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 629–636, 2005     

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES OF POLYMER SURFACE RELAXATION FROM THE BULK?

The polymer surface relaxation in thin films has been a long debating issue.We report a new method on studying surface relaxation behaviors of polymer thin films on a solid substrate.This method involved utilizing a rubbed polyimide surface with a pretilting angle in a liquid crystalline cell.Due to the surface alignment,the liquid crystals were aligned along the rubbing direction.During heating the liquid crystalline cell,we continuously monitored the change of orientation of the liquid crystals.It is u...     

分子链大尺度取向对非晶态聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯结晶行为的影响

用ＤＳＣ和溶剂诱导结晶（ＳＩＮＣ）的方法对比研究了（ＧＯＬＲ）态和未取向聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯（ＰＥＴ）纤维样品的结晶行为．实验结果表明，样品的大尺度取向可有效地降低样品的冷结晶温度（Ｔｃｃ），证明大尺度取向对样品的结晶行为可起到促进作用．     

快速扫描量热法研究聚对苯二甲酸-1,4-环己烷二甲醇酯的结晶和熔融行为

采用快速扫描量热法(FSC)结合传统的差示扫描量热仪(DSC)考察了聚对苯二甲酸-1,4-环己烷二甲醇酯(PCT)聚酯在接近玻璃化转变(T_g)和熔融温度(T_m)范围(100~270 ℃)的结晶和熔融行为。 较大过冷度时PCT聚酯结晶较快,FSC有效地抑制降温过程结晶的发生,而较低过冷度下传统DSC可以避免样品降解对实验结果的影响,二者的结合能很好地对PCT聚酯结晶动力学进行测量,实验结果表明在175 ℃时结晶速率最快。 并且利用Flash DSC对等温结晶温度下形成的片晶熔点进行加热速率的相关测量,在熔融动力学建模的基础上进行校准,以确定零加热速率下片晶的熔点。 Hoffman-Weeks方程中T_m与结晶温度(T_c)的线性关系与T_c=T_m的交点给出了PCT晶体的平衡熔融温度$T_m^o$为315 ℃。     

变温红外法研究聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯分子链的松弛运动及其构象转变

在30～170 ℃范围内逐渐升温过程中,用红外光谱仪原位检测无定形聚对苯二甲酸乙二酯（PET）薄膜红外光谱图的变化情况。通过特征谱带吸光度与温度的变化特点,研究了PET分子链在热变化过程中的松弛运动及冷结晶过程中分子链的构象变化。实验结果表明在冷结晶过程中,随PET结晶的不断完善,对应左右式(gauche)构象的吸收峰减弱,对应反式(trans)构象的吸收峰增强,并计算出CH2面外摇摆振动结晶前和结晶后反式构象和左右式构象的相对百分含量随温度的变化关系,以及玻璃化转变和冷结晶的温区范围。     

Rigid amorphous fraction and melting behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

The multiple melting behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is generally attributed to the fusion of original crystals recrystallized during the heating at conventional scanning rate. In the present study, the triple and double melting behavior that is observed after isothermal crystallization at T _c lower and higher than 215 °C, respectively, is put in relation with the presence and absence of rigid amorphous fraction around the original primary crystal lamellae. The complex melting behavior is explained by assuming that two different morphologies of primary crystals develop during crystallization at temperatures lower than 215 °C, in a proportion that is a function of the crystallization temperature: chain cluster aggregations with a high percentage of rigid amorphous fraction on the boundaries and small crystals with a high percentage of adjacent reentry folding and reduced constraints at the amorphous/crystal interphase. These distinct morphologies differently transform upon heating at low scanning rate, originating two endotherms. On the contrary, after crystallization at T _c ?>?215 °C, all the primary crystalline structure, which probably are characterized by the same morphology made of tightly chain folded lamellae and absence of rigid amorphous fraction, undergo the same reorganization route, originating a single endotherm.     

Thermal analysis of mechanochemically activated glass

Thermal analysis (TG, DTG, DTA, DSC) has been used to study the influence of mechanochemical activation of glass making batch on its melting and obtained glass crystallization. It revealed, that long time (12 h) mechanical treatment accelerates the glass batch melting and also improving network homogeneity influence the internal structure of the obtained glass. Refinement of the glass, at the beginning reduces temperature and increases degree of crystallization as a result of nucleating action of the increasing surface area of grains. However long time activation lowers the crystallization ability of glass and increases crystallization temperature. This is attributed to the deformation of the structure surface layer and surface energy increase, hampering the crystals nuclei formation.