CO2-induced Crystallization of Isotactic Polypropylene by Annealing Near Its Melting Temperature

CO₂-induced crystallization of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) by annealing had been studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The iPP before annealed was in α-form and amorphous states. At lower temperatures by CO₂ isothermal treatments, iPP chains crystallized from the amorphous phase and only one crystal form, i.e., α-form, was observed. At higher temperatures by CO₂ isothermal treatments, both crystallization from the amorphous phase and thickening of existing crystal lamellae were observed. Moreover, light γ-form crystal appeared in the treated iPP. The crystalline lamellar thickness of iPP annealed at different CO₂ pressures had been determined. Using the Gibbs–Thomson plot method, the equilibrium melting temperature was found to be 187.6°C.     

Correlation Between Solidification Behavior and Melt Crystallization Kinetics of Isotactic Polypropylene (iPP) during Injection Molding

The relationship between solidification behavior and crystallization kinetics, during the injection molding process of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was investigated. It was found that the crystallization rate was in proportion to the cooling rate. The existence of a turning point (TP) in the dimensionless temperature (θ) vs. ln t curve, which is potentially applicable for the estimation of cooling time, was experimentally verified for iPP. The present study is expected to be useful for the optimization of the processing conditions during injection molding of crystalline polymers, and also supplies a good insight into further study of the “processing-structure-property” relationship of polymeric materials.     

Isothermal Crystallization and Miscibility of Isotactic Polypropylene/Poly(cis-butadiene) Rubber Blends

Isotactic polypropylene/poly(cis-butadiene) rubber (iPP/PcBR) blends were prepared by melt mixing. Isothermal crystallization and miscibility for neat iPP and blends of iPP/PcBR were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry. The presence of PcBR remarkably affected isothermal crystalline behaviors of iPP. An addition of PcBR caused shorter crystallization time and a faster overall crystallization rate, meaning a heterogeneous nucleation effect of PcBR upon crystallization of iPP. For the same sample, the crystallization peak was broader and the supercooling decreased as the crystallization temperature increased. The Avrami equation was suitable to describe the primary isothermal crystallization process of iPP and blends. The addition of PcBR led to an increase of values of the Avrami exponent n, which we suggest was because the blends had a stronger trend of instantaneous three-dimensional growth than neat iPP. The equilibrium melting point depression of the blends was observed, indicating that the blends were partly miscible in the melt.     

Confined Crystallization in Polymer Blends: DSC Studies of the Behavior and Kinetics of Isothermal Crystallization of Polypropylene in Poly(cis-butadiene) Rubber Blends

Thermal properties of polypropylene with poly(cis-butadiene) rubber (iPP/PcBR) blends have been measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and the melting point T_m, crystallization temperature T_c, enthalpy Δ H (melting enthalpies and crystalline enthalpies), and equilibrium melting point T⁰ _m have been measured and calculated. The variation of T_m, T_c, Δ H and T⁰ _m with composition in the blends was discussed, showing that an interaction between phases is present in iPP/PcBR blends. The degree of supercooling characterizing the interaction between two phases in the blends and the crystallizability of the blends which bears a relationship to the composition of the blends was discussed. The kinetics of isothermal crystallization of the crystalline phase in iPP/PcBR blends was studied in terms of the Avrami equation, and the Avrami exponent n and velocity constant K were obtained. The Avrami exponent n is between 3 and 2, meaning that iPP has a thermal nucleation with two dimensional growths. The variation of the Avrami exponent n, velocity constant K, and crystallization rate G bear a relation to the composition of the blends, n increases with increasing content ofPcBR. K also increased with increasing content of PcBR. All of the K for the blends are greater than for pure iPP. The crystallization rate G (t_1/2) depends on the compositions in the blends; all G of the blends are greater than for iPP.     

高温高压下冲击波淬火的锆基大块金属玻璃的相演化过程研究

 采用同步辐射能散X射线衍射技术,研究了高温高压下利用冲击波淬火技术制备的Zr₄₁Ti₁₄Cu_12.5Ni₁₀Be_22.5大块金属玻璃的相演化过程。研究结果发现：在实验压力范围内,在不同压力下试样具有相同的初始析出相Zr₂Be₁₇,但是随后的相演化过程是不同的,根据应用压力的不同,试样的相演化过程可以分为3个不同的区域;另外,试样的晶化温度随着压力的增大而升高,但是在6.0 GPa存在一个突然的下降,在此压力点试样具有不同于其它压力点的相演化过程。相演化过程的不同和晶化温度的突然下降,可能归因于在不同压力下试样具有不同的原子构型。