Random Re-entry Theory of Polymer Melt Crystallization

Consideration of crystallization kinetics in high molecular weight polymers shows that adjacent re-entry is unlikely in melt crystallization and that sections of individual chains will crystallize concurrently at several sites. Surface nucleation controlled growth models can be set up which do not require adjacent re-entry but are in agreement with observations on growth rates and crystal thicknesses. The predominant process in crystallization with random re-entry is the incorporation into the crystal of a loop of chain which has both ends attached to the crystal surface. This leads to predictions of the crystallinity of quenched, spherulitic polymers. Radii of gyration of chains in the crystalline state can be calculated and are in agreement with neutron scattering results.     

NMR Approach to the kinetics of polymer crystallization. II. Polydimethylsiloxane solutions

The dilution effect on the crystallization kinetics of PDMS/toluene solutions, ranging from a polymer volume fraction of ? = 1.00 (pure PDMS) to ? = 0.32, was studied using ¹H high-power NMR. Spin-spin magnetic response was analyzed into relaxation components, arising from the different phases of the semicrystalline sample, through a spin-echo technique. The intensity and shape of the amorphous component provide relevant information concerning (1) the global crystallization process and (2) the state of hindrance of the amorphous chains induced by the growing crystalline domains. It was shown that, in solutions, the main effect on the crystallization kinetics of changing concentration is to depress the equilibrium melting temperature of the system. However, a radically distinct crystallization rate between the pure and the more concentrated system must be explained in terms of the activation energy for interphase chain transport. Thermodynamic parameters of PDMS crystallites were also deduced from a model. Comparison between the isothermal development of the overall crystallinity and the variation of a characteristic relaxation time of the amorphous PDMS proton response gives an insight into the relative predominance of nucleation or growth rates in the crystallization mechanisms.     

Crystal growth rate in ultrathin films of poly(ethylene oxide)

Many dynamical properties of polymers, including segmental relaxation and chain diffusion, exhibit anomalies in thin‐film samples. We extend the studies of thin‐film dynamics to the case of semicrystalline polymers and present a study of the crystal growth rate for thin films of poly(ethylene oxide). We used optical microscopy and quartz crystal microbalance techniques to characterize the kinetics of crystallization for films with thicknesses from 40 to 1000 nm for a range of temperatures near the melting point. A remarkable slowing down of the crystal growth is observed at all temperatures studied for films with a thickness of less than ～100 nm. The results can be used to suggest reductions of the mobility of chains at the crystal/amorphous interface. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2615–2621, 2001     

Time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering study of polyethylene crystallization from solution

With time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (TR-SANS), the crystallization kinetics of polyethylene from deuterated o-xylene solutions upon a temperature jump have been investigated. On the basis of a morphological model of coexisting lamellar stacks and coil chains in solution, experimental data have been quantitatively analyzed to provide structural information, such as the lamellar long period, the lamellar crystal thickness, the thickness of the amorphous layers between lamellae, the degree of crystallinity, and the crystal growth rate at various degrees of undercooling. The viability of TR-SANS for studying polymer crystallization is demonstrated through the consistency of these measurements and well-established knowledge of polyethylene crystallization from xylene solutions. One unique feature of this experimentation is that both the growth of lamellar crystals and the condensation of coil chains from solution are monitored simultaneously. The ratio of the crystal growth to the chain consumption rate decreases rapidly with a decreasing degree of undercooling. The Avrami analysis suggests that the growth mechanism approaches two-dimensional behavior at higher temperatures, and this is consistent with the observation of an increasing ratio of the sharp-surface area to the bulk crystal growth rate with temperature. The limitations, possible remedies, and potentials of TR-SANS for studying polymer crystallization are discussed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3133–3147, 2004     

聚苯乙烯-b-聚右旋乳酸二嵌段共聚物的热性能和结晶行为研究

合成了系列聚右旋乳酸(PDLA)嵌段重量分率(fw=0～0.61)的窄分子量分布聚苯乙烯-b-聚右旋乳酸二嵌段共聚物(PS-b-PDLA).运用温度调制示差扫描热分析仪(TMDSC)和热台偏振光显微镜(POM)等研究手段,对制备所得的结晶性二嵌段共聚物的热性能、结晶速率与结晶形貌等进行了研究.研究结果表明,与聚右旋乳酸均聚物相比,随着PS-b-PDLA中结晶性PDLA嵌段重量分率fw减少,无定形聚苯乙烯嵌段(PS)对PDLA嵌段链段的结晶抑制作用增强,PS-b-PDLA的热结晶性能与结晶形貌发生显著变化;相对于PDLA均聚物,PS-b-PDLA的冷结晶温度(Tcc)和结晶平衡熔点(Tm0)分别下降14℃和38℃,球晶生长速率明显降低.在无定形PS嵌段链段的玻璃化温度(Tg)附近,二嵌段PS-b-PDLA的结晶行为出现拐点,揭示PS嵌段由于相分离所形成纳米微相空间对PS-b-PDLA中PDLA链段的结晶产生影响,并且该影响作用程度与PDLA嵌段的重量分率fw和结晶温度(Tc)相关。     

Limited Fraction of Crystallized Side Chains in Bottlebrush Poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s

Crystallinity of bottlebrush polymers due to side chain crystallization has been considered to be related to the length of the side chains only under the assumption of complete participation of crystallization by all side chains.Recent experimental results revealed that in poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s a fraction of side chains could not crystallize due to constraints imposed by the trapped main chain entanglements and required expansion of main chain-main chain distance.This result renders the original simplified consideration of the origin of crystallinity in bottlebrush polymers questionable.In this work,we introduce a new parameter fc,the fraction of crystallizable side chains,to better describe the crystallinity of bottlebrush polymers.A linear relationship between the melting enthalpy and the number of alkyl groups in side chains for bottlebrush polymers reported repeatedly indicates that fc remains essentially unchanged when bottlebrush polymers had the same main chain structure and grafting degree but different side chain lengths.The slope of the above-mentioned linear relationship is thus AHCH2×fc,where AHCH2 stands for the melting enthalpy of one mole alkyl group packed into the crystal.With a known value of fc,it is possible to estimate the value of AHCH2.In case of poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s,we estimated AHCH2 of hexagonal crystal being at most 5.74 kJ/mol with the knowledge of possibly smallest fc of 0.67 obtained from small angle X-ray scattering data.Therefore,the crystallinity of bottlebrush polymer would be calculated based on the equation Xc = fc×Nc/N with N and Nc being the number of alkyl groups in a side chain and those packed in the crystalline structure,respectively.Both chemical structure and grafting degree of bottlebrush polymers affect fc.     

One dimensional main-chain crystallization kinetics of poly(3-octylthiophenes) investigated by infrared spectroscopy

Time-resolved infrared spectroscopy has been used to study the melt crystallization behavior of poly(3-octylthiophenes) (P3OT), which is a typical conductive polymer among the family of poly(3-alkylthiophenes) (P3ATs). It is found that, during the isothermal crystallization process at high temperature, the alkyl side chains of P3OT always keep in disordered state, whereas the ordering packing of conjugated backbone takes place. In order to reveal the structural changes and the crystallization kinetics corresponding to the main-chain ordering process, two spectral regions that associated with π–π stacking and the effective conjugation length of P3OT have been analyzed in detail. The characteristic IR bands of crystalline and amorphous phase are identified in each spectral region. Moreover, a simple spectral method has been proposed to calculate the evolution of crystallinity during the isothermal crystallization process of P3OT. Of particular note, the distinct one-dimensional growth kinetic of P3OT crystal has been revealed by Avrami analysis.     

Understanding the growth rates of polymer cocrystallization in the binary mixtures of different chain lengths

Polymer materials often contain a polydispersity of molecular lengths. We studied the linear growth rates of polymer lamellar crystals in the binary mixtures of different chain lengths by means of dynamic Monte Carlo simulations. Both chain lengths were chosen large enough to perform chain folding upon crystal growth but not very large to avoid the effect of chain entanglement in the bulk phase. We found that the crystal growth rates exhibit a linear dependence upon the compositions of mixtures. This linear relation implies that the overall crystal growth rates are integrated by the separate contributions of variable-length single polymers, supporting the model of intramolecular crystal nucleation. In each event of crystal growth of single polymers, long chains yield more crystallinity than short chains. This high efficiency explains higher crystal growth rates of long chains than that of short chains, and the explanation is quite different from the traditional view on the basis of their different melting points. In addition, with a partial release of sliding diffusion for crystal thickening, a new dependence of crystal growth rates occurs near the dilute end of long-chain compositions at high temperatures, which can be attributed to the preference of integer-number chain folding at the crystal growth front. The preferred fold lengths may vary with chain lengths and thus influence the crystal growth rates.     

Accordian-type Laser-Raman scattering by polymers

All the improvements of the independent-rod model of longitudinal accordian-type acoustic mode (LAM) oscillations have assumed that the oscillation energy is retained either on the isolated macromolecule oscillating in a vacuum or in a narrow cylinder containing the straight sections of the macromolecules in the crystal lattice and their straight continuations through the amorphous layers. According to such concepts, concentration of the oscillation energy in gauche defects or amorphous layers occurs, respectively, whenever the axial elastic modulus of the straight sections (crystal lattice) is very much larger than that of the kinked sections (amorphous layers). The effect is enhanced by low crystallinity. Actually such behavior has never been observed. To agree with experimental data the model has to be modified in such a manner that the oscillation amplitude in the amorphous layer steadily decreases with increasing distance from the boundary between the two phases. The necessary large damping of the LAM oscillation in the kinked sections results from true damping in the viscoelastic amorphous component and energy transfer to adjacent chains which turns out to be just as easy as energy conduction along the kinked chain. Such a transfer is equivalent to radiation of the oscillation energy in all directions in the kinked phase. As a consequence of damping, the coupling of chains in adjacent crystals becomes so small that it may be completely neglected. Such a model explains in a satisfactory manner the observed accordion Laser-Raman spectra of the semicrystalline polymers and the infrared absorption of paraffins in the liquid state.     

Quantitative analysis of crystallization kinetics by light depolarization technique. Possibilities and limitations

The kinetics of isothermal crystallization of various polymers was investigated by light depolarization technique (LDT) using the new setup with direct registration of depolarization ratio. Experimental data were analyzed using new method proposed by Ziabicki who shown that degree of crystallinity is a non-linear function of degree of depolarization, crystal thickness, and its birefringence. Other experimental methods were involved providing supplementary information on crystal thickness (SAXS) and allowing comparison of crystallization kinetics (WAXS, DSC). The advantage of LDT relies on high sampling rate allowing on-line measurements and lack of inertia effects that exist in other methods like calorimetry. The limitations of the applicability of the method are discussed. The method needs supplementary information not only on crystal thickness but also on variable optical birefringence of real crystals. Our results show that LDT can be used in a simple way for investigation of crystallization kinetics at relatively high temperatures, providing large and perfect crystals. In such a case it is sufficient to use crystal intrinsic birefringence and final crystal thickness typical at particular temperature of crystallization. On the other hand, depolarization ratio combined with measurements by other methods (crystallinity and crystal thickness) can be used for estimation of crystal birefringence.     

ROLE AND IMPORTANCE OF RADIUS OF GYRATION OF CHAINS IN THE MELT IN THE CRYSTALIZATION OF POLY(1-BUTENE)

Crystallization in polymer systems actually is a process that transfers the entangled melts into a semi-crystallinelayered structure. Whether or not a chain disentangles may result in different crystallization mechanism. When compared tothe crystal thickness (d_c), the volume occupied by the chain in the melt, i.e., the radius of gyration (R_g), plays a veryimportant role in polymer crystallization. When d_c≤R_g, crystallization does not necessitate a chain disentangling. Theentanglements are just shifted into the amorphous regions. However, as d_c>R_g, i.e., as the crystal thickness ges larger thanthe radius of gyration of the chain in the melt, it becomes necessary for a chain to disentangle. Then a change ofcrystallization mechanism occurs. Such change has been experimentally observed in the crystallization of poly(1-butene). Achange in the crystal morphologies from spherulite to quadrangle, is seen via PLM, as crystalliation temperatures increase.Even more, such a change is molecular weigh dependent and shifts to lower temperature as molecular weigh decreases.There exists a jump of crystal thickness and crystallinity associated with morphological change, as seen via SAXS. A changeof crystallization kinetics and crystallinity is further evidenced via dilatometry. The unique feature of P1b crystallization hasbeen discussed based on the radius of gyration of chain in the melt (R_g), and very good agreement is obtained.     

聚丙烯结晶行为的PVT研究

通过受限液体PVT测量技术对等规聚丙烯的结晶行为进行了研究,采用PVT等压测量模式描述了不同压力场下半结晶聚合物的结晶过程.结果表明,随着压力的升高,等规聚丙烯分子链间的相互作用增强,使得等规聚丙烯分子链段更容易排入晶格中,这是结晶温度和结晶速度升高的主要因素.通过对数据拟合,建立了压力对等规聚丙烯结晶过程参数的影响公式.对Jeziorny结晶动力学模型进行改进,并研究了压力对等规聚丙烯结晶动力学的影响,结果发现,当结晶度大于0.08时,结晶动力学拟合曲线呈较好的线性,分析结果可以对结晶过程的变化机理进行合理地预测,在小于200 MPa压力环境下,等规聚丙烯的结晶生长方式仍是球晶生长模式,晶体的生长符合二维片晶生长方式,自由体积的减小是结晶速率加快的主要原因之一.     

非传统晶体生长的早期观察

晶体早期生长的研究揭示,在某些体系中,晶体生长可能并不遵循传统路径.借由某些聚合物或生物分子的帮助,无机晶体的前驱体或纳米晶体在生长初期有可能聚集为无序的大块颗粒.这些聚集体表面晶化形成高结晶度高密度的外壳,随后完成从表面到核心的晶化过程.此逆向晶体生长机理在一些诸如沸石、钙钛矿、金属和金属氧化物等无机化合物体系中均已被发现,在其他材料体系里也将得到验证.认识这一新的晶体生长路径将给予我们更多的自由度来实现晶体形态控制,也有助于我们对于许多天然矿物形成机制的理解.本文简要回顾了最近本领域研究中一些典型逆向晶体生长的例子.     

Effect of ZSM-11 crystallinity on its catalytic performance in benzene to phenol oxidation with nitrous oxide

Evolution of ZSM-11 zeolite crystal and pore structure has been studied at 150°C depending on the synthesis time. The amorphous gel was shown to be catalytically inert over the whole induction period, which precedes the crystallization process. The concentration of active sites and the catalytic activity in the oxidation of benzene to phenol is related to the zeolite structure formation and the increasing degree of crystallinity.     

Crystallization of helical oligomers with chirality selection. I. A molecular dynamics simulation for bare helix

Helical polymers often exhibit pronounced chirality recognition during crystallization. By molecular dynamics simulation, we have already shown that the helical polymers crystallize with or without marked chirality selection depending on structural details of the polymer molecules. We have there classified the helical polymers into two categories: the bare helices made of only backbone atoms which show rather tolerant chirality selection, and the general helices with large side groups showing strict chirality recognition. Polymer crystallization is in general largely hampered and retarded by slow dynamics of the entangled chains, and therefore short helical oligomers are very suitable models for studying the chiral crystallization. We here report on molecular simulations of crystallization in the bare helical oligomer molecules by the use of Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations. First we confirm the low temperature chiral crystal phase and the reversible order-disorder transition. We also observe frequent inversions of the helical sense, and the helix reversal defects propagating along the chains. Then we investigate crystallization from the melt into the chiral crystal phase. We find that the crystallization rate depends very sensitively on the degree of undercooling. The crystallization is found to be the first order transition that conforms well to the traditional picture of crystal growth in small molecules. Even when the crystallization directly into the chiral crystal phase is conducted, marked chirality selections are not observed at the early stage of crystallization; the chains adhere to the crystal surfaces selecting their helical senses rather at random resulting in racemic crystallites. The isothermal crystallization for a sufficiently long time, however, yields lamellar crystals composed of well-developed chiral domains, the growth of which seems to be accomplished through the transition back into the ordered chiral crystal phase.     

高分子在氧化铝纳米孔道中受限结晶的研究进展

高分子材料在微纳米尺度常常表现出不同于本体的物理性质.对结晶性高分子来说,在纳米受限空间的成核机理、结晶结构和动力学特征都与本体材料有所不同.本文总结了近年来基于多孔氧化铝纳米模板(AAO)开展的高分子受限结晶的研究进展,重点介绍了本课题组的工作.研究发现,在AAO模板中,高分子结晶的过冷度大大增加,成核机理从本体的异相成核转变为均相成核或表面成核;高分子结晶结构通常表现为各向异性,动力学因素、热力学因素和界面性质均对取向结构有重要影响;受限情况下高分子结晶速率大大降低,表现出"成核控制"的动力学特征;空间受限使高分子结晶度降低,倾向于形成亚稳态晶型.最后,对该领域尚待解决的问题进行了展望.     

Crystallization, glass transition and morphology of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate oligomers

The study focuses on the effect of the molecular length of isotactic hydroxybutyrate oligomers on the crystal morphology, crystallinity, and spherulitic superstructure. Furthermore, the process of solidification of the quiescent melt is evaluated by the analysis of the crystallization kinetics and of the glass transition. Melt-crystallization is strongly controlled by the chain length, and the regime of cooling. Crystallization can completely be avoided by rapid cooling. Slow cooling allows at best incomplete crystallization, with the crystallinity increasing with chain length. Typically, the maximum crystallinity is between 50% and 80% for OHB of molecular weights of 500 and 5000 g mol⁻¹, respectively. The temperatures of the glass transition and of crystallization/melting increase with molecular length, and are discussed in terms of the Fox-Flory and Gibbs-Thomson equations, respectively. For all samples, regardless of the chain length, spherulitic crystallization is observed, with the perfection of spherulites increasing with decreasing crystallization temperature. The transition of formation of extended-chain crystals to formation of folded-chain crystals occurs at a molecular weight of about 2000 g mol⁻¹, which corresponds to chain length of about 7 nm. Analysis of the heat-capacity increment at the glass transition temperature reveals the existence of a rigid amorphous fraction.     

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.     

Comparative study of the kinetics of non-isothermal melt solidification of random copolymers of butene-1 with either ethylene or propylene

The kinetics of non-isothermal melt solidification of random butene-1/propylene copolymers has been compared with that of random butene-1/ethylene copolymers. Analysis of the distance between neighbored chain segments in the crystal phase revealed inclusion of propylene chain defects into crystals, while ethylene co-units are excluded from crystallization. As a consequence of different acceptance of propylene and ethylene chain defects to participate in crystallization, the kinetics of the transition of the melt into ordered phase is significantly slower in random butene-1/ethylene copolymers. For samples of similar co-unit concentration, the decrease of the crystallization temperature and of the critical cooling rate to suppress ordering/crystallization is higher in random butene-1/ethylene copolymers than in butene-1/propylene copolymers. Due to the required rejection of ethylene co-units at the crystal growth front, ultimately, the maximum crystallinity is lower in butene-1/ethylene copolymers than in butene-1/propylene copolymers of similar amount of co-units.     

Crystallization kinetics and morphology of binary phenolic/poly(ϵ-caprolactone) blends

For the first time, quantitative analyses of the crystallization kinetics, surface free energy of chain folding, and morphology in phenolic/poly(ϵ-caprolactone) (PCL) binary blends have been studied. The spherulite growth rate and the overall crystallization rate depend on the crystallization temperature and PCL content in the blend. In addition, the crystallization and melting temperatures of the PCL phase decrease with an increase in the phenolic content. An Avrami analysis shows that the addition of phenolic to PCL results in a decrease in the overall crystallization rate of the PCL phase. The presence of an amorphous phenolic phase results in a reduction in the rate of the spherulite growth of PCL. The surface free energy of folding increases with increasing phenolic content, and the crystal thickness of a phenolic/PCL blend, according to small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), is greater than that of pure PCL because of the increase in the surface free energy of chain folding and the decrease in the degree of supercooling. The observed domain size of the crystalline/amorphous phase (5.9 nm) from SAXS is also consistent with that from solid-state NMR (3–20 nm). All these results indicate that the crystallization ability of PCL decreases with increasing phenolic content in the blends. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 117–128, 2004