Nonisothermal cold‐crystallization kinetics of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)

The nonisothermal cold‐crystallization kinetics and subsequent melting behavior of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) were investigated with differential scanning calorimetry. The Avrami, Tobin, and Ozawa equations were applied to describe the kinetics of the crystallization process. Both the Avrami and Tobin crystallization rate parameters increased with the heating rate. The Ozawa crystallization rate increased with the temperature. The ability of PTT to crystallize from the glassy state at a unit heating rate was determined with Ziabicki's kinetic crystallizability index, which was found to be about 0.89. The effective energy barrier describing the nonisothermal cold‐crystallization process of PTT was estimated by the differential isoconversional method of Friedman and was found to range between about 114.5 and 158.8 kJ mol^?1. In its subsequent melting, PTT exhibited double‐melting behavior for heating rates lower than or equal to 10 °C min^?1 and single‐melting behavior for heating rates greater than or equal to 12.5 °C min^?1. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 4151–4163, 2004     

A STUDY OF LOW-TEMPERATURE CRYSTALLIZATION BEHAVIOR THE cis-1,4 POLYBUTADIENE PREPARED WITH RARE-EARTH CATALYST SYSTEM

The effects of molecular weight and temperature on crystallization processes at low tempera-ture for cis-1,4 polybutadiene prepared with rare-earth catalyst (Ln-PB) have been studied by WAXDmethod. In the range of molecular weight from     

Poly(p‐phenylene sulfide) nonisothermal cold‐crystallization

The poly(p‐phenylene sulfide) (PPS) nonisothermal cold‐crystallization behavior was investigated in a wide heating rate range. The techniques employed were the usual Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and the less conventional FT‐IR spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive X‐ray Diffraction (EDXD). The low heating rates (Φ) explored by EDXD (0.1 K min^?1) and FT‐IR (0.5–10 K min^?1) are contiguous and complementary to the DSC ones (5–30 K min^?1). The crystallization temperature changes from 95 °C at Φ = 0.05 K min^?1 to 130 °C at Φ = 30 K min^?1. In such a wide temperature range the Kissinger model failed. The model is based on an Arrhenius temperature dependence of the crystallization rate and is widely employed to evaluate the activation energy of the crystallization process. The experimental results were satisfactorily fit by replacing in the Kissinger model the Arrhenius equation with the Vogel–Fulcher–Tamann function and fixing U* = 6.28 k J mol^?1, the activation energy needed for the chains movements, according to Hoffmann. The temperature at which the polymer chains are motionless (T_∞ = 42 °C) was found by fitting the experimental data. It appears to be reasonable in the light of our previously reported isothermal crystallization results, which indicated T_∞ = 48 °C. Moreover, at the lower heating rate, mostly explored by FT‐IR, a secondary stepwise crystallization process was well evidenced. In first approximation, it contributes to about 17% of the crystallinity reached by the sample. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 2725–2736, 2005     

Non-isothermal crystallization behaviors of poly(4-methyl-pentene-1)

Non-isothermal crystallization of isotactic poly(4-methyl-pentene-1) (P4MP1) is studied by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), and kinetic parameters such as the Avrami exponent and the kinetic crystallization rate (Z _c) are determined. From the cooling and melting curves of P4MP1 at different cooling rates, the crystalline enthalpy increases with the increasing cooling rate, but the degree of crystalline by DSC measurement shows not much variation. Degree of crystalline of P4MP1 calculated by wide angle X-ray diffraction pattern shows the same tendency with crystalline enthalpy, indicating that re-crystallization occurs when samples heated above the second glass transition temperature of P4MP1. By Jeziorny analysis, n ₁ value suggests that mainly spherulites’ growth at 2.5 K min⁻¹ transforms into a mixture mode of three-dimensional and two-dimensional space extensions with further increasing cooling rate. In the secondary crystallization process, n ₂ values indicate that the secondary crystallization is mainly the two-dimensional extension of the lamellar crystals formed during the primary crystallization process. The rates of the crystallization, Z _c and t _1/2 both increase obviously with the increase of cooling rate, especially at the primary crystallization stage. By Mo’s method, higher cooling rate should be required in order to obtain a higher degree of crystallinity at unit crystallization time.     

Miscibility and crystallization behavior of PBT/epoxy blends

The miscibility and the isothermal crystallization kinetics for PBT/Epoxy blends have been studied by using differential scanning calorimetry, and several kinetic analyses have been used to describe the crystallization process. The Avrami exponents n were obtained for PBT/Epoxy blends. An addition of small amount of epoxy resin (3%) leads to an increase in the number of effective nuclei, thus resulting in an increase in crystallization rate and a stronger trend of instantaneous three‐dimensional growth. For isothermal crystallization, crystallization parameter analysis showed that epoxy particles could act as effective nucleating agents, accelerating the crystallization of PBT component in the PBT/Epoxy blends. The Lauritzen–Hoffman equation for DSC isothermal crystallization data revealed that PBT/Epoxy 97/3 had lower nucleation constant K_g than 100/0, 93/7, and 90/10 PBT/Epoxy blends. Analysis of the crystallization data of PBT/Epoxy blends showed that crystallization occurs in regime II. The fold surface free energy, σ_e = 101.7–58.0 × 10^?3 J/m², and work of chain folding, q = 5.79–3.30 kcal/mol, were determined. The equilibrium melting point depressions of PBT/Epoxy blends were observed and the Flory–Huggins interaction parameters were obtained. It indicated that these blends were thermodynamically miscible in the melt. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 1320–1330, 2006     

Effect of in impurity on crystallization kinetics of (Se.7Te.3)100−xInx system

The effect of In impurity on the crystallization kinetics and the changes taking place in the structure of (Se₇Te₃) have been studied by DTA measurements at different heating rates (α=5 deg·min^?1, 10 deg·min^?1, 15 deg·min^?1 and 20 deg·min^?1). From the heating rate dependence of the values ofT _g,T _c andT _p, the glass transition activation energy (E _t) and the crystallization activation energy (E _c) have been obtained for different compositions of (Se₇Te₃)_100?xIn_x (0≤×≤20). The variation of viscosity as a function of temperature has been evaluated using Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher equation. The crystallization data are analysed using Kissinger's and Matusita's approach for nonisothermic crystallization. It has been found that for samples containing In=0, 10, 15, 20 at%, three dimensional nucleation is predominant whereas for samples containing In=5 at%, two dimensional nucleation is the dominant mechanism. The compositional dependence ofT _g and crystallization kinetics are discussed in terms of the modification of the structure of the Se?Te system.     

Crystallization kinetics of polyethylene under high pressure

The kinetics of isothermal crystallization of polyethylene under high pressures ranging from 840 to 5300 kg/cm² has been studied dilatometrically. The crystallization rate estimated from the half-time of the overall transformation increases markedly with pressure. The Avrami exponent n becomes smaller with increasing pressure. Values of n ≈ 2 for the crystallization at 840 and 1950 kg/cm², and n ≈ 1 at 5100 and 5300 kg/cm² were obtained. Differential scanning calorimetry and electron microscopy data are presented. It is concluded that extended-chain crystals grow rapidly, predominantly in one dimension, at high pressure. Relations between log k and T_m/T(ΔT) and T_m²/T(ΔT)² are nearly linear. Here, k is the crystallization rate constant from an Avrami equation, ΔT = T_m – T, T_m is the melting point, and T is the temperature of crystallization. From the dependence of the slope of the straight line on the crystallization pressure it is concluded that the surface energy of crystal nuclei decreases with increasing pressure.     

Infrared study of high-pressure crystallization of polyethylene

The high-pressure crystallization of polyethylene in a diamond cell has been studied by infrared spectroscopy. The splitting of the CH₂ rocking band at 720–730 cm^?1 as a function of pressure was analyzed. It was found that pressure alone up to 3 kbar will not change the distance between methylene groups in the unit cell. However, this distance can be shortened by crystallization at this pressure. Intensities of selected crystalline (1176 and 1050 cm^?1) and amorphous (1303, 1352, and 1368 cm^?1) bands were measured on samples before and after high-pressure crystallization, and also on samples of various densities crystallized under atmospheric pressure. The increase in the intensities of crystalline bands and concomitant decrease in amorphous bands, together with density changes, indicate that the crystallinity can be enhanced by crystallization under high pressure. Nevertheless, the crystallinity of polyethylene crystallized at high pressure is comparable with that of polyethylene crystallized at atmospheric pressure at low undercooling for long periods of time.     

Crystal and molecular structure of nitraminotetrazole and nitramino-1,2,4-triazole. IV. 5-nitraminotetrazole sodium salt sesquihydrate

The structure of 5-nitraminotetrazole sodium salt sesquihydrate was determined by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are monoclinic, space group P2₁/c;a = 3.551(1) Å, b = 21.834(4) Å, c = 9.075(2) Å; = 110.68(3)°; V = 658.3(2) ų; Z = 4; _calc = 1.807 g/cm³. The anion is planar and has an intramolecular hydrogen bond. The negative charge of the anion is localized on one of the oxygens of the nitro group. The sodium cation (c.n.6) is coordinated by three oxygen atoms of different anions and three oxygens of crystallization water. One of the crystallization water molecules is disordered in the unit cell. The anions are hydrogen-bonded with each other and with crystallization water molecules.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2004 by A. M. Astakhov, A. D. Vasiliev, M. S. Molokeev, L. A. Kruglyakova, A. M. Sirotinin, and R. S. StepanovTranslated from Zhurnal Strukturnoi Khimii, Vol. 45, No. 3, pp. 562–565, May–June 2004.     

Crystallization of a polyamide 11/organo-modified montmorillonite nanocomposite at rapid cooling

Fast scanning chip calorimetry (FSC) has been used for analysis of the crystallization behavior of a polyamide 11/organo-modified montmorillonite (PA 11/OMMT) nanocomposite. The addition of OMMT leads to a significant increase of the crystallization temperature of the polymer matrix only on cooling faster than about 10⁰ K s^–1. In case of slow cooling at rates typically used in standard differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the nucleating effect of OMMT on crystallization of PA 11 is negligible. The critical cooling rate to suppress crystallization of PA 11 and to completely vitrify the relaxed melt increases at least by one order of magnitude due to the addition of OMMT. Furthermore, the enthalpy of crystallization is nearly independent on the cooling conditions in the analyzed cooling rate range from 10^–2 to 2?×?10³ K s^–1 in PA 11/OMMT nanocomposites. Isothermal crystallization experiments confirmed that the nucleating effect of OMMT on the crystallization of PA 11 increases with supercooling, being therefore of particular importance at cooling conditions relevant in polymer processing. The evaluation of the kinetics of crystallization of the PA 11/OMMT nanocomposite by FSC and DSC in a wide range of cooling rates/supercooling has been completed by analysis of the effect of OMMT on the α/δ’ polymorphism of PA 11 and the spherulitic superstructure.     

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.     

Crystallization kinetics and morphology of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate‐co‐propylene succinate)s

The crystallization behavior of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate) and copolyesters poly(butylene succinate‐co‐propylene succinate)s (PBSPS) was investigated by using ¹H NMR, DSC and POM, respectively. Isothermal crystallization kinetics of the polyesters has been analyzed by the Avrami equation. The 2.2‐2.8 range of Avrami exponential n indicated that the crystallization mechanism was a heterogeneous nucleation with spherical growth geometry in the crystallization process of polyesters. Multiple melting peaks were observed during heating process after isothermal crystallization, and it could be explained by the melting and recrystallization model. PBSPS was identified to have the same crystal structure with that of PBS by using wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), suggesting that only BS unit crystallized while the PS unit was in an amorphous state. The crystal structure of polyesters was not affected by the crystallization temperatures, too. Besides the normal extinction crosses under the POM, the double‐banded extinction patterns with periodic distance along the radial direction were also observed in the spherulites of PBS and PBSPS. The morphology of spherulites strongly depended on the crystallization temperature. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 420–428, 2007     

Melt crystallization and morphology of poly(ε‐caprolactone)‐poly(ethylene glycol) diblock copolymers with different compositions and molecular weights

Ring opening polymerization of ε‐caprolactone was realized in the presence of monomethoxy poly(ethylene glycol) with M_n = 1000 and 2000, using Zn(La)₂ as catalyst. The resulting PCL‐PEG diblock copolymers with CL/EO repeat unit molar ratios from 0.2 to 3.0 were characterized by using DSC, WAXD, SEC, and ¹H NMR. The crystal phase of PCL blocks exist in all polymers, and the crystallization ability of PCL blocks increases with CL/EO ratio. PEG blocks are able to crystallize for copolymers with CL/EO below 1.0 only. Melt crystallization results were analyzed with Avrami equation. The Averami exponent n is around 3.0 in most cases, in agreement with heterogeneous nucleation with three dimensional growth. The morphology of the crystals was observed by using POM. Rod‐like crystals were found to grow in 1, 3 or 2, 4 quadrants for samples with low molecular weights. In the case of a copolymer with M_n,PEG = 2000 and M_n,PCL = 800, PEG blocks could crystallize and grow on PCL crystals after PCL finished to form rod‐like crystals, leading to formation of poorly or well structured spherulites. The spherulite growth rate (G) was determined at different crystallization temperatures (T_c) ranging from 9 to 49 °C. All the copolymers present a steady G decrease with increasing crystallization temperature due to lower undercooling. On the other hand, increase of CL/EO ratio leads to increase of G in the same T_c range. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 286–293, 2010     

Contact-mediated nucleation in melt emulsions investigated by rheo-nuclear magnetic resonance

Increasing the efficiency of disperse phase crystallization is of great interest for melt emulsion production as the fraction of solidified droplets determines product quality and stability. Nucleation events must appear within every single one of the μm-sized droplets for solidification. Therefore, primary crystallization requires high subcooling and is, thus, time and energy consuming. Contact-mediated nucleation is a mechanism for intensifying the crystallization process. It is defined as the successful nucleation of a subcooled liquid droplet induced by contact with an already crystallized droplet. We investigated contact-mediated nucleation under shear flow conditions up to shear rates of 457 s⁻¹ for a quantitative assessment of this mechanism. Rheo-nuclear magnetic resonance was successfully used for the time-resolved determination of the solids fraction of the dispersed phase of melt emulsions upon contact-mediated nucleation events. The measurements were carried out in a dedicated Taylor–Couette cell. The efficiency of contact-mediated nucleation decreased with increasing shear rate, whereas the effective second order kinetic constant increased approximately linearly at small shear rates and showed a linear decrease for shear rates higher than about 200 s⁻¹. These findings are in accordance with coalescence theory. Thus, the nucleation rate is optimal at specific flow conditions. There are limitations for successful inoculation at a low shear rate because of rare contact events and at a high shear rate due to too short contact time.     

Diffusivity of amorphous drug in solid dispersion

Filmy solid dispersion of terfenadine (TFD), fenofibrate (FFB), and carbamazepine (CBZ) and methacrylic acid methyl methacrylate copolymer (Eudragit^®) was prepared by evaporating their solution. Raman and IR measurements for the filmy samples were performed. Concentration profile of TFD, FFB, and CBZ in solid dispersions was evaluated by their characteristic peaks, and then their diffusion rate constants were calculated. The start point of the crystallization peak under isothermal condition was determined by XRD–DSC. Viscoelastic character of Eudragit^® was evaluated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The distribution map of drugs in their solid dispersions showed the diffusion state of drugs during storage. The concentration profile of TFD, FFB, and CBZ in the solid dispersion was calculated from obtained mapping data. The diffusion rate constant of both drug in Eudragit^® EPO was higher than that in Eudragit^® RLPO. The induction period of crystallization from amorphous CBZ was gradually delayed with increasing amounts of Eudragit^®. The IR peak due to C=O was shifted to higher wave number; it suggested that there were some molecular interactions between CBZ and Eudragit^®. From the results of the change in the interaction of drug-Eudragit^®, it may be concluded that the diffusivity of drug molecule in polymer closely related to the delay of the induction period of crystallization of amorphous. DMA measurement clarified the difference in the viscosity of Eudragit^® having different functional groups and molecular mass. These results suggested that the retardation of crystallization by Eudragit^® could be related to the sample viscosity.     

Characterization of monomer sequence structure distribution of poly(1-butene)/poly(propylene-co-butene) in-reactor alloys through 13C-NMR

In situ FTIR testing demonstrated that crystallization of novel poly(1-butene)/poly(propylene-co-butene) in-reactor alloys from melt shows thermodynamic stable Form I directly rather than general reported unstable crystal Form II. In order to make clear this phenomenon, the microstructure and monomer sequence distribution of the as-obtained poly(1-butene)/poly(propylene-co-butene) in-reactor alloys was determined by ¹³C-NMR. The raw alloy was separated by fractional dissolution to five grades. The characterization of raw alloys and different grades demonstrates that propylene monomer unit distributes in a form of isolated or segmented along poly(1-butene) molecular chains. The fractional dissolution of the selected alloy indicates that chain structure changes gradually with fractional solvent. The number average sequence length of propylene and 1-butene unit has been calculated. The number average sequence length and distribution could help us to study the crystallization and transformation clearly. From the results of in situ FTIR and NMR, the random distribution of the propylene unit with certain content in the as-obtained alloys play role to accelerate the crystallization transformation.     

Microemulsion‐Facilitated Crystallization of Carbamazepine

The crystallization patterns of carbamazepine precipitated from a confined microemulsion reservoir were studied by DSC, TGA, Powder XRD, single crystal XRD, SEM, and optical microscopy. The results suggest that interfacial fast nucleation and slow growth from O/W microemulsion leads to a selective, large, and better‐ordered single crystals of dihydrate form with primitive monoclinic unit cell with parameters a=10.16 Å, b=28.70 Å, c=4.93 Å, β=103.33°, cell volume of 1400.7 ų, and space group P21/c. The crystal structure, as well as the habit, are strongly influenced by the heat dissipation and prefered molecular orientation at the interface.     

Organic‐Free Synthesis of a Highly Siliceous Faujasite Zeolite with Spatially Biased Q4(nAl) Si Speciation

We report the most siliceous FAU‐type zeolite, HOU‐3, prepared via a one‐step organic‐free synthesis route. Computational studies indicate that it is thermodynamically feasible to synthesize FAU with SAR=2–7, though kinetic factors seemingly impose a more restricted upper limit for HOU‐3 (SAR≈3). Our findings suggest that a slow rate of crystallization and/or low concentration of Na⁺ ions in HOU‐3 growth mixtures facilitate Si incorporation into the framework. Interestingly, Q⁴(nAl) Si speciation measured by solid‐state NMR can only be modeled with a few combinations of Al positioning at tetrahedral sites in the crystal unit cell, indicating the distribution of Si(‐O‐Si)_4−n(‐O‐Al)_n species is spatially biased as opposed to being random. Achieving higher SAR is desirable for improved zeolite (hydro)thermal stability and enhanced catalytic performance, which we demonstrate in benchmark tests that show HOU‐3 is superior to commercial zeolite Y.     

Thermal decomposition of solid azobisisobutyronitrile

The rate of the thermal decomposition of solid azobisisobutyronitrile was measured under conditions such that the side processes, such as gas-phase decomposition, the formation of liquid products, crystal cracking, and polymorphic transitions, had no effect on the process rate. The reaction occurs on the inner crystal surface, and its rate depends on the method of crystallization. The sample crystallized under conditions of low supersaturation is the most stable. The kinetic parameters of the reaction are E = 134.9 ± 3.5 kJ/mol and log A = 14.12 ± 1.5 [s^?1]. The decomposition rate constant of solid azobisisobutyronitrile is 50 times lower than that of azobisisobutyronitrile in benzene solution. The low reaction rate in the solid phase is explained in terms of the additional-volume model proposed for unimolecular reactions in molecular crystals.