Crystallization and melting behaviour of poly(m-xylene adipamide)

The melting and crystallisation behaviour of poly(m-xylene adipamide) (MXD6) are investigated by using the conventional DSC, X-ray diffraction and polarised light microscopy. Triple, double or single melting endotherms are obtained in subsequent heating scan for the samples after isothermal crystallisation from the melt state at different temperatures. The lowest melting peak can be ascribed to the melting of secondary crystals. The melting of primary crystals causes the medium melting peak and the highest melting peak is attributed to the melting of recrystallised species formed during heating. Following the Hoffman–Weeks theory, the equilibrium melting temperature is equal to 250°C and the equilibrium melting enthalpy ΔH _m ⁰ to 175 J g^–1. Then, using the Lauritzen–Hoffmann theory of secondary crystallisation, the analyse of the spherulitic growth shows that the temperature of transition between the growing regimes II and III is equal to 176°C. Finally the Gibbs-Thomson relationship allows the determination of the distribution function of crystalline lamellae.     

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) of semicrystalline polymers

Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is an effective analytical tool to characterize the physical properties of a polymer. DSC enables determination of melting, crystallization, and mesomorphic transition temperatures, and the corresponding enthalpy and entropy changes, and characterization of glass transition and other effects that show either changes in heat capacity or a latent heat. Calorimetry takes a special place among other methods. In addition to its simplicity and universality, the energy characteristics (heat capacity C _P and its integral over temperature T—enthalpy H), measured via calorimetry, have a clear physical meaning even though sometimes interpretation may be difficult. With introduction of differential scanning calorimeters (DSC) in the early 1960s calorimetry became a standard tool in polymer science. The advantage of DSC compared with other calorimetric techniques lies in the broad dynamic range regarding heating and cooling rates, including isothermal and temperature-modulated operation. Today 12 orders of magnitude in scanning rate can be covered by combining different types of DSCs. Rates as low as 1 μK s⁻¹ are possible and at the other extreme heating and cooling at 1 MK s⁻¹ and higher is possible. The broad dynamic range is especially of interest for semicrystalline polymers because they are commonly far from equilibrium and phase transitions are strongly time (rate) dependent. Nevertheless, there are still several unsolved problems regarding calorimetry of polymers. I try to address a few of these, for example determination of baseline heat capacity, which is related to the problem of crystallinity determination by DSC, or the occurrence of multiple melting peaks. Possible solutions by using advanced calorimetric techniques, for example fast scanning and high frequency AC (temperature-modulated) calorimetry are discussed.     

Optimization of instrument response and resolution of standard- and high-speed power compensation DSC

Normally, for Standard DSC, the PerkinElmer power-compensation setting is the low dynamic range mode (LDRM). In this mode, a noise filter is applied to decrease the noise-to-signal ratio, which concomitantly gives rise to a delay in time of the signal measured. In case the signal is expected to be of high intensity — experienced for instance at high scan rates using High Performance DSC (HPer DSC) — the noise filtering could be diminished by which the associated delay in time would be less, leading to a faster response of the instrument, also resulting in an improved resolution. In fact, such can be realized using the faster noise filter of the high dynamic range mode (HDRM) available for the Pyris 1 and Diamond DSCs, which DSCs are both equipped with the HyperDSC^TM technique (HyperDSC being the commercial version of HPer DSC). The improvement in response is maximal for high rates like 100–500°C min⁻¹ but even at low rates like 10°C min⁻¹ it is still significant. Thus, taking advantage of HDRM, low-molar substances like indium and 4,4′-azoxyanisole show appreciable increasing height-to-width ratios for signals caused by crystallization, melting and the crystal <>liquid crystal transition respectively. Another advantage, the faster realization of steady state after the starting of the DSC, is of help in case of overlapping starting and transition signals during dynamic crystallization and melting, and during isothermal crystallization as elucidated for a HDPE. For 4,4′-azoxyanisole and for an ethylene-propylene copolymer having a broad melting range, it is shown that such faster response leads to a still better resolution with respect to temperature, even at high scan rates. Thus, the peaks belonging to the crystal-to-liquid crystal and the liquid crystal-to-isotropic liquid transitions of 4,4′-azoxyanisole were completely resolved while a thermal fractionation of the copolymer by the successive self-nucleation and annealing (SSA) technique with good resolution has been realized, both using rates as high as 200°C min⁻¹.     

Melting behavior of poly(butylene succinate) during heating scan by DSC

The melting behavior of isothermally crystallized poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) has been investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide‐angle X‐ray analysis. The samples crystallized between 80°C to 100°C show middle endotherm at the position just before the high exotherm, while the others under 80°C show two endotherms (low and high). From the results of the melting peak vs. crystallization temperature plot, it was suggested that the middle endotherm corresponds to the melting process of the original crystallites and the high endotherms to the melting process of the recrystallized ones. As the DSC heating rate was increased, the peak temperature of the low and middle endotherms increased and that of the high endotherm decreased, indicating that the low endotherm was due to the original crystallites as well as the middle endotherm. Consequently, in the heating scan of PBS, the existence of two kinds of morphologically different crystallites as well as the process of melting and recrystallization becomes evident. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1357–1366, 1999     

X‐ray studies on the double melting behavior of poly(butylene terephthalate)

The double melting behavior of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) was studied with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide‐angle X‐ray analysis. DSC melting curves of melt‐crystallized PBT samples, which we prepared by cooling from the melt (250 °C) at various cooling rates, showed two endothermic peaks and an exothermic peak located between these melting peaks. The cooling rate effect on these peaks was investigated. The melt‐crystallized PBT sample cooled at 24 K min^?1 was heated at a rate of 1 K min^?1, and its diffraction patterns were obtained successively at a rate of one pattern per minute with an X‐ray measurement system equipped with a position‐sensitive proportional counter. The diffraction pattern did not change in the melting process, except for the change in its peak height. This suggests that the double melting behavior does not originate from a change in the crystal structure. The temperature dependence of the diffraction intensity was obtained from the diffraction patterns. With increasing temperature, the intensity decreased gradually in the low‐temperature region and then increased distinctly before a steep decrease due to the final melting. In other words, the temperature‐dependence curve of the diffraction intensity showed a peak that is interpreted as proof of the recrystallization in the melting process. The peak temperature was 216 °C. The temperature‐dependence curve of the enthalpy change obtained by the integration of the DSC curve almost coincided with that of the diffraction intensity. The double melting behavior in the heating process of PBT is concluded to originate from the increase of crystallinity, that is, recrystallization. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2005–2015, 2001     

Thermochemical and thermal analysis on N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea

Low temperature heat capacities of N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea were determined by adiabatic calorimetry method in the temperature range from 80 to 370 K. It was found that there was not any heat anomaly in this temperature region. Based on the experimental data, some thermodynamic function results were obtained. Thermal stability and decomposition characteristics analysis of N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea were carried out by DSC and TG. The results indicated that N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea started to melt at ca. 426 K (153°C) and the melting peak located at 447.01 K (173.86°C). The melting enthalpy was 204.445 kJ mol^-1 (899.6 J g^-1). The decomposition peak of N-(p-methylphenyl)-N'-(2-pyridyl)urea was found at 499.26 K (226.11°C) from DSC curve. This result was similar with that from TG and DTG experiment, in which the mass loss peak was determined as 500.4 K (227.2°C). This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermal analysis of poly(2-methylpentamethylene terephthalamide)

Poly(2-methylpentamethylene terephthalamide) (Nylon M5T) is a new high temperature aromatic polyamide developed by Hoechst Celanese. In this paper thermal properties of Nylon M5T chips, as well as as-spun and drawn fibers were studied by DSC, DMA, hot stage microscopy and WAXS.T _g of the fully amorphous Nylon M5T is 143°C when measured by DSC;T _g increases with crystallinity to 151°C. The temperature dependence of the solid and melt specific heat capacities has also been determined. The heat capacity increase at the glass transition of the amorphous polymer is 103.9 J °C^–1 mol^–1.T _g by DMA for the as-spun fiber is 155°C, for a drawn fiber is 180°C. Three secondary transitions were observed by DMA in addition to the glass transition. These correspond to a local mode relaxation of the methylene groups at –120°C, onset of rotation of the amide-groups at –65°C and the onset of the rotation of the phenylenegroups (at 63°C). The crystallinity of Nylon M5T strongly depends on the rate of cooling from the melt. The isothermal crystallization data are melt temperature dependent: two-dimensional crystallization takes place when the samples are crystallized from higher melt temperatures, and this phase changes into a spherulitic structure during cooling to room temperature. Spherulitic crystallization occurs when lower melt temperatures are used. This polymer has three crystal forms as indicated by DSC, DMA and WAXS data. The crystal to crystal transitions are clearly visible when amorphous samples are heated in the DSC, or the DMA curves of as-spun fibers are recorded. It is experimentally shown that a considerable melting of the lower temperature crystal forms takes place during the crystal to crystal transitions. The equilibrium melting point as measured by the Hoffman-Weeks method, has been determined to be 339°C.Dedicated to Professor Bernhard Wunderlich on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Effect of degree of saponification on structural and property change of poly(Vinyl alcohol) fibers

To improve the drawability and finally the mechanical properties, poly(vinyl alcohol)s (PVA₈₆, PVA₉₃, and PVA₉₉) with respective degrees of saponification of 86, 93, and 99% were synthesized using solution polymerization. Following the synthesis dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) solutions of the PVAs were gel-spun into methanol. After extraction of DMSO from the as-spun fibers the dried fibers were first drawn at 120 °C then at 180 °C. An analysis of the structure and properties of the fibers was performed using FT-IR, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and a fiber strength tester. The degree of saponification had an effect on the formation and intensity of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds, melting, drawability and strength of the PVA fibers. Low degrees of saponification weakened the intermolecular hydrogen bonds and interfered with the formation of crystallites, causing low melting points and low heat of fusion. Generally, drawing was easier to carry out at lower temperature, and higher draw ratios could be obtained, leading to higher fiber strengths. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The multiple melting endotherms from poly(butylene terephthalate)

The melting behavior of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) has been investigated, and a simulation has been performed to determine whether the multiple melting endotherms observed during the thermal analysis of PBT can be explained by the simultaneous melting and recrystallization of an initial distribution of crystal melting temperatures that contains only one maximum and two inflection points. Specimens that were cooled at constant rates from the melt showed between one and three melting endotherms upon heating in a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). The position and breadth of the crystallization exotherms upon cooling from the melt and small-angle x-ray scattering showed that as the cooling rate is increased, the distribution of melting temperatures broadens and shifts to lower temperatures. By combining temperature-dependent recrystallization with an initial distribution of melting temperatures, simulated DSC curves were produced that agreed well with experimental DSC curves. In instances of triple peaked curves, the high temperature peak was due to crystals formed during the scanning process, and the middle and low temperature peaks were due to crystals originally present in the material. Satisfactory agreement between the experimental and simulated curves was found without considering additional crystallization from the amorphous regions during the scanning process.     

Phase Transitions in Crystalline [M(H2O)6](ClO4)2 (M=Mg,Mn, Fe,Co, Ni,Cu, Zn,Cd and Hg)

The results of DSC measurements in the temperature range 140–370 K on nine crystalline compounds of the type [M(H₂O)₆](ClO₄)₂, where M=Mg, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Hg, are discussed. Anomalies detected in the DSC curves are related to the existence of solid-solid phase transitions and/or to the melting points of these compounds. In consequence of two different hypothetical structural modifications of [Fe(H₂O)₆](ClO₄)₂, two DSC curves are obtained. For the compounds with M=Fe, Cd and Hg, new phase transitions have been discovered. The transition temperatures of the other phase transitions are in good agreement with literature data obtained by adiabatic calorimetry. For the compounds with M=Mg, Ni and Cd, DTA measurements were also carried out and the melting points of theses compounds were established. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Thermal analysis and spectroscopic studies of electrospun nano-scale composite fibers

The aim of this article is to develop nano-scale composite fibers from wood pulp, modified wood pulp, and polyethylene oxide (PEO). Composite fibers were developed in the diameter range of 339–612 nm. Alignment process of the composite fibers was done by electrostatic interactions between two collector disks. DSC results demonstrated a lower melting temperature of composite fibers than PEO powder. The development of crystalline structure in the composite fibers and acetylated wood pulp was poor. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that the thermal stability of composite fibers were relatively lower than PEO powder. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed significant differences between modified and unmodified wood pulp in the region of 960–1746 cm⁻¹. The peak intensity of acetylated wood pulp was appeared at 1746 cm⁻¹ because of acetyl groups. The composite fibers demonstrated the characteristic peak of PEO since less wood pulp was incorporated in the composite system.     

Step-scan TMDSC and high rate DSC study of the multiple melting behavior of poly(1,3-propylene terephthalate)

The multiple melting behavior of poly(1,3-propylene terephthalate) (PPT) samples after isothermal crystallization from the melt was studied. The step-scan temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) and high rate DSC were used to investigate this behavior in conjunction with standard DSC, wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and polarizing light microscopy (PLM). The effect of PPT average molecular weight on the melting was also examined. In general multiple endotherms after isothermal crystallization of PPT were attributed to a continuous crystal perfection process during the subsequent heating scan via melting-recrystallization-remelting. Multiple melting behavior was more pronounced for the low molecular weight PPT. Step-scan TMDSC showed that extensive recrystallization occurs in PPT samples, especially after rapid isothermal crystallization. In fact two recrystallization exothermic peaks were observed. High rate DSC revealed the initial morphology generated during the isothermal step and showed that the low and middle peaks are associated with melting of primary crystals while the high temperature peak should be attributed to melting of recrystallized material.     

Study of the crystallization and melting region of PET and PEN and their blends by TMDSC

The cold crystallization and melting of poly(ethylene therephthalate) (PET), poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate) (PEN) and their blends were studied using temperature modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) at underlying heating rates of between 1 and 3 K min^-1 and periods ranging from 30 to 90 s. The amplitude of modulation was selected in order to give an instantaneous heating rate β≥0. Heat flow is analyzed by the total heat flow signal o, which is equivalent to the conventional DSC signal, and the reversing heat flow o_REV, which only detects the glass transition and the melting processes. The dependence of the melting region in the reversing heat flow on the frequency of modulation is analyzed. The use of the so-called non-reversing heat flow o_NREV (=o-o_REV)) and the effect of frequency and amplitude on the complex heat capacity are also studied. The results show the complexity of these magnitudes. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Multiple melting endotherms in isothermally melt-crystallized poly(butylene terephthalate)

The melting behavior of poly(butylene terephthalate) crystallized isothermally for various times was examined using differential scanning calorimetry. After short crystallization times, the DSC analysis gave two melting peaks, but after longer times, the analysis gave three peaks. The latter triplet of DSC peaks can be denoted as low, middle, and high, starting with the lowest temperature endotherm. The DSC peaks were simulated using a measured recrystallization rate and behavior for PBT and an assumed initial melting point distribution. The low and middle peaks represent the original melting peaks arising from isothermal crystallization. The high melting peak arises from recrystallization during the DSC heating scan. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 36: 1757–1767, 1998     

Heat capacities and thermodynamic properties of 2-benzoylpyridine (C12H9NO)

The heat capacities of 2-benzoylpyridine were measured with an automated adiabatic calorimeter over the temperature range from 80 to 340 K. The melting point, molar enthalpy, Δ_fusH^m, and entropy, Δ_fusS^m, of fusion of this compound were determined to be 316.49±0.04 K, 20.91±0.03 kJ mol^–1 and 66.07±0.05 J mol^–1 K^–1, respectively. The purity of the compound was calculated to be 99.60 mol% by using the fractional melting technique. The thermodynamic functions (H_T–H_298.15) and (S_T–S_298.15) were calculated based on the heat capacity measurements in the temperature range of 80–340 K with an interval of 5 K. The thermal properties of the compound were further investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). From the DSC curve, the temperature corresponding to the maximum evaporation rate, the molar enthalpy and entropy of evaporation were determined to be 556.3±0.1 K, 51.3±0.2 kJ mol^–1 and 92.2±0.4 J K^–1 mol^–1, respectively, under the experimental conditions.     

Thermal analysis of the double-melting behavior of poly(L-lactic acid)

The melting and crystallization behavior of poly(L -lactic acid) (PLLA; weight-average molecular weight = 3 × 10⁵) was studied with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC curves for PLLA samples were obtained at various cooling rates (CRs) from the melt (210 °C). The peak crystallization temperature and the exothermic heat of crystallization determined from the DSC curve decreased almost linearly with increasing log(CR). DSC melting curves for the melt-crystallized samples were obtained at various heating rates (HRs). The double-melting behavior was confirmed by the double endothermic peaks, a high-temperature peak (H) and a low-temperature peak (L), that appeared in the DSC curves at slow HRs for the samples prepared with a slow CR. Peak L increased with increasing HR, whereas peak H decreased. The peak melting temperatures of L and H [T_m(L) and T_m(H)] decreased linearly with log(HR). The appearance region of the double-melting peaks (L and H) was illustrated in a CR–HR map. Peak L decreased with increasing CR, whereas peak H increased. T_m(L) and T_m(H) decreased almost linearly with log(CR). The characteristics of the crystallization and double-melting behavior were explained by the slow rates of crystallization and recrystallization, respectively. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 25–32, 2004     

TOPEM,a new temperature modulated DSC technique

TOPEM is a new temperature modulated DSC technique, introduced by Mettler-Toledo in late 2005, in which stochastic temperature modulations are superimposed on the underlying rate of a conventional DSC scan. These modulations consist of temperature pulses, of fixed magnitude and alternating sign, with random durations within limits specified by the user. The resulting heat flow signal is analysed by a parameter estimation method which yields a so-called ‘quasi-static’ specific heat capacity and a ‘dynamic’ specific heat capacity over a range of frequencies. In a single scan it is thus possible to distinguish frequency-dependent phenomena from frequency-independent phenomena. Its application to the glass transition is examined here.     

Thermochemistry of the Binary System Nitrocellulose+2,6-dinitrotoluene

The mixing and melting enthalpy of the binary system nitrocellulose+2,6-dinitrotoluene was determined using the DSC method. The mixing enthalpy of the components was calculated. At the melting temperature the maximum value of the mixing enthalpy for the mole fractionx _w26DNT=0.607 is equal H ^M _max= −3.41 kJ mol⁻¹. Measurements of the melting process (second measurement) were conducted after a storage period of several days at room temperature. Analysis of the melting peaks shows that the melting process of 26DNT takes place in pores of the micro-fiber and bulk outside the fibers. In the case of a mass fraction of x _w26DNT>0.9 the melting process takes place in the bulk, which suggests that in the case of such concentrations separation of the micro-fibers occurs. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

KINETICS OF NON-ISOTHERMAL CRYSTALLIZATION OF POLY (ETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE) MODIFIED BY POLY (ETHYLENE GLYCOL)

The non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) modified by poly (ethlene glycol) (PEG) were determined by DSC. The dual linear regression method was used to evaluate the relationship between the reciprocal of t 1/2 ( the half life of crystallization) and the appropriate temperature variable. The parameters such as the activation energy (Ed) for transport, the equilibrium melting temperature (T_m~0),the nucleation parameter (ψ),themaximum crystallization temperature (T_(e, max)), and the kinetic crystallizability (G) for the copolyesters were obtained. The influence of the PEG content in PET chains on the parameters characterizing crystallization kinetics and crystallization thermodynamics was discussed.     

Linear and four‐armed poly(l‐lactide)‐block‐poly(d‐lactide) copolymers and their stereocomplexation with poly(lactide)s

Linear and four‐armed poly(l ‐lactide)‐block‐poly(d ‐lactide) (PLLA‐b‐PDLA) block copolymers are synthesized by ring‐opening polymerization of d ‐lactide on the end hydroxyl of linear and four‐armed PLLA prepolymers. DSC results indicate that the melting temperature and melting enthalpies of poly (lactide) stereocomplex in the copolymers are obviously lower than corresponding linear and four‐armed PLLA/PDLA blends. Compared with the four‐armed PLLA‐b‐PDLA copolymer, the similar linear PLLA‐b‐PDLA shows higher melting temperature (212.3 °C) and larger melting enthalpy (70.6 J g^?1). After these copolymers blend with additional neat PLAs, DSC, and WAXD results show that the stereocomplex formation between free PLA molecular chain and enantiomeric PLA block is the major stereocomplex formation. In the linear copolymer/linear PLA blends, the stereocomplex crystallites (sc) as well as homochiral crystallites (hc) form in the copolymer/PLA cast films. However, in the four‐armed copolymer/linear PLA blends, both sc and hc develop in the four‐armed PLLA‐b‐PDLA/PDLA specimen, which means that the stereocomplexation mainly forms between free PDLA molecule and the inside PLLA block, and the outside PDLA block could form some microcrystallites. Although the melting enthalpies of stereocomplexes in the blends are smaller than that of neat copolymers, only two‐thirds of the molecular chains participate in the stereocomplex formation, and the crystallization efficiency strengthens. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2014 , 52, 1560–1567