Isothermal crystallization of isotactic polypropylene in dotriacontane. I: Effect of nucleating agent addition on overall crystallization kinetics

The overall isothermal crystallization kinetics for nucleated and non-nucleated isotactic polypropylene (iPP)-dotriacontane systems was investigated. Adipic acid was used as the nucleating agent. Half-time was determined via differential scanning calorimetry as a function of the experimentally controlled variables dilution, crystallization temperature, and the addition of nucleating agent. The influence of these variables on crystallization mechanism and spherulitic structure, as implied by the Avrami analysis, was determined. The influence of these variables on fold surface energy was examined by the Lauritzen and Hoffman analysis.     

Non-Isothermal crystallization of isotactic polypropylene in dotriacontane. II: Effects of dilution,cooling rate,and nucleating agent addition on growth rate

Non-isothermal crystallization growth rates of nucleated and non-nucleated isotactic polypropylene (iPP) in dotriacontane were determined experimentally by thermal optical microscopy. Adipic acid was used as the nucleating agent. The non-isothermal growth rates of the nucleated and non-nucleated systems were compared with experimentally determined isothermal growth rates. The Lauritzen and Hoffman growth rate equation, originally developed for isothermal crystallization, was modified to describe the non-isothermal growth. The modified Lauritzen-Hoffman equation was used to predict isothermal growth rates from non-isothermal crystallization for the nucleated and non-nucleated polymer-diluent mixtures. This study is the first to deal with polymer-diluent-nucleating agent systems vital to membrane production.     

Crystallization morphologies and non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of isotactic polypropylene modified by α/β compounded nucleating agents

采用偏光显微镜(POM)及示差扫描量热(DSC)法考察了3种α/β复合成核剂NA40/NABW、NA40/HHPA-Ba、NA40/PA-03对成核等规聚丙烯(iPP)的结晶形态及非等温结晶动力学的影响。对成核iPP结晶形态的研究结果表明：α/β复合成核剂的加入能够减小iPP的球晶尺寸。影响α/β复合成核剂成核iPP结晶形态的主要因素是ΔT_Cp（ΔT_Cp为成核iPP结晶峰值温度与iPP结晶峰值温度的差值）,即复合体系中ΔT_Cp较大的成核剂在iPP结晶过程中起主导作用,最终的结晶形态与单独添加这一成核剂时iPP的结晶形态相类似;当两种成核剂的ΔT_Cp接近相同时,两者竞争成核,成核iPP的结晶形态表现为两种成核剂共同作用的结果。因此,通过改变α/β复合成核剂的复合比例即改变两种成核剂的添加浓度,进而改变其ΔT_Cp,可以得到结晶形态完全不同的iPP。采用Caze法对非等温动力学进行了研究,结果表明：添加α/β复合成核剂能够提高iPP的结晶温度,缩短半结晶时间。复合成核剂成核iPP的结晶行为也同样受成核剂ΔT_Cp的影响,复合成核iPP的Avrami指数接近于复合体系中ΔT_Cp较大的成核剂单独添加时iPP的Avrami指数。     

Analysis of the isothermal crystallization of isotactic polypropylene nucleated with sorbitol derivatives

The isothermal crystallization kinetics of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and iPP nucleated with the sorbitol derivatives 1,3:2,4‐bis(4‐methyldibenzylidene)sorbitol and 1,3:2,4‐bis(3,4‐dimethylbenzylidene)sorbitol was studied, along with the subsequent melting behavior, as a function of the nucleating agent concentration. The influence of the agents on the crystallization rate, crystallization temperature, and crystallization range was examined. The isothermal crystallization temperature increased, along with the crystallization rate, with increasing nucleating agent concentration. The maximum effect of the additives occurred at concentrations of 0.3% or greater. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 2261–2274, 2003     

Influence of a nucleating agent on the crystallization behaviour of isotactic polypropylene and elastomer blends

The influence of a nucleating agent on the crystallization behaviour of isotactic polypropylene (iPP), in their blends with poly(styrene-b-ethylene butylene-b-styrene) (SEBS), and a metallocenic ethylene-octene copolymer (EO) was investigated by DSC, optical microscopy and real-time small and wide angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS) experiments using synchrotron radiation. In non-nucleated iPP/SEBS blends, the crystallization of the iPP matrix occurred in the presence of the styrenic domains which induced a nucleating effect on the process, as observed in the synchrotron experiments. The metallocenic elastomer did not affect the crystallization behaviour of iPP in the iPP/EO blends in non-isothermal experiments, however, the development of crystallinity in the elastomer was restricted. In the nucleated isotactic polypropylene/elastomer blends a significant increase in the crystallinity and the crystallization rate of the iPP matrix was observed due to the presence of the nucleating agent. However, the nucleating efficiency of the additive was strongly affected by the nature and content of the elastomeric component. The nucleating agent efficiency was higher in the presence of the ethylene-octene component than the styrenic elastomer.     

Effect of nano-nucleating agent addition on the isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of isotactic polypropylene

Using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique, a comparative study has been made of the isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of nonnucleated isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and of nucleated iPP with 0.5 wt% of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) as a nucleating agent. The Avrami exponents (n) of iPP and nucleated iPP are close to 3.0 for isothermal crystallization. These results indicate that the addition of nucleating agents did not change the crystallization growth patterns of the neat polymer and that crystal growth was heterogeneous three-dimensional spherulitic. The results show that the addition of SWCNTs can shorten the crystallization half-time (t _1/2) and increase the crystallization rate of iPP. In the nonisothermal crystallization process, the Ozawa model failed to describe the crystallization behavior of nucleated iPP. The Cazé–Chuah model successfully described the nonisothermal crystallization process of iPP and its nanocomposite. A kinetic treatment based on the Ziabicki theory is presented to describe the kinetic crystallizability, in order to characterize the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of iPP and nucleated iPP. Polarized light microscopy (PLM) experiments reveal that SWCNTs served as nucleating sites, resulting in a decrease of the spherulite size.     

超临界二氧化碳渗透聚丙烯成核剂的初步研究

Impregnation of isotactic polypropylene （iPP） with nucleating agent （NA21） using supercritical carbon dioxide as the swelling agent at different temperature and pressure and its non-isothermal crystallization kinetics were investigated. The results showed that NA21 was dispersed at a nanometer-scale in the PP matrix, resulting in the formation of different types .of crystal phases of iPP and the enhancement of its mechanical properties.     

基于六氢邻苯二甲酸盐的α/β复合成核剂对聚丙烯性能的影响

将α成核剂六氢邻苯二甲酸钙和β成核剂六氢邻苯二甲酸锌复合得到α/β复合成核剂体系,研究了其对等规聚丙烯（iPP）力学性能和结晶性能的影响,并用Avrami理论研究了成核iPP的等温结晶动力学。结果表明,α/β复合成核剂以特定比例复合可以同时提高iPP的刚性和韧性,其中在复合比例为7∶3时,拉伸强度提升了6.7 %,弯曲模量提升了21.8 %,冲击强度提升了108.2 %。进一步研究了复合成核剂在iPP中的浓度效应,随着总添加量的增加,iPP的结晶温度逐渐增加,力学性能趋于稳定,在添加量达到0.4 %（质量分数,下同）时基本不变,此时冲击强度提升了175.3 %,弯曲模量提升了15.0 %,拉伸强度提升了6.5 %。等温结晶动力学的结果表明,复合成核剂体系的加入可以明显缩短iPP的结晶时间并且降低结晶所需的表面能。     

Influence of the amount of salts of rosin acid on the nonisothermal crystallization,morphology, and properties of isotactic polypropylene

The nonisothermal crystallization of Isotactic polypropylene (iPP) containing different concentration of nucleating agent potassium dehydroabietate (DHAA‐K) or sodium dehydroabietate (DHAA‐Na) at the cooling rate of 10°C/min was investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) together with Jeziorny's method. It was found that the temperature at which the maximum rate of crystallization occurred shifted to a higher region by about 13.7–16.9°C, and the rate of crystallization became faster for iPP with DHAA‐K (PPK) or DHAA‐Na (PPNa) in comparison to the virgin iPP. Avrami exponent for virgin PP, PPK, and PPNa was about 3.1, 2.2, and 2.2, respectively, suggesting the change of the crystal growth mechanism of iPP with the addition of the nucleating agents. The morphology of iPP with and without nucleating agent examined by a cross polarized light microscope indicated that the size of spherulites marginally decreased, which then remained stable with the increase of the concentration of DHAA‐K or DHAA‐Na. The measurements of the optical and mechanical properties of iPP showed that the transparency, gloss, and flexural modulus increased with increasing nucleating agent before its optimal concentration. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:889–897, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Rheologically determined negative influence of increasing nucleating agent content on the crystallization of isotactic polypropylene

Dibenzylidene sorbitol (DBS) exists in the form of fibril and usually acts as an effective nucleating agent to facilitate crystallization of polyolefin during manufacturing. In this research, the isothermal crystallization of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) containing different amounts of DBS was followed by dynamic rheometry, and described upon a viewpoint of viscoelastic property evolution. Since the adopted temperatures within the entire sample preparation and characterization process were below the melting point of DBS, the DBS additives played a role of only solid nucleating agent, thus the possible effect of a changed miscibility between iPP and DBS on the viscoelastic properties as change of temperature could be ignored. Although saturation of nucleating iPP was observed at 0.1% DBS concentration, a negative influence with further increasing DBS content on the crystallization of iPP was determined for the first time via time sweep of G′ upon a single angular frequency and application of “inverse quenching” protocol within a wide range of angular frequency. Even more, a largely increased G′ and viscosity were observed in the melt as decreasing the temperature of iPP containing 0.1% DBS, suggesting a strong quasi-solid like behavior before iPP crystallization. A complement for well understanding the crystallization of iPP containing nucleating agent was discussed based on the formation of the DBS fibrils' network, the interfacial tension between crystalline/amorphous phase, and the consistency of crystallizing lamellae. Our study demonstrates clearly that the crystalline characteristic upon saturation of heterogeneous nucleating is difficult to be detected by traditional means, but could be followed reasonably by rheological measurements which is much sensitive to the microstructural changes.     

Effect of nucleating agent addition on crystallization of isotactic polypropylene

The isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of nonnucleated and nucleated isotactic polypropylene (iPP) were investigated by DSC and a polarized light microscope with a hot stage. Dibenzylidene sorbitol (DBS) was used as a nucleating agent. It was found that the crystallization rate increased with the addition of DBS. The influence of DBS on fold surface energy, σ_e, was examined by the Hoffman and Lauritzen nucleation theory. It showed that σ_e decreased with the addition of DBS, suggesting that DBS is an effective nucleating agent for iPP. Ozawa's theory was used to study the nonisothermal crystallization. It was found that the crystallization temperature for the nucleated iPP was higher than that for nonnucleated iPP. The addition of DBS reduced the Ozawa exponent, suggesting a change in spherulite morphology. The cooling crystallization function has a negative exponent on the crystallization temperature. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 69: 2089–2095, 1998     

Variation of non‐isothermal crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene with varying β‐nucleating agent content

The non‐isothermal crystallization behavior, the crystallization kinetics, the crystallization activation energy and the morphology of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with varying content of β‐nucleating agent were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The DSC results showed that the Avrami equation modified by Jeziorny and a method developed by Mo and co‐workers could be successfully used to describe the non‐isothermal crystallization process of the nucleated iPPs. The values of n showed that the non‐isothermal crystallization of α‐ and β‐nucleated iPPs corresponded to a tridimensional growth with homogeneous and heterogeneous nucleation, respectively. The values of crystallization rate constant showed that the rate of crystallization decreased for iPPs with the addition of β‐nucleating agent. The crystallization activation energy increased with a small amount (less than 0.1 wt%) of β‐nucleating agent and decreased with higher concentration (more than 0.1 wt%). The changes of crystallization rate, crystallization time and crystallization activation energy of iPPs with varying contents of β‐nucleating agent were mainly determined by the ratio of the content of α‐ and β‐phase in iPP (α‐PP and β‐PP) from the DSC investigation, and the large size and many intercrossing lamellae between boundaries of β‐spherulites for iPPs with small amounts of β‐nucleating agent and the small size and few intercrossing bands among the boundaries of β‐spherulites for iPPs with large amounts of β‐nucleating agent from the SEM examination. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry     

Influence of a particulate nucleating agent on the quiescent and flow-induced crystallization of isotactic polypropylene

Flow induced crystallization of commercial isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and its blends with sodium 2,2′-methylene bis-(4,6-di-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate (also known as NA11) is studied by means of in-situ time resolved small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The isothermal crystallization at 145 °C (i.e. well below melting temperature of polymer) is performed after the application of steady shear to probe the anisotropic structure formation. In order to separate the influence of shear rate and shear time on polymer crystallization, four different shear conditions (60 s⁻¹ for 1 s, 30 s⁻¹ for 2 s, 15 s⁻¹ for 4 s and 6 s⁻¹ for 10 s) are applied while maintaining the same imposed strain in the polymer melt. Further the effect of different concentration of nucleating agent on the crystallization kinetics of iPP is examined both under quiescent and shear flow conditions. For instance, under quiescent condition, the crystallization half-time (τ_1/2) decreases with the increasing concentration of nucleating agent in the polymer. Under shear flow conditions, our observations are as follows: In the case of neat iPP, τ_1/2 decreases significantly at higher shear rates (≥30 s⁻¹). Compared to the neat iPP, for the same concentration of NA11 in the NA11/iPP blends differences in τ_1/2 with the increase in applied shear rates are significantly smaller. In other words, the crystallization kinetics is dominated by the amount of nucleating agent in the NA11/iPP blends as opposed to shear rates in the neat iPP. The present study shows that the critical value of shear rate required for chain orientation in the molten polymer is lower in the presence of the nucleating agent compared to neat iPP. The self-nucleation process investigated with the aid of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), indicates that the nucleating efficiency of NA11 on iPP is around 60%.     

α/β复合成核剂对等规聚丙烯结晶形态的影响及非等温结晶动力学

采用偏光显微镜(POM)及示差扫描量热(DSC)法考察了3种α/β复合成核剂NA40/NABW、NA40/HHPA-Ba、NA40/PA-03对成核等规聚丙烯(iPP)的结晶形态及非等温结晶动力学的影响。对成核iPP结晶形态的研究结果表明：α/β复合成核剂的加入能够减小iPP的球晶尺寸。影响α/β复合成核剂成核iPP结晶形态的主要因素是ΔT_Cp（ΔT_Cp为成核iPP结晶峰值温度与iPP结晶峰值温度的差值）,即复合体系中ΔT_Cp较大的成核剂在iPP结晶过程中起主导作用,最终的结晶形态与单独添加这一成核剂时iPP的结晶形态相类似;当两种成核剂的ΔT_Cp接近相同时,两者竞争成核,成核iPP的结晶形态表现为两种成核剂共同作用的结果。因此,通过改变α/β复合成核剂的复合比例即改变两种成核剂的添加浓度,进而改变其ΔT_Cp,可以得到结晶形态完全不同的iPP。采用Caze法对非等温动力学进行了研究,结果表明：添加α/β复合成核剂能够提高iPP的结晶温度,缩短半结晶时间。复合成核剂成核iPP的结晶行为也同样受成核剂ΔT_Cp的影响,复合成核iPP的Avrami指数接近于复合体系中ΔT_Cp较大的成核剂单独添加时iPP的Avrami指数。     

Influence of different β‐nucleating agent on crystallization behavior,morphology, and melting characteristic of multiwalled carbon nanotube‐filled isotactic polypropylene nanocomposites

To obtain isotactic polypropylene (iPP) nanocomposites with high β‐crystal content, TMB5, calcium pimelate and calcium pimelate supported on the surface of nano‐CaCO₃ were used as β‐nucleating agent and MWCNT filled β‐nucleated iPP nanocomposites were prepared. The effect of different β‐nucleating agent and MWCNT on the crystallization behavior and morphology, melting characteristic and β‐crystal content of β‐nucleated iPP nanocomposites were investigated by DSC, XRD and POM. The results indicated that addition of MWCNT increased the crystallization temperature of iPP and MWCNT filled iPP nanocomposites mainly formed α‐crystal. The β‐nucleating agent can induce the formation of β‐crystal in MWCNT filled iPP nanocomposites. The β‐nucleating ability and β‐crystal content in MWCNT filled β‐nucleated iPP nanocomposites decreased with increasing MWCNT content and increased with increasing β‐nucleating agent content due to the nucleation competition between MWCNT and β‐nucleating agents. It is found that the calcium pimelate supported on the surface of inorganic particles as β‐nucleating agent has stronger heterogeneous β‐nucleation than calcium pimelate and TMB5. The MWCNT filled iPP nanocomposites with high β‐crystal content can be obtained by supported β‐nucleating agent. POLYM. COMPOS., 36:635–643, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Temperature dependence of the nucleation effect of sorbitol derivatives on polypropylene crystallization

The temperature dependence of the nucleation effect of three sorbitol derivatives on the crystallization of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was studied by means of isothermal crystallization kinetic analysis. Isothermal crystallization thermograms obtained by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were analyzed based on the Avrami equation. The Avrami analysis for the nucleated iPP was carried out with DSC data collected to 35% relative crystallinity, and the rate constants were corrected assuming the heterogeneous nucleation and three dimensional growth of iPP spherulites. A semi-empirical equation for the radial growth rate of iPP spherulites was given as a function of temperature and was used to determine the number of effective nuclei at different temperatures. The number of effective nuclei in the nucleated samples was estimated to be 3 × 10² ∽ 10⁵ times larger than that in the neat iPP. The logarithmic numbers of the effective nuclei decreased linearly with decreasing degree of supercooling in the range of crystallization temperatures tested. The temperature dependence of the effect of the nucleating agents on iPP crystallization was given quantitatively in terms of the deactivation factor defined as a fraction of the particles that are active at a particular temperature but inert at the temperature one degree higher. The nucleation activity and its temperature dependence are considered to be cooperative effects of many factors, including the dispersion and the physical or chemical nature of the agent as well as the interaction between the agent and the polymer. It is suggested that the temperature dependence of the effect of a nucleating agent should be treated as a characteristic of a given polymer/ nucleating agent mixture.     

Influence of a novel β‐nucleating agent on the structure,morphology, and nonisothermal crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene

The crystalline structure, morphology, and nonisothermal crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with and without a novel rare earth‐containing β‐nucleating agent (WBG) were investigated with wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, polar optical microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. WBG could induce the formation of the β form, and a higher proportion of the β form could be obtained by the combined effect of the optimum WBG concentration and a lower cooling rate. The content of the β form could reach more than 0.90 in a 0.08 wt % WBG nucleated sample at cooling rates lower than 5°C/min. Polar optical microscopy showed that WBG led to substantial changes in both the morphological development and crystallization process of iPP. At all the studied cooling rates, the temperature at which the maximum rate of crystallization occurred was increased by 8–11°C in the presence of the nucleating agent. An analysis of the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics also revealed that the introduction of WBG significantly shortened both the apparent incubation period for crystallization and the overall crystallization time. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

含较高立构缺陷聚乳酸的非等温结晶动力学

用非等温结晶动力学研究了聚乳酸(PLA)的结晶行为,利用Hoffman-Weeks外推法以及Baur等提出的方程反推出PLA中的右旋组分摩尔分数为7.2%.较高的右旋组分摩尔分数是PLA结晶过程中成核速率低的主要因素.添加质量分数为2%滑石粉等成核剂后,PLA结晶速率没有明显提高;含10%滑石粉的PLA结晶速率略上升,...     

The effect of bicyclo[2.2.1]hept‐5‐ene‐2,3‐dicarboxylate on the mechanical properties and crystallization behaviors of isotactic polypropylene

The mechanical and optical properties of iPP nucleated with bicyclo[2.2.1]heptenedicarboxylate salts (BCHED) have been investigated. The results showed that aluminum bicyclo[2.2.1]heptenedicarboxylate (BCHE13) is the most effective nucleating agent to improve the mechanical and optical properties. Then the effects of the BCHE13 concentration on mechanical and optical properties and crystallization behaviors were studied. The results indicated that the saturated concentration of BCHE13 is about 0.2 wt %, at which nucleated iPP showed the better comprehensive mechanical and optical properties and high crystallization peak temperature. Nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of iPP nucleated with different BCHE13 contents have been investigated by Caze method. The results indicated Avrami exponents of nucleated iPP gradually increased with the increasing of BCHE13 concentration. The results can be explained that crystallization and growth model of nucleated iPP is heterogeneous nuclei followed by more than three‐dimension spherical growth during nonisothermal crystallization, which can be proved by agglomeration of BCHE13 in melt iPP. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Isothermal crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene blended with small loading of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane

The isothermal crystallization kinetics and morphology development of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) blended with small loading of nanostructure of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) were studied with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The crystallization behaviors of iPP/POSS composites presented an unusual crystallization behavior during isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization conditions. The exothermic morphologies of isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization of iPP/POSS composites changed remarkably with increasing POSS. Moreover, the developments of spherulitic morphology for iPP/POSS composites showed that the major dispersed POSS molecules became nanocrystals first and then aggregated together forming thread- or network-like morphologies, respectively, depending on POSS content, which was observed. It implies that these major POSS nanocrystals' morphologies appeared as an effective nucleating agent and promoted the nucleation rate of iPP, whereas the minor dispersed POSS molecules that had slight miscibility between iPP retarded the nucleation and growth rates of iPP in the remaining bulk region. Therefore, the isothermal crystallization showed a single exothermic peak at pure iPP and POSS-1.0, whereas at POSS-2.0 and POSS-3.0, displayed the multi-exothermic peaks during isothermal crystallization. These faces indicated that POSS molecules were both influence on the transport of iPP chain in the melted state and on the free-energy of formation the critical nuclei of iPP assisted by the POSS structures were observed. Therefore, we postulated that the crystallization mechanisms of multi-exothermic peaks in isothermal crystallization may proceed to combine the “nucleating agent inducing nucleation of iPP event assisted by the POSS domains” that the nucleation of iPP does occur preferentially on the surfaces of the POSS “threads” or “networks” structures, and “nucleation and growth of iPP in the remaining bulk melted iPP region retarded by dispersed POSS molecules”. Therefore, effects of POSS content on the isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization behaviors of iPP/POSS composites due to the POSS molecules partially miscible with iPP, at very small loading of POSS molecules, promoted or retarded the rates of nucleation and growth of iPP depending on the POSS content and crystallization temperature were discussed.