Morphology of melt crystallized polypropylene in the presence of polyimide fibres

Hot stage optical and scanning electron microscopy were used to study isothermal crystallization of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) in the presence of polyimide (Pl) fibres. Under the same crystallization conditions, the occurrence of transcrystallization depends on the type of fibre used. The transcrystalline interphase has a composed structure, with a characteristic layer adjacent to the fibre surface. The layer is about 1 m thick and has a crosshatched lamellar morphology. At the interface between iPP and the Pl fibre which causes transcrystallization, the nuclei from which the transcrystalline zone grows is observed. The nuclei consist of sheaves of closely packed parallel needleshaped lamellae of uniform thickness. The transcrystallization phenomenon can be explained by the epitaxial crystallization of iPP matrix on the surface fragments (domains) formed by extended chains of Pl fibres. Different abilities of Pl fibres to induce transcrystallization are associated with the superficial morphology of the fibres.Presented in part at the 28th Europhysics Conference on Macromolecular Physics, Transitions in Oligomer and Polymer Systems, 27 September–1 October 1993, Ulm, Germany.