Nucleation effect of surface treated TiO2 on Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) nanocomposites

A study of the nucleation effect of TiO₂ in poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/TiO₂ nanocomposite has been carried out using different theoretical models. The models were applied and developed with the aim to describe and better understand the influence of the TiO₂ dispersion on crystallization characteristics of PTT. The PTT/TiO₂ nanocomposites with untreated and surface‐treated TiO₂ were prepared by the melt mixing method. The nucleation efficiency of the TiO₂ nanoparticles has been analyzed with the use of the Avrami model and Mo's method. It was found that the PTT matrix incorporated with surface‐treated TiO₂ particles has a higher crystallization temperature and melting point than that incorporated with untreated TiO₂ particles. As per the models, unlike untreated TiO₂, surface‐treated TiO₂ particles had a lesser effect on the degree of crystallization of the PTT matrix. The TiO₂ nanoparticles act as a nucleating agent in the PTT matrix thereby reducing t_½ of the crystallization and leading to easier crystallization of the polymer. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013