Cold crystallization studies on PET/PEN blends as revealed by microhardness

The cold crystallization of amorphous films of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and poly(ethylene naphthalene-2,6-dicarboxylate) (PEN) blends, with different composition, prepared by co-precipitation from solution followed by melt-pressing for 2 min at 280°C and quenching in ice-water, was followed by measuring the microhardness, H, in real time as a function of crystallization temperature and time. An analytical model was derived, relating properties of the individual components to the blend microhardness based on an Avrami-type equation to account for the crystallization of the components upon heating. Fitting of the model to the experimental results revealed a two-step hardening process of the blends. The degree of transesterification of the blends, can be estimated with this model. Finally, a removal of the physical ageing, inducing a decrease in H of PET in the blend, was observed upon heating above its glass transition temperature. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.