ISSN:
0887-6266
Keywords:
α-polypropylene
;
β-polypropylene
;
crystallization
;
cylindrite
;
isotactic polypropylene
;
melting
;
nucleation
;
quiescent melt
;
sheared melt
;
supermolecular structure
;
thermo-optical study
;
transcrystallization
;
Chemistry
;
Polymer and Materials Science
Source:
Wiley InterScience Backfile Collection 1832-2000
Topics:
Chemistry and Pharmacology
,
Physics
Notes:
Shear-induced crystallization of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) homo-, block, and random copolymers was studied and compared to that in quiescent melt. It was evidenced by means of the thermo-optical technique that melt-shearing, caused by fiber pulling, is associated with the development of α-row-nuclei. The surface of the in situ formed α-row-nuclei may induce the growth of the β-modification of iPP resulting in a cylindrite of polymorphous composition. The polymorphous composition is controlled by the temperature-dependent relative growth rate of the α- and β-iPP for which a model explanation was given. The β-nucleation ability of the α-row-nuclei is lost by melt-shearing at high temperature or remelting. This was attributed to a coverage of the β-nuclei by the α-phase. The structural memory of the supermolecular structures was studied in repeated melting and crystallization cycles and discussed. It was found that the quality of the fiber did not influence the mechanisms concluded. The shear-induced crystallization of propylene block copolymers was highly analogous to the homopolymers. In case of the random copolymers, however, crystallization in sheared melt resulted in an α-cylindritic structure, because for propylene random copolymers the growth rate of the α-modification is always higher than that of the β. It was also demonstrated that the mechanism of shear-induced crystallization was unaffected when the crystallizing PP melt contained selective β-nucleants. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Additional Material:
11 Ill.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
