Melting-recrystallisation process

A method was described for measuring the heat and rate of crystallisation following partial melting. The method uses a specific sequence of temperatures with a differential scanning calorimeter, and the melting and recrystallisation processes were confirmed by optical observations. The method was applied to poly(butylene terephthalate). The melting temperatures obtained from recrystallisation were used in the Hoffman-Weeks equation to deduce 236 C as the equilibrium melting temperature for PBTP. 22 refs. 

Pecrystallisation of a copolymer having 15 wt % VC has been found to be nucleated by material that survives the melting process plus new nuclei (74). The maximum crystallisation rate occurred at 373 K the maximum nucleation rate at 283 K. Attempts to melt all the polymer led to degradation that interfered with recrystallisation. 

Aluminium and magnesium melt at just over 900 K. Room temperature is 0.3 T and 100°C is 0.4 T, . Substantial diffusion can take place in these alloys if they are used for long periods at temperatures approaching 80-100°C. Several processes can occur to reduce the yield strength loss of solutes from supersaturated solid solution, overageing of precipitates and recrystallisation of cold-worked microstructures. 

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