Polypropylene crystallisation behaviour

Jose S, Aprem A S, Francis B, Chandy M G, Werner P, Alstaedt V and Thomas S (2004) Phase morphology, crystallisation behaviour and mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene/high density polyethylene blends, Eur Polym J 40 2105-2115. 

M. S. Sreekala, B. Lehmann, M. Z. Rong, K. Friedrich, Nanosilica reinforced polypropylene composites microstructural analysis and crystallisation behaviour, Int. J. Polym. Mater., to be submitted. 

This book covers both fundamental and applied research associated with polymer-based nanocomposites, and presents possible directions for further development of high performanee nanocomposites. It has two main parts. Part I has 12 chapters which are entirely dedicated to those polymer nanocomposites containing layered silicates (clay) as an additive. Many thermoplastics, thermosets, and elastomers are included, such as polyamide (Chapter 1), polypropylene (Chapter 4), polystyrene (Chapter 5), poly(butylene terephthalate) (Chapter 9), poly(ethyl acrylate) (Chapter 6), epoxy resin (Chapter 2), biodegradable polymers (Chapter 3), water soluble polymers (Chapter 8), acrylate photopolymers (Chapter 7) and rubbers (Chapter 12). In addition to synthesis and structural characterisation of polymer/clay nanocomposites, their unique physical properties like flame retardancy (Chapter 10) and gas/liquid barrier (Chapter 11) properties are also discussed. Furthermore, the crystallisation behaviour of polymer/clay nanocomposites and the significance of chemical compatibility between a polymer and clay in affecting clay dispersion are also considered. 

Li and co-workers [63] studied the crystallisation and melting behaviour of poly(]3-hydroxybutyrate (P-HB)-co-P-hydroxyvalerate (P-HV)) and a blend of poly(P-HB-co-P-HV)/polypropylene carbonate (30/70 w/w) using DSC and FT-IR spectroscopy. Transesterification occurred between poly(P-HB-co-P-HV) and polypropylene carbonate during the melt blending process. During crystallisation from the melt, the crystallisation temperature of the blend decreased by 8 °C compared with that of neat poly(P-HB-co-P-HV) and the melting temperature decreased by 4 °C. This indicated that the presence of polypropylene carbonate reduced the perfection of the poly(P-HB-co-P-HV) crystals, inhibited by the crystallisation of poly(p-HB-co-P-HV) and weakened its crystallisation ability. The equilibrium melting temperatures of... 

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