초록 |
: We developed a new, simple, and versatile fluorescence technique for probing the melting transitions of semicrystalline thermoplastics. With this approach, fluorescent probes are incorporated into a semicrystalline polymer, either by physical doping or covalent labeling, and their T-dependent fluorescence intensity data exhibit a stepwise decrease nearby Tm because of the reduced restriction of intramolecular motion when crystals start to melt. Interestingly, the first derivative of the obtained T-dependent fluorescence intensity data can reveal the onset and endset of the melting transition as well as the peak melting temperature. The melting point values determined by fluorescence agree well with those characterized by conventional differential scanning calorimetry. This fluorescence technique can be applied with various types of fluorescent probes and generalized to many semicrystalline thermoplastics (e.g., poly(L-lactic acid), poly(caprolactone), and poly(ethylene oxide)). |