Journal of Polymer Science Part B: Polymer Physics, Vol.42, No.5, 820-829, 2004
Crystallization kinetics of poly(ethylene oxide) from its melt and from mixtures with tetrahydronaphthalene and oligo(ethylene oxide-block-dimethylsiloxane)
The crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) from the pure state and from its mixtures with oligo(dimethyl siloxane-b-ethylene oxide) (COP) and tetrahydronaphthalene (THN) was investigated. The crystallization kinetics was studied isothermally and nonisothermally with an automated device that monitored the light passing through the corresponding liquids as functions of time and/or temperature. The rate was strongly influenced by the concentration of COP in the mixture. A substantial decrease in the induction time (the time required for the onset of crystallization) and a considerable shift in the crystallization temperature (the transition from a liquid state to a solid state) to higher temperatures were observed as the concentration of COP rose. This behavior was attributed to the differences in the interaction parameters of PEO with THN and COP. The isothermal crystallization kinetics was analyzed on the basis of the Avrami equation. Modified approaches (Avrami and Ozawa) were used for the evaluation of nonisothermal crystallization. In the initial state of crystallization, a power law held true for the augmentation of the radii of spherulites with time for all mixtures, regardless of the concentration of COP. Different spherulitic morphologies were observed, depending on the COP concentration. With rising COP contents, the structures changed from being needlelike to being compact. These findings were all examined in terms of the isothermal variation of the degree of supercooling resulting from changes in the compositions of the mixtures. (C) 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Keywords:crystallization kinetics;Avrami analysis;growth rate;spherulitic morphology;three component system;poly(ethylene oxide)