Browsing by Author "Huang, Jiang"

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    Understanding the role of kinetic parameters on the crystallization of miscible semicrystalline polymer blends
    Huang, Jiang (Virginia Tech, 1995-08-05)
    This dissertation discusses results of crystallization kinetic, morphology and scattering studies on miscible semi crystalline blends of poly(pivalolactone)/ poly(vinylidene fluoride)(pPVLIPVF₂) and poly(pivalolactone)/poly(vinylidene fluoride co- tetrafluoroethylene)(95-5) (PPVL/P(VF2-TFE)(95-5)) prepared by solution blending. The spherulitic growth rates of the α-phase PPVL from miscible blends with PVF₂ or P(VF₂- TFE)(95-5) were measured by polarized optical microscopy as a function of blend composition and isothermal crystallization temperature, Tx, between 160°C and 215.5°C. The PPVL weight fraction in the blends ranged from 100 to 10 wt%. Using the Lauritzen-Hoffman kinetic theory of polymer crystal growth, the equilibrium melting temperatures of the α-phase PPVL in both the PPVL/PVF₂ and the PPVL/P(VF₂-TFE)(95-5) blends have been determined, for the first time, directly from the spherulitic growth rate data. Analysis of the composition dependence of the nucleation constant, Kg suggests that the α-phase PPVL crystal/melt lateral interface free energy, Ï , in the blends decreases markedly with increasing PVF₂ or P(VF₂-TFE)(95-5) concentration.