Nonisothermal bulk crystallization studies of high density polyethylene using light depolarizing microscopy

✍ Scribed by Pitt Supaphol; Joseph E. Spruiell

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 268 KB
• Volume: 36
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0887-6266
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1099-0488(199803)36:4<681::aid-polb14>3.0.co;2-b

✦ Synopsis

The quiescent nonisothermal bulk crystallization kinetics of two high-density polyethylene resins were investigated by a modified light-depolarizing microscopy (LDM) technique. The technique allows studies at average cooling rates up to 2500ЊC/ min. The polymer was found to crystallize at a pseudo-isothermal temperature even at these very high cooling rates. The overall bulk crystallization rate increased rapidly as the cooling rate and supercooling increased. Crystallization kinetics was analyzed by Avrami analysis. Avrami exponents near 3 suggested spherical growth geometry and instantaneous nucleation at predetermined sites. Observation of spherulites by optical microscopy together with a number density of spherulites that changed little with increase in cooling rate or supercooling supported this model of crystallization behavior. Analysis of the half-time of crystallization based on the Lauritzen and Hoffman secondary nucleation theory indicated that the regime II-III transition was found to occur at a degree of supercooling of approximately 22ЊC.