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Crystallization behavior of carbon black‐filled polypropylene and polypropylene/epoxy composites
Author(s) -
Li Ying,
Wang Shifeng,
Zhang Yong,
Zhang Yinxi
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.23254
Subject(s) - epoxy , crystallization , materials science , composite material , polypropylene , nucleation , differential scanning calorimetry , carbon black , avrami equation , activation energy , polymer , chemical engineering , crystallization of polymers , chemistry , natural rubber , engineering , physics , organic chemistry , thermodynamics
The crystallization behavior of polypropylene (PP)/carbon black (CB) and PP/epoxy/CB composites was studied with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effects of compatibilizer MAH‐ g ‐PP and dynamic cure on the crystallization behavior are investigated. The nonisothermal crystallization parameters analysis showed that CB particles in the PP/CB composites and the dispersed epoxy particles in the PP/epoxy composites could act as nucleating agents, accelerating the crystallization of the composites. Morphological studies indicated that the incorporation of CB into PP/epoxy resulted in its preferential localization in the epoxy resin phase, changing the spherical epoxy particles into elongated structure, and thus reduced the nucleation effect of epoxy particles. Addition of MAH‐ g ‐PP significantly decreased the average diameter of epoxy particles in the PP/epoxy and PP/epoxy/CB composites, promoting the crystallization of PP more effectively. The isothermal crystallization kinetics and thermodynamics of the PP/CB and PP/epoxy/CB composites were studied with the Avrami equation and Hoffman theory, respectively. The Avrami exponent and the crystallization rate of the PP/CB composites were higher than those of PP, and the free energy of chain folding for PP crystallization decreased with increasing CB content. Addition of MAH‐ g ‐PP into the PP/epoxy and PP/epoxy/CB composites increased the crystallization rate of the composites and decreased the chain folding energy significantly. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 104–118, 2006