Nucleation effect of surface treated TiO 2 on Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) nanocomposites

A study of the nucleation effect of TiO 2 in poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/TiO 2 nanocomposite has been carried out using different theoretical models. The models were applied and developed with the aim to describe and better understand the influence of the TiO 2 dispersion on crystallization characteristics of PTT. The PTT/TiO 2 nanocomposites with untreated and surface‐treated TiO 2 were prepared by the melt mixing method. The nucleation efficiency of the TiO 2 nanoparticles has been analyzed with the use of the Avrami model and Mo's method. It was found that the PTT matrix incorporated with surface‐treated TiO 2 particles has a higher crystallization temperature and melting point than that incorporated with untreated TiO 2 particles. As per the models, unlike untreated TiO 2 , surface‐treated TiO 2 particles had a lesser effect on the degree of crystallization of the PTT matrix. The TiO 2 nanoparticles act as a nucleating agent in the PTT matrix thereby reducing t ½ of the crystallization and leading to easier crystallization of the polymer. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013