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Crystallization Behavior of Poly( ε ‐caprolactone) Grafted onto Cellulose Alkyl Esters: Effects of Copolymer Composition and Intercomponent Miscibility
Author(s) -
Kusumi Ryosuke,
Teramoto Yoshikuni,
Nishio Yoshiyuki
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.200800332
Subject(s) - miscibility , crystallization , copolymer , caprolactone , polymer chemistry , materials science , amorphous solid , polymer , cellulose , chemical engineering , chemistry , crystallography , composite material , organic chemistry , engineering
Graft copolymers of CA and CB with PCL were prepared at compositions rich in PCL. Kinetic DSC data were analyzed in terms of a folded‐chain crystallization formula expanded for a binary mixing system of amorphous/crystalline polymers. The order of crystallization rates was plain PCL > CA‐ g ‐PCL (DS = 2.98) > CB‐ g ‐PCL (DS = 2.1–2.95) > CA‐ g ‐PCL (DS = 2.1–2.5), and the fold‐surface free energy of the PCL crystals obeyed the reverse order. POM revealed a generally tardy growth of spherulites for all the graft copolymers. The slower crystallization process may be ascribed primarily to the compulsory effect of anchoring PCL chains onto the semi‐rigid cellulose backbone. Intercomponent miscibility of the CA/PCL and CB/PCL pairs was also taken into consideration.