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Crystallization of Poly( ε ‐caprolactone)/Poly(vinyl chloride) Miscible Blends Under Strain: The Role of Molecular Weight
Author(s) -
Zhang Yubao,
Prud'homme Robert E.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
macromolecular rapid communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.348
H-Index - 154
eISSN - 1521-3927
pISSN - 1022-1336
DOI - 10.1002/marc.200600331
Subject(s) - small angle x ray scattering , materials science , caprolactone , vinyl chloride , crystallization , annealing (glass) , polymer chemistry , polycaprolactone , composite material , chemical engineering , crystallography , scattering , polymer , polymerization , copolymer , chemistry , optics , physics , engineering
Summary: The effect of poly( ε ‐caprolactone) (PCL) molecular weight on the orientation of crystalline PCL in miscible poly( ε ‐caprolactone)/poly(vinyl chloride) (PCL/PVC) blends, melt crystallized under strain, has been studied by a combination of wide angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) and small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) studies. An unusual crystal orientation with the b‐axis parallel to the stretching direction was observed in miscible PCL/PVC blends with PCL of high molecular weight (>21 000). SAXS showed the presence of nanosize confined PCL in the PCL/PVC blends, which could be preserved at temperatures higher than the T m of PCL but lower than the T g of PVC. A mechanism based on the confinement of PCL crystal growth was proposed, which can explain the formation of b‐axis orientation in PCL/PVC blends crystallized under strain.SAXS pattern of stretched PCL/PVC blend after annealing at 90 °C for 5 min.