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Morphology and melt crystallization of poly( L ‐lactide) obtained by ring opening polymerization of L ‐lactide with zinc catalyst
Author(s) -
He Yong,
Fan Zhongyong,
Wei Jia,
Li Suming
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
polymer engineering and science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.503
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1548-2634
pISSN - 0032-3888
DOI - 10.1002/pen.20617
Subject(s) - materials science , differential scanning calorimetry , crystallization , spherulite (polymer physics) , nucleation , lactide , polymer chemistry , chemical engineering , isothermal process , zinc , lamellar structure , polymerization , composite material , polymer , metallurgy , organic chemistry , chemistry , thermodynamics , engineering , physics
Abstract The morphology and melt crystallization of zinc catalyzed poly( L ‐lactide) (PLLA) were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. Isothermal melt crystallization performed at 95–135°C showed that the morphology depends on the degree of supercooling, as illustrated by crystallite perfection and lamellar thickening behaviors. Double melting peak was observed on DSC thermograms and attributed to the melt‐recrystallization mechanism, small and imperfect crystals becoming gradually more stable ones. Circumferential and hexagonal cracks were detected in PLLA spherulites, which were formed during melt‐crystallization at 135°C and quenching in liquid nitrogen. Rhythmic growth and thermal shrinkage are suggested to be the two main factors accounting for the formation of periodic cracks. Spherulite growth rates of PLLA were evaluated by using combined isothermal and nonisothermal procedures, and were analyzed by the secondary nucleation theory. The maximum growth rate reached 9.1 μm/min at 130°C. The temperature range investigated (120–155°C) belongs to the Regime II of crystallization. The value of U * was found to be 1890 cal/mol, instead of 1500 cal/mol commonly used in literature, and K g and σ were estimated to be 3.03 × 10 5 K 2 and 1.537 × 10 −4 J/m 2 , respectively. As a result, no distinct difference between PLLA catalyzed by zinc metal and those prepared with stannous octoate catalyst exists in this work. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 46:1583–1589, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers.