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Nonisothermal crystallization behavior and nucleation of LDPE/Al nano‐ and microcomposites
Author(s) -
Huang Xingyi,
Ke Qingquan,
Kim Chonung,
Zhong Hanfang,
Wei Ping,
Wang Genlin,
Liu Fei,
Jiang Pingkai
Publication year - 2007
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.20784
Subject(s) - low density polyethylene , crystallization , materials science , differential scanning calorimetry , nucleation , agglomerate , lamellar structure , chemical engineering , nanoparticle , avrami equation , nanocomposite , composite material , crystallization of polymers , polymer , thermodynamics , nanotechnology , physics , engineering
The nonisothermal crystallization and melting behavior of LDPE and LDPE/Al nano‐ and microcomposites prepared from melt compounding were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The DSC results show that the Al nanoparticles can either facilitate or hinder the crystallization of LDPE, depending on the dispersion of the nanoparticles in LDPE. The well‐dispersed Al nanoparticles do not have nucleating effects and mainly act as obstacles in the crystallization process, but the agglomerates of Al nanoparticles can act as nucleating agents and slightly accelerate the crystallization process of LDPE. The Al microparticles have nucleating effect and facilitate the crystallization process of LDPE. The combined Avrami–Ozawa equation was used to describe the nonisothermal crystallization process. It was found that the combined Avrami–Ozawa method can successfully describe the nonisothermal crystallization process. The melting behavior indicates that the lamellar thickness distribution of the nanocomposites and microcomposites is not significantly changed in comparison with the neat LDPE. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:1052–1061, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers