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A novel highly efficient β‐nucleating agent for polypropylene using nano‐CaCO 3 as a support
Author(s) -
Zhang Zishou,
Chen Chunyan,
Wang Chunguang,
Junping Zhang,
Mai Kancheng
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.2847
Subject(s) - crystallization , tacticity , differential scanning calorimetry , nucleation , chemical engineering , materials science , fourier transform infrared spectroscopy , phase (matter) , polypropylene , polymer chemistry , polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , polymerization , composite material , physics , engineering , thermodynamics
In order to increase the isotactic content of β‐nucleated polypropylene (β‐iPP) and decrease the cost of its production, the investigation and development of novel highly efficient β‐nucleators are important issues. Nano‐CaCO 3 was used as a support to prepare a supported β‐nucleator, nano‐CaCO 3 ‐supported calcium pimelate. Fourier transform infrared spectral analysis shows that an in situ chemical reaction takes place between nano‐CaCO 3 and pimelic acid. Differential scanning calorimetry results indicate that the crystallization and melting temperatures of β‐phase in supported β‐nucleator‐nucleated iPP are higher than those of calcium pimelate‐nucleated iPP. The β‐nucleating ability of the supported β‐nucleator is little influenced by the cooling rate and crystallization temperature over a wide range. The decreased content of pimelic acid in the supported β‐nucleator slightly decreases the crystallization temperature of iPP but it has no influence on the content of β‐phase in nucleated iPP. A novel supported β‐nucleator has been successfully synthesized via pimelic acid supported on the surface of CaCO 3 . The crystallization temperature of iPP and melting temperature of β‐phase in iPP nucleated using the supported β‐nucleator are higher than those of iPP nucleated using calcium pimelate. The concept of a supported nucleator will provide a new way to increase the efficiency of polymer additives and to decrease the amounts of them that need to be used by using nanoparticles as supports. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry