Crystallization and Morphology of Poly(ethylene 2,6‐naphthalene dicarboxylate) Containing Additives

Abstract

AbstractThe influence of nucleating agents (AClyn®, Surlyn® and sodium benzoate (SB)) alone and together with nucleating promoter (Ceraflour® 993 and Ceraflour® 991 and poly(1,4‐butylene sebacate)) on the crystallization and morphology of poly(ethylene 2,6‐naphthalene dicarboxylate) (PEN) was investigated by means of differential scanning calorimeter, polarized optical microscopy and small angle light scattering. It was revealed that AClyn, Surlyn and SB effectively accelerate nucleation and crystallization of PEN with increasing the ratio of nucleating agent up to 1 wt.‐%. A combination of nucleating agent and nucleating promoter leads to further increase in crystallization rate at low temperature, but only a slight change at high temperature. Hedrites were obtained in pure PEN and the addition of SB and Ceraflour 993 produces small crystals with poor perfection upon crystallization in high temperature region. When crystallization temperature was below 210 °C, spherulites were observed in pure PEN and also in the samples of PEN/Ceraflour 993 and PEN/SB but with smaller size.Crystal morphology of PEN crystallized at 240 °C for 40 min.magnified imageCrystal morphology of PEN crystallized at 240 °C for 40 min.