Enhanced crystallization rate of biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) by cyanuric acid as an efficient nucleating agent

Abstract

The influence of cyanuric acid (CA) as an efficient nucleating agent on the crystallization behavior and morphology of biodegradable poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) was extensively studied in this work with several techniques for the first time. The nonisothermal melt crystallization behavior and overall isothermal melt crystallization rate of PCL were significantly enhanced by only a small amount of CA. The addition of CA apparently improved the nonisothermal melt crystallization peak temperature, overall isothermal melt crystallization rate, and nucleation density of PCL spherulites, but did not modify the crystallization mechanism and crystal structure of PCL, indicating that CA was an efficient nucleating agent for the crystallization of PCL. The possible nucleation mechanism of CA on the crystallization of PCL was also discussed on the basis of their crystal structures.