Nucleation effect of cyclodextrin inclusion complexes on the crystallization of isotactic poly(1‐butene)

Abstract

AbstractThe β‐cyclodextrin (β‐CD) and γ‐cyclodextrin (γ‐CD) inclusion complexes (ICs) with four kinds of polyolefin were prepared. The crystallization behavior of isotactic poly(1‐butene) (iPB‐1) blended with these CDs and ICs was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction. The iPB‐1 blended with the ICs was found to exhibit higher crystallization temperature (TC), smaller spherulites, and faster crystallization rate than neat iPB‐1. These results indicate that the ICs can act as nucleating agent on the crystallization of iPB‐1 and induce the accelerated crystallization. The guest molecules of ICs play an important role in the nucleation effect of ICs on the crystallization of iPB‐1. ICs with polyolefin having higher TC as guest molecules have higher nucleation effect than the one with polyolefin having lower TC as guest molecules. And, the CDs and ICs induce different crystal form of iPB‐1. The crystal of iPB‐1 blended with CDs is defective, whereas the crystal of iPB‐1 blended with ICs is more perfect. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 48: 389–395, 2010