Unusual Fractional Crystallization Behavior of Novel Crystalline/Crystalline Polymer Blends of Poly(ethylene suberate) and Poly(ethylene oxide) with Similar Melting Points

Abstract

Novel crystalline/crystalline polymer blends of biodegradable poly(ethylene suberate) (PESub) and biocompatible poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were prepared through a solution and casting method. The basic thermal properties, including both glass transition temperature and melting point, of both of the components are very close to each other. The two components are miscible as no obvious phase separation can be detected, forming novel miscible polymer blends of two crystalline polymers. PESub/PEO blends show two or three crystallization exotherms at different supercoolings. The complex crystallization behaviors are attributed to the occurrence of the fractional crystallization of the minor component of the blends. Depending on the blend composition, the major component of the blend crystallizes first and the minor component crystallizes later. During the crystallization of the major component, the amorphous minor component is completely included the interlamellar region of the major component or most of the amorphous minor component is expelled out of the interlamellar region while only a few is incorporated between the lamellae of the major component. In both cases, the fractional crystallization of the minor component occurs at large supercooling because of the confinement effect of the lamellae of the major component. In the present work, the fractional crystallization of PESub or PEO may occur at large supercooling when its content is low. PESub/PEO blends may be the first model that the fractional crystallization of each component occurs at large supercooling when its content is low; thus, they provide a rare system to study the unique crystalline morphology and crystallization behavior of miscible crystalline/crystalline polymer blends. Such research is very interesting and challenging for a better understanding of the crystalline morphology and crystallization behavior of crystalline polymer blends from both academic and practical viewpoints.