Transcrystallization kinetics of poly(vinylidene fluoride)

Abstract

Abstract We report the transcrystallinity of poly(vinylidene fluoride) on several different types of substrate materials. The supermolecular structure and its development were characterized with polarization microscopy, whereas differential scanning calorimetry was used for monitoring the isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics. Although only approximately applicable, an Avrami–Ozawa analysis of the latter yielded reliable exponents, which characterized the transcrystalline nucleation conditions, the related dimensionality of growth, and the resulting texture. The results complemented and agreed quantitatively with those of light microscopy. Several polymers, including poly(ethylene terephthalate), polytetrafluoroethylene, and polyimide, induced distinct transcrystallinity, but only a spherulitic supermolecular structure developed on glass and metallic substrates. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 39: 2130–2139, 2001