Nucleation mechanism and crystallization behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate) containing ionomers

Abstract

By means of differential scanning calorimetry, the influences of AClyn® on the crystallization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) were investigated and compared with Surlyn®. AClyn initiates heterogeneous nucleation and substantially increases the crystallization rate of PET while Surlyn dissolves in molten PET and reacts with PET chains, producing ionic chain ends. They subsequently associate into ionic clusters which, eventually, act as the true nucleation species. AClyn is more effective to accelerate nucleation than Surlyn. Crystallization kinetics analysis by the Avrami equation indicates that an athermal nucleation seems to occur in the case of both AClyn and Surlyn.