The crystallization kinetics of blends of poly(aryl ether ether ketone) (PEEK) and thermotropic liquid-crystalline copolyesters have been studied by differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. The overall crystallization rates of the blends were found to be dependent on the blend composition. With increasing mesomorphic content, the rate increased to pass through a maximum and then decreased to lower values. The linear spherulite growth rate of PEEK in the blends during isothermal crystallization was found to be smaller than that of pure PEEK. On the other hand, the nucleation density determined in the blends was about two orders of magnitude higher than that observed in a pure PEEK specimen, which is shown to be a more important factor in influencing the overall crystallization rate of these systems. On the basis of experimental results and theoretical treatments, it was believed that the crystallization process of the blends was initiated by heterogeneous nuclei, which were formed by the existing microdomains of the liquid-crystalline polymer, and that the number of heterogeneous nuclei was mainly determined by the size of the microdomains instead of the amount of liquid-crystal component present in the blends.
Посилання на статтю:
Blends of poly(aryl ether ether ketone) with thermotropic liquid-crystalline copolyesters: 2. Crystallization kinetics / Yang Zhong, Jiarui Xu* and Hanmin Zeng // Polymer. – 1992. – Vol 33. – P. 3893-3898.
