INFLUENCE OF PLASTICIZERS ( OR EXCESS FREE VOLUME ) ON SEMI-CRYSTALLINE POLYESTER BLEND SOLIDIFICATION UNDER PROCESSING CONDITIONS.

Influence of plasticizers and cryogenic grinding on the high-cooling-rate solidification behavior of PBT/PET blends

Two structurally different plasticizers (cyclic and linear) and the effect of cryogenic grinding on the solidification behavior at high cooling rates by a continuous cooling transformation approach of poly(butylene terephthalate)/poly(ethylene terephthalate), PBT/PET, blends are described. The solidification curve (density versus cooling rate) is confirmed as an effective tool to compare the differences in crystallization behavior under conditions mimicking processing. In comparison to the bulky cyclic plasticizer, the linear oligomeric one was found to have a more pronounced influence on the crystallization behavior. A 60/40 by weight PBT/PET blend shows a drop-off of density at ∼50 K/s. I…

Improving surface detection on nanoindentation of compliant materials

Nanoindentation is a versatile tool for monitoring mechanical properties on a local scale. Accurate knowledge of a contact area, and therefore an initial contact, is however necessary for translating the force curve into sample mechanical properties. It is shown that methods for sensing an initial contact by depth sensing instruments (DSI) may be severely in error for compliant materials. With the hardware adopted in this work, the threshold is determined by the elastic modulus; hence the error potentially increases if the material becomes more compliant. A simple method is therefore suggested to determine with accuracy the initial contact on compliant materials whereby the surface contact …

Influence of plasticizers suggests role of topology in polymer solidification at high cooling rates

Although solidification in processing deter- mines short- and long-term properties, methods for under- standing polymer crystallization mostly rely on real time experiments. Their evidences being drawn on time scales farther apart with respect to those experienced in process- ing. Nor significant outcomes have been so far drawn with approaches mimicking the typical processing times, the Continuous Cooling Transformation methods. Use of these techniques has indeed been limited to a heuristic interpretation of the structure developed under extreme solidification conditions without suggesting alternative routes to the understanding or even clues to the many open questions on polymer crystalliz…