Study on the Nonisothermal Crystallization Kinetics of Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride)/Tributyl Citrate Blends Via Thermally Induced Phase Separation

Abstract

The nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of poly (vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) in PVDF/tributyl citrate (TBC) blends having undergone thermally induced phase separation were investigated through differential scanning calorimetry measurements. Ozawa theory, Mo's method and Kissinger model were used to analyze the kinetics of the nonisothermal crystallization process. The Ozawa theory failed to describe the crystallization behavior of PVDF in the PVDF/TBC blends, whereas the Mo model was able to describe the nonisothermal crystallization process fairly well. The crystallization activation energy was determined by the Kissinger method, and was in the range of 90–165 kJ/mol.

Keywords:

• nonisothermal crystallization kinetics
• poly(vinylidene fluoride)
• secondary crystallization
• thermally induced phase separation
• tributyl citrate

Acknowledgments

This research was financially supported by the Central Research and Public Service Institutes of Basic Research Program of China (NO. K-JBYWF-2010-G14 and 2012-T7). The authors thank Dr. Wei Yan in National Quality Supervision and Inspection Center for Seawater, Brackish Water Utilization Products for helping in the thermal experiments.