Polymer Engineering and Science, Vol.42, No.11, 2193-2201, 2002
Influence of additives on the crystallization kinetics of semicrystalline polymers. II: Selective polymer-additive interaction in poly(vinylidene difluoride)-poly(methylmethacrylate) blends
The influence of pigments and mineral fillers on the crystallization kinetics of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) in its blends with poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) was studied by Differential Scanning Calorimetry and Optical Microscopy. The introduction of organic pigments or mineral fillers into FVDF results in a more or less significant increase in non-isothermal crystallization temperatures, depending on the additives used. In FVDF, the pigment nucleation activity is quite different from that previously found in poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT). Attractive interactions between PVDF and additive surfaces are particularly important parameters. The competition between pigments and talc lead to the observation that some pigments are able to inhibit the nucleating power of this mineral in PVDF, probably through specific attractive interactions. In PVDF-PMMA blends, selective interactions between polymers and additives were observed, depending on their chemical structures. Highly chlorinated pigments present a strong attraction for PMMA and then lose an important part of their nucleating power towards FVDF. On the other hand, a pigment containing carbonyl groups becomes the most active nucleating agent, illustrating the presence of strong interactions between such compounds and the PVDF C-H bonds.