Crystallization behaviour and lamellar thickness distribution of metallocene‐catalyzed polymer: Effect of 1‐alkene comonomer and branch length

Abstract

The effect of comonomer and branching on the melt crystallization and lamellar thickness distribution was studied for ethylene and 1‐alkene copolymers. The comonomers used in this study are 1‐hexene, 1‐octene, and 1‐decene. A notable influence of the comonomer ratio in the feed was observed on the crystallization and melting behaviour. The Ozawa and Mo models were found suitable for these copolymers. However, variation of relative crystallinity at different heating rates preferred the Mo method over the Ozawa method. The melting behaviour and lamellar thickness distribution of the copolymers were analyzed by the help of the modified Gibbs‐ Thomson equation. The activation energies (EA) for the melt crystallization were calculated using the Kissinger method. It was observed that 1‐hexene comonomer exhibits lower EA, indicating an easier crystallization process as compared to other comonomers used. Overall, crystallization was found to be more influenced by the degree of branching rather than the comonomer type.

Photooxidative degradation of graphene‐reinforced high‐density polyethylene nanocomposites

“…The lamellar thickness distribution was calculated from the DSC endotherm according to Atiqullah et al . The relationship between T m and the properties of the lamella is given by the Gibbs–Thomson equation [eq. ]…”

Experimental Methods in Chemical Engineering: Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

“…Metallocene complexes catalyze the branching insertion of n ‐alkenes and branching is the main factor that affects the plastic's degree of crystallinity. 13 C spectra quantifies the branching density, with the ASTM method 5017‐96, integrating the peaks relative to the methylene resonance at 30.0 ppm . Cis ‐polymyrcene has better mechanical properties than an atactic plastic.…”

Thermal Degradation Kinetics Analysis of Ethylene-Propylene Copolymer and EP-1-Hexene Terpolymer

“…The polymerization of ethylene and ethylene with α-olefins using a class of metallocene catalysts delivers very high catalytic activity and precise control over the stereo-regular properties of the resultant polymer [ 1 ]. The ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymer and ethylene-propylene-α-olefins terpolymers are versatile polymeric materials with properties ranging from thermoplastic to elastomers [ 2 ].…”