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From α- to β-crystallization in multi-walled carbon nanotubes-filled polypropylene nanocomposites

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Abstract

Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-filled polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites generally form α-crystal. In order to induce the transition from α-crystallization into β-crystallization of MWCNTs-filled PP nanocomposites, the calcium pimelate-supported MWCNTs were prepared. The effect of calcium pimelate-supported MWCNTs on the crystallization behavior and melting characteristics and spherulitic morphology of PP was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and polarizing optical microscopy. The β-nucleating ability of calcium pimelate-supported MWCNTs prepared with different mass ratios of MWCNTs/pimelic acid and its influence on the crystallization of PP nanocomposites was discussed. It is found that the MWCNTs supported by calcium pimelate can change from α-nucleation of MWCNTs surface into β-nucleation and induce β-crystallization in the MWCNTs-filled PP nanocomposites. The MWCNTs-filled PP nanocomposites prepared with MWCNTs/pimelic acid mass ratio of 10/1 can completely form β-crystal. The β-crystal content of the PP nanocomposites filled by MWCNTs kept at high level and was little influenced by MWCNTs contents. This finding is great significant to develop MWCNTs-filled β-PP nanocomposites.

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Acknowledgements

The project was supported by Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51173208,51373202), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong (Grant No. S2011020001212) and Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education of Chin (Grant No. 20110171120018).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Polymeric Composites and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of High Performance Polymer based Composites, Materials Science Institute, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China

    Chen Chunyan, Zhang Zishou, Ding Qian, Dai Xin & Mai Kancheng

  2. Zhongshan Institute, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Zhongshan, 528402, China

    Chen Chunyan

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  1. Chen Chunyan
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  2. Zhang Zishou
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  3. Ding Qian
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  5. Mai Kancheng
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Correspondence to Mai Kancheng.

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Chunyan, C., Zishou, Z., Qian, D. et al. From α- to β-crystallization in multi-walled carbon nanotubes-filled polypropylene nanocomposites. J Therm Anal Calorim 119, 1781–1791 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-014-4304-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-014-4304-3

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