On the crystal growth kinetics of ultra-toughened biobased polyamide 410: New insights on dynamic crystallization

The influence of elastomeric poly (octene-co-ethylene) on the crystallization of polyamide 410 in PA-410/POE-g-MA blends was systematically analyzed using a non-isothermal crystallization kinetics approach. A novel power-law criterion was employed to characterize the crystallization regimes (primary and secondary) as a function of cooling rate to understand the nature of crystal arrangement vis-a-vis various kinetic models proposed by Avrami, Jeziorny (modified Avrami method), Ozawa and Liu-Mo. The activation energy pattern with fractional crystallinity from onset to fully developed crystals is discussed as per Friedman's theory. The POE phase acted as a weak nucleating agent for PA 410. The effect of elastomer on crystallization rate constant remained almost unchanged regardless of the blend composition. This insensitivity is attributed to (1) nucleating effect of POE-g-MA (because of resemblance in the molecular scheme) and (2) hindrance effect through the formation of an interfacial network; these two effects nearly offset one another. Our study illustrates the crucial dependence of acceleration of cooling that is, acceleration required for attaining a certain fraction of crystallinity with composition (threshold elastomer concentration), on an interfacial network in binary blends.

Automated summary

The study systematically analyzed the influence of elastomeric poly (octene-co-ethylene) on the crystallization of polyamide 410 in PA-410/POE-g-MA blends. It was found that the elastomer had a nearly unchanged effect on the crystallization rate constant, attributed to the nucleating effect of POE-g-MA and the hindrance effect through the formation of an interfacial network offsetting each other.