Non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of polypropylene/silicon nitride nanocomposites

The non-isothermal crystallization kinetics of polypropylene/silicon nitride (PP/Si(3)N(4)) nanocomposites was investigated. The Avrami method, Ozawa method and a method proposed by Mo were applied to the analysis of the non-isothermal crystallization of the PP nanocomposites. Nucleation activity of the Si(3)N(4) nanoparticles on the PP matrix was also explored. The nucleation activity was strongest when the Si(3)N(4) content was 2 wt%. The effective activation barrier (Delta E) for non-isothermal crystallization was also estimated as a function of the relative degree of crystallinity using the isoconversional analysis of calorimetric data. The value of Delta E was found to vary with the relative degree of crystallinity, as well as with the presence of Si(3)N(4) filler. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.