Comparison of different beta-nucleators for isotactic polypropylene, characterisation by DSC and temperature-modulated DSC (TMDSC) measurements

The nucleating efficiency and selectivity of different beta-nucleating agents was characterised and compared by differential scanning calorimetry, (DSC) and temperature-modulated DSC (TMDSC). The nucleating agents were the calcium salts of pimelic and suberic acid (Ca-pim and Ca-sub), linear trans-gamma-quinacridone (LTQ), a commercial nucleator NJ Star (NJS) and an experimental product (CGX-220). The efficiency and the selectivity of Ca-sub and Ca-pim are extremely high. NJS is efficient above a critical concentration, which is connected with its partial dissolution in polypropylene melt. LTQ and CGX-220 possess strong overall nucleating ability and moderate selectivity. Using TMDSC, we found that three consecutive processes take place during the heating of beta-nucleated samples cooled down to room temperature: reversible partial melting of the beta-form, irreversible beta alpha- recrystallisation, and the melting of the alpha-modification formed during beta alpha- recrystallisation or being present in samples prepared with non-selective beta-nucleators. Melting of the alpha-phase contains both reversible and irreversible components

Solid State Polymorphism of Isotactic and Syndiotactic Polypropylene

The crystal structure and polymorphism of isotactic (iPP) and syndioactic polypropylene (sPP) are illustrated, highlighting the rich variety of phase behavior of these polymers, the conditions of obtainment of the different polymorphs and the disorder phenomena occurring in the crystals. After description of the concepts of packing and conformational polymorphism occurring in the case of iPP and sPP respectively, the crystal structure of the different polymorphs of iPP and sPP are described. In particular, the main structural features relative to the monoclinc α-, the trigonal β- and the orthorhombic γ-forms, of iPP including the mesomorphic form, and the trigonal form which develops in random isotactic copolymers of propylene with pentene or hexene units, are described at first, the chain conformation in all these polymorphs being the 3/1 helix. Then, the complex polymorphism of sPP and the crystal structure of the orthorhombic helical form I and II, the orthorhombic trans-planar form III, the monoclininc form IV, and the trans-planar and helical mesophases are illustrated. The implications of the crystal structure with the final properties are outlined for these polymers, the great fortune of which was the almost simultaneous discovery of the polymerization catalyst systems and the structural elucidation