Mechanical properties and crystallization behavior of polypropylene with cyclodextrin derivative as β-nucleating agent
(1157-1166) Colloid and Polymer Science 289 #10 (2011)
Zeng et al  of Fuzhou University, China, found that lanthanum complex of cyclodextrin derivative (β-CD–MAH–La) was a highly active β-nucleating agent for isotactic polypropylene (iPP).  Results showed that β-CD–MAH–La was efficient in inducing the crystallization of iPP into β-modification (β-iPP), with K β value of 0.84, while the content of nucleating agent was 0.8 wt.%. β-iPP could form extensively in the isothermal crystallization temperature range from 110 °C to 140 °C, and the highest amount of β-crystal content was formed at 130 °C. Besides, it can be known that the addition of β-CD–MAH–La can obviously facilitate the overall crystallization process of iPP. Under nonisothermal condition, β-iPP formed at the suitable cooling rates, ranging from 5 °C to 10 °C/min. Furthermore, the nucleation mechanism of β-CD–MAH–La for iPP was correlated to the special configuration of β-CD–MAH–La.  (RDC 6/14/2011)