Effects of talc orientation and non-isothermal crystallization rate on crystal orientation of polypropylene in injection-molded polypropylene/ethylene-propylene rubber/talc blends

The effects of talc orientation and non-isothermal crystallization rate on the crystal orientation of polypropylene in the injection-molded PP/EPR/Talc blends were studied by using AFM, DSC, SEM and XRD. Polypropylene was transcrystallized on the talc surface and the polypropylene crystal was oriented perpendicular to the talc surface. Therefore, the crystal orientation was affected by the talc orientation. At the surface of injection-molded specimens, the crystal orientation increased with decreasing the molecular weight of EPRs and increasing the talc content. Because talc particles were nearly oriented parallel to the flow direction in the skin layer of the specimens, the crystal orientation was amplified by the increased crystallization rate. The non-isothermal crystallization behavior of PP/EPR/Talc blends was investigated in terms of the molecular weight of EPRs and the talc content. Non-isothermal crystallization rate increased with decreasing the molecular weight of EPRs due to the plasticizing effect of EPRs and increasing the content of talc which acts as nucleating agent. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.