Exploring the roles ofmolecular structure on the β-crystallization of polypropylene random copolymer

To investigate effects of molecular structures on beta-crystallization of polypropylene random copolymer (PPR), PPR-A and PPR-B with similar molecular weight and distribution but significantly different polymorphic behavior were used. Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), solvent fractionation combined with successive self-nucleation and annealing (SSA) and Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) were applied. Results revealed that after addition of same amount of beta-nucleating agent (beta-NA), large amount of beta-phase is obtained in PPR-A (K-beta = 0.603), while no beta-phase can be seen from PPR-B; Structure characterizations revealed that they have similar molecular weight but different total amount and distribution of ethylene comonomer: the total content of ethylene comonomer of PPR-A is higher compared with PPR-B, but its ethylene comonomer distribution is less uniform. In this way, PPR-A possesses high molecular weight high isotactic fraction, which cannot be seen from PPR-B due to its more uniform comonomer distribution. Therefore, the presence of highly isotactic PP (HPP) is the key factor in beta-crystallization of PPR. For verification, HPP with low or high molecular weights are respectively added into beta-nucleated PPR-B. Results revealed that HPP was effective in enhancing beta-crystallization of PPR-B; higher molecular weight of HPP was more favorable and more effective.