A rheological study of shear induced crystallization

The isothermal crystallization of three isotactic polypropylene (iPP) types, with different molar mass (distributions), was studied after a well defined shear treatment of the melt at an elevated temperature and a subsequent quench to the crystallization temperature. For these experiments a standard rheometer of the cone and plate configuration was used. The development of the crystallization was monitored by dynamic oscillatory measurements. Shearing in the melt was shown to enhance subsequent crystallization at lower temperatures. Not only the total shear at constant rate is of importance, but also the chosen combination of rate and shearing time. Moreover, a pronounced influence of molar mass was detected. The exploration of the melting temperatures and times which are necessary for an erasion of the memory effects showed that the effect of shearing could not completely be erased, possibly as a consequence of mechanical degradation.