Functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes improve nonisothermal crystallization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)

In this work, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were successfully chemically modified by maleic anhydride (f-MWCNTs), and the f-MWCNTs were melt compounded with poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) by using a twin-screw extruder to prepare nanocomposites. The effects of f-MWCNTs on the crystallization behavior of PET nanocomposites were studied via DSC and POM. The results show the apparent nucleation effect of f-MWCNTs in PET crystallization. The cold-crystallization peak temperature decreases with the increase of f-MWCNTs during the heating process. On the other hand, the addition of f-MWCNTs can greatly enhance the melt-crystallization peak temperature of PET when it is cooled from the melt. The nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of PET with f-MWCNTs was analyzed by different methods and the results also prove that the f-MWCNTs clearly accelerate the crystallization process of PET. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.