Investigation of polymer crystallization kinetics with time dependent light attenuation measurements

Abstract

Results obtained for samples of syndiotactic polypropylene and poly(ethylene-co-octene) demonstrate the usefulness of light attenuation measurements in investigations of polymer crystallization. The earlier stages with separated growing spherulites fall in the range of Rayleigh-Debye-Gans scattering. Known relationships describing the dependence of the linear attenuation coefficient on the radius and the index of refraction of a spherulite can be applied in evaluations. The sensitivity of attenuation measurements is much higher than that of conventional tools.