Bandyopadhyay J., Ray S.S., Scriba M., Malwela T.
DST/CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, National Centre for Nano-Structured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 1-Meiring Naude Road, Brummeria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Department of Chemical Technology, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2018, Johannesburg, South Africa
Bandyopadhyay, J., DST/CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, National Centre for Nano-Structured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 1-Meiring Naude Road, Brummeria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Ray, S.S., DST/CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, National Centre for Nano-Structured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 1-Meiring Naude Road, Brummeria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa, Department of Chemical Technology, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2018, Johannesburg, South Africa; Scriba, M., DST/CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, National Centre for Nano-Structured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 1-Meiring Naude Road, Brummeria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Malwela, T., DST/CSIR Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, National Centre for Nano-Structured Materials, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, 1-Meiring Naude Road, Brummeria, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
The impact of nanoclay on the isothermal crystal growth kinetics and morphology of biodegradable poly(ethylene succinate) (PES) is reported. A PES composite (PESNC) containing 5 wt% organically modified montmorillonite, was prepared via solvent casting method. The structural study of PESNC, using X-ray diffraction and optical microscope, showed the formation of micro-intercalated composite. The isothermal crystallization behavior of neat PES and PESNC was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical and atomic force microscopes. Results show that the supercooling effect of neat PES reduces after composite formation. The Lauritzen-Hoffman secondary nucleation theory (the LH-model) was employed to understand the crystal growth mechanism of these systems. According to the LH-model, only one transition between regime II and regime III was found, but no transition from regime I to II was detected. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Atomic force microscope (AFM); Composite formation; Crystal growth mechanism; Isothermal crystallization; Nano clays; Optical microscopes; Organically modified montmorillonite; Poly(ethylene succinate); Poly(ethylene sucinate); Secondary nucleation; Solvent casting method; Structural studies; Atomic force microscopy; Differential scanning calorimetry; Ethylene; Isotherms; Kinetics; Morphology; Nanocomposites; X ray diffraction; Crystal growth
