Crystallization Kinetics of Poly(ethylene oxide) in Mixtures with Tetrahydronaphthalene and Oligo(dimethyl siloxane-b-ethylene oxide) Copolymer

The crystallization behavior of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) in mixtures with oligo(dimethyl siloxane-b-ethylene oxide) (COP) and tetrahydronaphthalene (THN) has been investigated. The crystallization kinetics studied isothermally and non-isothermally using an automated device that monitors the light passing through the systems as functions of time and/or temperature. The crystallization kinetics was found to be strongly influenced by the COP concentration in the mixtures. A substantial decrease in the induction time, t₀ (the time needs for the onset of crystallization) and a considerable shift in the crystallization temperature (T_l/s) to higher temperatures have been observed with increasing the concentration of COP in the mixtures during the isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization processes, respectively. This behavior may be attributed to the difference in the interaction parameters of PEO with THN and COP, The isothermal crystallization kinetics for this system was analyzed on the bases of Avrami approach.