Crystallization Behavior of Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Montmorillonite Nanocomposite

The crystallization behavior of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/montmorillonite (PVDF/MMT) nanocomposite was investigated by using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), polarizing optical microscope (POM), and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the crystallization behavior of PVDF was changed by adding MMT in PVDF matrix. The MMT layers in PVDF acted as effective nucleation agents. It is observed that the crystallization temperature of PVDF/MMT nanocomposite was higher than that of PVDF at various cooling rates. The value of half-time of crystallization showed that the crystallization rate of PVDF/MMT nanocomposite was faster than that of PVDF at a given cooling rate. The addition of MMT hindered the growth of spherulite. Nonisothermal crystallization data was analyzed using Avrami, Ozawa, and Jeziorny method. The Jeziorny method successfully described the nonisothermal crystallization behaviors of PVDF/MMT nanocomposite. The MMT loading was favorable to produce the piezoelectric beta phase in the PVDF matrix. The alpha phase coexisted with the beta phase in the PVDF/MMT nanocomposite. For this polymorphic structure, a possible explanation was proposed based on the variable temperature X-ray diffraction, DSC, and POM experiments. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 49:491-498, 2009. (c) 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers